Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nangle, Richard
NANGLE, RICHARD (d. 1541?), bishop of Clonfert, came of an old Irish family settled in Mayo and Galway, and early entered the order of the Austin Friars, from whom he received his education. He was subsequently created doctor of divinity, and became provincial of his order in Ireland. In 1508 his earnest solicitations led to the foundation of the Augustinian friary at Galway (Ruddiman, Hist. of Galway, p. 272). On the death of Denis More, bishop of Clonfert, in 1534, Rowland Burke was appointed his successor by papal provision; but Henry VIII, who had determined to assert his right as head of the church in Ireland, in 1536 appointed Nangle, who was recommended to him by Archbishop Browne as being ‘not only well learned, but a right honest man, and one will set forth the Word of God in the Irish tongue.’ Nangle, however, was expelled from the see, and forced to remain shut up in Galway ‘for fear of Burgh and his complices’ (Gairdner, Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, xii. i. 1052; Carew MSS.) Henry therefore directed the deputy, Lord Grey, to prosecute the intruder under the Statute of Provisors; but nothing was done, and Burke remained in possession of the see. Nangle died apparently in 1541, and Burke received Henry's assent to his election on 24 Oct. of the same year.
[Cal. State Papers, Ireland, 1509–73; Carew MSS. 1515–74; Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, ed. Gairdner, XII. i. 1052, XIII. i. 114, 1450; Lascelles's Liber Munerum, ii. 83; Ware's Ireland, i. 642; Mant's Church of Ireland, i. 153; Brady's Episcopal Succession, iii. 212; Cotton's Fasti, iv. 165–6; Froude's Hist. of England, iii. 425; Ruddiman's Galway, p. 272.]