author
Margaret Ball
1878–1952
Remembered for steady courage in a dangerous time, she was an Irish Catholic widow whose refusal to abandon her faith led to imprisonment and death in Dublin Castle. Her story later became part of the history of the Irish Catholic Martyrs.
1 Audiobook
Sir Walter Scott as a Critic of Literature
by Margaret Ball
About the author
Born around 1515 in County Meath, Margaret Ball became part of prominent Dublin life through her marriage to Bartholomew Ball, a merchant who served as Lord Mayor of Dublin. Even within a divided family, she remained committed to her Catholic faith during the religious upheavals of the Tudor period.
In old age, she was arrested after refusing to conform to the established church and was confined in Dublin Castle. She died there in 1584 after harsh treatment and deprivation, and her death was later remembered as an act of martyrdom.
Her witness continued to be honored long after her lifetime. In 1992, Pope John Paul II beatified her as one of the Irish Catholic Martyrs, and she is still remembered in Irish religious history for her quiet firmness and endurance.