Father Theobald Mathew, the Apostle of Temperance, was born near Cashel in 1790. Ordained a Capuchin priest in 1814, he served for most of his life in Cork. While in Cork, he became one of the most influential figures in the social life of the city in the first half of the nineteenth century, and attained national importance during the temperance crusade of the late 1830s and 1840s. Apart from his role in the temperance movement he was known and loved in Cork for his efforts to alleviate distress during the cholera epidemic of 1832 and during the Great Famine from 1845 to1850. He was also responsible for the purchase of the botanic gardens in Ballyphehane and the establishment of St Joseph’s cemetery on that site.
Dogged by ill health in his declining years, he suffered a stroke in 1852 which curtailed his activities. He died in Cobh on 8 December 1856 following another stroke.
