Louvain Papers:

1606 - 1827 Brendan Jennings Edinburgh/Dublin 1968

729. It was not my fault that Doct McCartan was not mitred.  His own conduct of the affair of Down and Connor  prejudiced him in the eyes of the holy congregation.   James McCartan proposed neither you nor any other friar for Dromore.  Unless people in Ireland postulate for some favourable candidate, he has but a blind chance of being elected here.  There are twelve candidates for Raphoe.

763. Should you write soon to James McCartan, pray tell him that I am writing his answer to my last two letters. 

735. Father James McCormick to Father James Cowan.  Now a thought on   Dromore.  Know that on the 13th inst a congregation had been held in which Doctor Edmund Derry P.P. of Clonuff of the same diocese has been elected bishop in preference to nine other candidates for whom postulations and strong recommendations were sent from Ireland.  Among the rest was one Patrick McCartan P.P. of Loughinisland in the diocese of Down and Connor but native of Dromore. He was recommended to me from Ireland and a postulation of all clergy and laeity of the diocese of Dromore was sent to me in his favour.  I used every influence in my power to promote him and got him to be put primo loco on the list, but unfortuneately for him and exception was made to him, the which made great impressions on the minds of the cardinals who were otherwise inclined to favour him.  His joining the schism of which he was represented to the chief promoter, made by the clergy of Down and Connor refusing to accept Doctor Hugh Mullan in 94, and the troubles that then took place and the recourse had to Rome on the occasion , have been solely the cause of him being excluded this turn from the sea of Dromore vacant on the death of Bishop Brady in July 1780.  The name Patrick McCartan was mentioned.   The guardian of St Isodore's  Franciscan convent in Rome in  support of his canditure ........ his opposition. to appoint of Hugh McMullan bishop nominated Patrick McMullan ... McCartan formed a caucas of priests led by Paul McCartan (6 McCartan priests).  They elected Paul McCartan vicar capitular after the bishop's death.

Archbishop O'Reilly got wind - alerted Rome.  McCartan and two of his fellow rebels were disciplined for their violation of canonical obedience.

Patrick Dorrian by Ambrose Macaulay.

On his death (Theophilus) William Stafford McCartan, his nephew claimed the right of presentation to the parish of Loughinisland and submitted the names of two diocesan priests, both called John McCartan to Bishop McMullan for appointment.  McMullan who resisted this claim argued the right of appointment to an office vacated by the death of a bishop devolved on the holy sea, appealed to Rome for  the authority to solve the issue by a concursus among the candidates and pending the Roman verdict gave the administration to another McCartan Patrick who had been P.P. of Kilcief although to the claimant the right of presentation also appealed to Rome.  Patrick McCartan remained in possession of the parish till 1805.