 The six years in which he was Archbishop of Dublin were troubled times in Ireland, the years of the Land League and of the National League, of violent agitation and savage coercion, when secret societies were strong in Dublin, and the Phoenix Park Murders and many others of less note were committed.On Sunday 4 January 1880, a collection was made in aid of the distressed districts of Ireland at chapels in the Dublin Diocese, but like his predecessor, Cardinal McCabe came to have a distrust of popular movements.Brought up in the city, he was unacquainted with agrarian conditions and he identified with the political movement under Davitt.