Oliver came from a wealthy landed family with connections on his mothers side from Co.Meath (Irl). A brilliant student he was ordained in 1654. He was appointed archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland in 1669. He found the Irish people full of faith but lacking in instruction and organisation. Very few had been confirmed and so he carried out thousands of confirmations.
In 1673 the religious climate became hostile so much so that he had to go into hiding. Revelations of a popish plot against the King’s life gathered momentum. Oliver was arrested. Despite any hard facts to prove anything against him he was found guilty, condemned to death and was hanged on July 1st. Some 230 letters written by him survive. Later ones written in prison, show an extraordinary willingness to accept the brutal way of death facing him. He was canonised a saint in 1975, the first Irishman to be canonised since Laurence O’Toole in the 13th century.