ABSTRACT
In the seventeenth century, more than twenty Irish friars belonged to the Franciscan province of Santiago. The most prominent among them was Luke Wadding who, after joining the Franciscans in Portugal, was incorporated into the Santiago province. This chapter identifies these friars, and examines their recruitment, their reasons for joining and the perspectives of superiors who received them into the order. Taking account of the duties and privileges of lectors and professors, details are given on the formation and studies of friars in the context of the Observant movement. This research considers the connections maintained by classmates and confrères in later years, investigating the extent of their influence on subsequent developments in the Irish province of friars minor.
