^5 The Siol or Sil-Muireadhaigh descended
from Muireadhach Muilleathan, King of
Connaught, who died in the year 701.
from Muireadhach Muilleathan, King of
Connaught, who died in the year 701.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 197
more, and between it and Tipper, which belonged to the Knights of St.
John of Jerusalem. Between the Golden Hill and Knocktelowny, eight or nine miles from Dublin, were the ruins of a chapel called Kilbride Ogadre. It lies in the glen near the Liffey. It was dependent on the mother church of Kilmesantan or Templesantan, so picturesquely situated high over the bank of the Dodder River, and nestling among the Dublin mountains. '*" At Stillorgan, about five miles from Dublin, there was a church,-*^ dedicated to St. Bride. '*^ It is supposed, the Protestant church now stands on its site. An ancient well is near, but it could not be ascertained, as having been dedicated to St. Brigid, from any existing tradition. —
The — local denominations or at least the following compound vastly
greater number of them are presumed to have been called after our St. Brigid. Here were probably named, in honour of her, and also dedicated,
churches, chapels, or religious institutions. A chapel of St. Brigid was
within Cunga or Cong Monastery, county of Mayo, and province of Con- naught. <3 This existed in the seventeenth century, and perhaps to a later
period. In the city of Dublin, there is a parish,44 and a parochial church, dedicated to St. Bridget. 45 The church is now used for purposes of Protestant worship, and it stands on the site of a former Catholic church. Adjoining are the Protestant schools of St. Bridget. There is another parish, dedicated to St. Bridget, in the barony of Forth, and county of Wexford. ^^
There was a Kill-brigde, a chapel in the territory of Imachuais,47 in Meath ; and, also, a Kill-brigde, in Ferakeall^^ territory, diocese of Meath. Variousplaces,here,wereunderherprotection. Kilbrideparish,issituated partly in the barony of Fore,'*^ county of Meath ;5o and, partly in the barony Clonmahon,5' county of Cavan. s^ Kilbride townland is in this latter division. 53 There is a townland of Kilbride,54 in the parish of Nobber, barony of Mor-
47 Under this form, it does not seem to be easy of identification. We find, however, in the "Tripartite Life of St. k Patrick," mention made of a "territory of Laeghaire of Bregia and Imghae in the territory of
"
Laeghaire of Meath. "
of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 395.
*° See "William Monck Mason's **
History and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe- dral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin,"
book i. , chap, v. , xi. , pp. 28, 74, 75, and nn. ibid.
*' See D'Alton's "History of the County of Dublin," pp. 837 to 841.
—Miss
Cusack's
Life
4' According to Archbishop "LiberNiger. "
Allen's
"
48 This is rendered by Dr. O'Donovan,
Viri ctllanitn seu potius ecclesiarum'^
43 See Colgan, p. 624. An interesting The name was long preserved in Fircal, now account of Cong, with an illustration from a known as Eglish, a barony in the King's
drawing by Samuel Lover, R. H. A. , will be County ; but, there is ample evidence to found in Sir William Wilde's "Lough prove, that Feara-ceall comprised, likewise,
Corrib, its Shores and Islands, with Notices
of Lough Mask," chap, vii. , pp. 145 to 176. 44 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Dublin. " Sheet
18.
45 The present parish of St. Bride consists
of a union of three smaller parishes, the ancient St. Bride's, St. Stephen's and St. Michael de la Pole. See that most elegant and valuable hand-book, so handsomely issued, "An Historical Guide to Ancient and Modern Dublin. " Illustrated by en- gravings, after drawings by George Petrie. By the Rev. G. N. Wright, A. M. , pp. 152 to 154.
4^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford. " Sheet 37.
the baronies of Ballycowan and Ballyboy, in the same county. See " The Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na
Naomh O'Huidhrin," n. 24, p. vi.
49 A great number of ancient forts may be
seen, in this division of the parish.
"
Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of
Meath. " Sheets8,9.
5' Several ancient forts are to be found on
this section of the Ordnance Maps.
"
5^ This is shown on the
vey Townland Maps for the County of Cavan. " Sheets38,42.
53 See ibid. , Sheet 38.
54 This is shown on the " Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Meath. " Sheets 6, 12.
5° This is shown on the
Ordnance Sur-
198 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February i.
gallion,andcountyofMeath. Wefind,also,aparish,calledKilbridessor
Moymet,56 ^^ the barony of Upper Navan, deanery of Trim, and county of Meath. Itcontainsanoldchurch,venerableinitsdesolation,andmantled with ivy. 57 It measures seventy-five by sixteen feet. At Iskaroon,58 there is a church and well dedicated to St. Brigid. A cemetery adjoined both, but it has been discontinued as a place of interment for many past years. S9 In Killare parish,^° barony of Rathconrath, and county of Westmeath, deanery ofClara,anddioceseofMeath,therearetheruinsofSt. Brigid'schapel; the length was thirty-three feet, by nineteen in breadth. Two ash-trees spread over the site of the altar. St. Bridgid's AVell, shaded by an ash-tree, is also
"
pointed out. Again, a small chapel, called Tigh-Bahrighde, or
Bridgid's House,"stoodonthetownlandofArdnurcher. ^^ Ithasbeenpulleddown,
however, and uprooted. St. Bridgid's Well is here, also, and it is occasionally frequented. ^=' AtDrumbride,^3parishofDrumcondra,^4andbaronyofLower Slane, in the deanery of Kells, county of Meath, an abbey and a church are said to have been erected by St. Brigid. On a lofty hill, portion of an old church yet remains. It is situated about two miles north of Drumcondra. The cemetery is yetafavouriteplaceofinterment,forpeopleintheneighbourhood. ^^ Amoat is beside it. In the parish of Kilbride,^^ barony of Dunboyne and deanery of Kells, in the county of Meath, there was an old church, which was pulled down, but the cemetery remains. ^7 Near it is St. Bridgid's Well. The parish is under her patronage. In it are several fragments of way-side crosses. The beautiful Lough Sheelin lies near it, and various islands there certify to the existence of ancient religious foundations. ^^ At Kilbride,^9 a parish situated in the barony of Kilcoursey, King's County, a church and convent are said to have been founded by St. Brigid. The people have a tradition, that this was the first church erected by her, after she became a professed religious, on the hill of Usney. Some remains of a chapel and of a con- ventual establishment are to be seen ; and, fragments of the church, which remain in the contiguous cemetery, measure fifty-two feet in length, by twenty-four in width. 7° The parish of Oldcastle,^' in the barony of Demifore,
55 A certain Mr, Carey, in 1657, was li- meath. This latter part is noted, on
censed to preach at Bride's parish to the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
Irish,
" once Lord's day and that he County of Westmeath. " Sheets 24, every ; 31,
32, 37, 38.
^^
See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii. , chap, xix,, pp. 494, 497.
''3 Its position is marked, on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Meath. " Sheet 3.
^4 ggg ^-^/^^ Sheets 3, 6.
^s See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. ,
chap, xvi,, p. 295.
^^
See it noted, on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Meath. " Sheets 45, 51.
^7 It is shown, on Sheet 45.
doe occasionally repair to Trim and Atbye
(query) Athboy, to preach as aforesaid. "— Very Rev. Richard Butler's "Some Notices of the Castle and of the Ecclesiastical Build-
ingsofTrim, compiled from various autho-
rities," p. 160.
56 See it marked, on the
'*
Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of
Meath. " Sheets 30, 36.
57 This, with the castle, is found on Sheet
30. ' The townland is called Kilbride.
58 This denomination,withIskaroon Little, will be found on Sheet 30.
59 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii,,
chap, xvii,, pp. 368, 369,
^ See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County Westmeath. " Sheet 24.
^' Ardnurcher or Horseleap parish is
partly in the barony of Kilcoursey, King's
County, and this is shown on "Ordnance County. " Sheets 2, 8.
Survey Townland Maps for the King's ^° See Rev. A. Cogan's Diocese of County," Sheet 2 ; and partly in the Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii,, barony of Moycashel, county of West- chap, xix. , p. 496.
^^
See Rev, A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii. , chap.
xvi. , pp. 313, 314.
^9 j^g position is defined, on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the King's "
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 199
countyofMeath,wasdedicatedtoSt. Bridgid. 7^ Thechurchhasbeenlong since levelled. In the graveyard are fragments of stone crosses and of ancienttombs. 73 AholywellliesnearthetownofOldcastle,butitspatron's name is not recorded. 74 On a hill called Carrick-Moile, in the parish of Lickbla,75 barony of Fore, and deanery of Mullingar, there is a well dedicated to St. Brigid. Here stations used to be held on her festival day. 7^ There was a church also called Kilbride, on the townland of Adamstown,77 but only
a graveyard there remains. 7^
There was an ancient church of St. Brigid in Cork, close to St. Finbarfs
Cathedral. No vestige of the church now remains ; but, an old burying- ground is there, and, for a considerable time, it had been used by the Ana- baptists, of whom existed a few families. Now, these are extinct, or almost so, in Cork. Few people in this city knew of that little graveyard. We can have no doubt, but this church was dedicated to the great St. Brigid. 79 There was, also, a Kill-brigde, or Kilbride, a chapel, in Baile antobuir or Ballintober village,^°inthedioceseofTuam,andprovinceofConnaught. ^^ Therewas a Kill-brigde, or Kilbride, near the town of Fethard,^^ in a parish of the
samename,^^dioceseofCashel,andprovinceofMunster. 24 Besidesthese, "
Kill-brigde, or Kilbride, or the cell of Brigid," a chapel in Kill-luckin parish, diocese of Elphin, and in the territory of Siol-Muiredhuighj^s rejoiced
in the abbess as glorious
^^ The known this people, by
name, were the O'Conors of Magh Naoi,^7 and their correlatives. ^^ Their territory
7" Its position is marked, on the "Ord- of Kilconnell. See Sheet 86. " Ordnance
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Galway. "
^' See Colgan, p. 625.
s^
See Sheet 70.
^3 The town and parish so named are
noted, on the "Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Tipperary. " Sheet 70. The parish is in the barony of Middlethird, and in the South Riding of the county.
^* See Colgan, p. 625.
^5 The Siol or Sil-Muireadhaigh descended
from Muireadhach Muilleathan, King of
Connaught, who died in the year 701. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," n. 231, p. xxxiii.
"^
See Colgan, p, 624.
^^ The inhabitants of the town of Ros-
common and of its vicinity, when speaking
"
^^ A vast number of ancient forts lie with-
County of Meath.
Sheets 9, 10, 15.
in this parish.
73 See Rev. A. Cogan's
"
Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. ,
chap, xvi. , p. 334.
74 See Maps, Sheet 9.
75 Its extent is shown, on the
"
Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Westmeath. " Sheets I, 2, 3. Yet Car- rick-Moile is not noted within it, on any of those Maps.
7^ See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , and n. p. 400.
^^ There are two Adamstowns, in the
county of Westmeath ; one, in the parish of
Castletownkindalen and barony of Moy-
cashel, and the other, in the parish of
special patron.
Conry, and barony of Rathconrath. See of the country generally, call that district,
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the CountyofWestmeath. " Sheets25,32.
7^ See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , p. 418.
79 Letter of Very Rev. Denis Canon MacSwiney, P. P. , dated Feb. 1st, 1872, River View, Carrigaline, Co. Cork.
lying between them and Athlone, "the Barony," and that between them and El-
phin, "the Magery. " They say you are not in the Magery, until you are two miles and a-half, north of Roscommon town. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (h), p. 87.
^^
After the establishment of surnames, they branched into various families and spread themselves over a considerable terri- tory. ThesefamiliesweretheMacDermots,
^° There are two townlands called Ballin-
tober East and West, in the parish of Kilree-
kill and barony of Leitrim. Sheet 98.
There is a Ballintober, parish of Cummer, MacDonoughs, O'Beirnes, O'FJanagans, and barony of Clare. Sheet 57. There is
a Ballintober, parish and barony of Kilcon- nell. Sheet 86. Again, there is a Ballin-
tober, parish of Killallaghtan, and barony
Mageraghtys, O'Finaghtys. Of all these ancient clans or septs, the O'Conors were
the most powerful. See ibid. ^ vol. i. , n. (i), p. 301.
200 LIVES OJi THE IRISH SAINTS
[February i,
was known as Machaire-Chonnacht,^9 a large plain in the county of Ros- common. 9° Kill-brigde, or Kilbride, in the territory of Gleanntachuir,^' in the diocese of Derry, and in the Ulster province,92 was dedicated to St.
Brigid. At Kilmactalway,93 about eight miles from Dublin, one of the avenues from Castle Bagot demesne leads to the ruins of Kilbride chapel,^* of which mention has already been more fully made, in a previous chapte—r.
or a— Again, Kill-brigde, Kilbride, chapel,
in the
parish
of
Bally
an
Chaly
a denomination now unknown9S diocese of Tuam,96 was called after St.
Brigid. There is a townland of Kilbride,97 in the parish and barony of
Ross,countyofGalway; and,wefindatownland,calledKilbride,98inthe
parishofBright,99baronyofUpperLecale,countyofDown. Theseplaces
were sacred to St. Brigid. There are two townlands of Kilbride, respectively
in the parishes of Aghade and Barragh, both in the barony of Forth, and
'°'
county of Carlow. '°° There is a Kilbride townland, in the parish of
Abbeylara, barony of Granard, and county of Longford. There is a Kilbride townland,^°^intheparish,baronyandcountyofLouth. ThereisaKilbride
townland,'°3intheparishandbaronyofBurrishoole,countyofMayo. There is another Kilbride townland, '°'^ in the parish of Mayo, barony of Clanmorris, same county. Again, there is a Kilbride townland,^°s in the parish of Kil- cunduff, barony of Gallen, and county of Mayo. There is a townland of Kilbride, in the parish of Cloncurry, baronies of Ikeathy and Oughterany, County Kildare. '°^ There is a parish, called Pass of Kilbride, in the barony
^ The following are its bounds, according chapel, worth yearly xu. d. , according to
to the general tradition of the Roscommon the Inquisition of 38 Henry VIII. See
"
people. It extends northward as far as William Monck Mason's History and
Lismacooil, in the parish of Kilmacumshy ; eastwards, to Falsk, in the parish of Kil- luckin ; westwards, from the bridge of Cloonfree, near Stokestown as far as the bridge of Castlerea ; and, southwards, to a hill, lying two miles and a-half, north of Roscommon town. The natives of Baslick parish call a hill, in the townland of Drisha- ghan in that parish, the navel or centre of the Machaire, or plain of Connaught. This conveys a distinct idea, regarding the posi- tion of Magh Naoi. See ibid. , vol. iii. , n.
Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathedral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin," &c. , book i. , chap, v. , p. 29.
95 Or, at least, not noticed, on the Ord- nance Survey Maps.
96 See Colgan, p. 624.
97 See " Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the County of Galway. " Sheets 13, 26.
98 See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Down. " Sheet 45. 99 This church stood in a field, now known as "Church Park," about three-quarters of a mile S. W. of Killough. It was razed in and Elphin, also between Castlerea and 1830, and little trace of it now remains. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' "Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore," n.
(h), p. 88.
9° It lay between the towns of Roscommon
Stokestown.
9' This was formerly called in Irish "Ooi^i-
iiAc 5l,inne-co6Ai|\. This particular denomi-
(t), p. 34.
nation is now
and decompounded preserved,
,, 100 gge «« Ordnance Townland
partly in Donough, the name of the parish,
and partly in Glentogher, otherwise Carrow-
more, an extensive mountainous tract there-
in. This was the native parish of our great
hagiologist, John Colgan. The church was
founded by St. Patrick, and originally the
place was called Domnach-mor Muighe- Maps for the County of Louth. " Sheet Tochuir. See Archbishop Cotton's "Visi- II.
tation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. '°3 See " Ordnance Survey Townland Mcccxcvii. " Edited by Rev. William Maps for the County of Mayo. " Sheet 68.
Reeves, n. (v), p. 67,
^ See Colgan, p. 625.
93 See D'Alton's "History of the County
ofDublin,"p. 688.
'°* See ibid. Sheets 90, 91, loi.
'°s See ibid. Sheets 62, 72.
^°^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland
MapsfortheCountyofKildare. " Sheet
9* This Kilbride, near Clondalkin, was 4. found to have had one cottage and. one old
Survey MapsfortheCountyofCarlow. " Sheets
17, 18.
loi geg it Ordnance Survey Townland
MapsfortheCountyofLongford. " Sheet II-
'°^ See ** Ordnance Survey Townland
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 201 ofFartullagh,CountyWestmeath. '°7 Thereis,also,asaseparatedenomina-
Sheets 27, 33, 34.
*" "=
See Colgan, p. 625.
"8 ^°9 "° *"
See ibid.
See ibid.
See Colgan, p. 624.
See " Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix
of
in the same ^°^ On the townland of barony.
the
Kilbride,'°9 it seems likely a church to St. Brigid had been erected. Already
tion,
parish
Kilbride,
have we noticed, in a previous chapter, the parishes and townlands, called
Kilbride, in the counties of Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford. It seems likely the following places were named after her
—
The
Chapel Cill-brigde, or Kilbride, in Kildare deanery and diocese, province of Lein- ster. "° The town of Kildare, in the middle of this diocese, is surrounded
immediately by the deanery so named. "^ There is a parish of Kilbride, in the barony of Tirawley, county of Mayo ;"^ a townland in it bears the same
name. "3 There is a townland, called Kilbride,"* in the parish of Lea, barony of Portnahinch, Queen's County. There is a parish of Kilbride, in
the barony of Ballycowan. King's County ;"5 a townland of the same de- nomination lies within it. "^ A very extensive parish, lying within the baronies of Ballintober South and of Roscommon, in the county of Ros- common,isdenominatedKilbride. "7 InthebaronyofBallintoberNorth, in the parish of Kilmore, and in the same county, there is a townland called
Kilbride. "^ Kill-brigde major, or Kilbride the greater,"^ and Kill-brigde- minor, or Kilbride the lesser,'^° parish churches of Limerick diocese, in
^^^
were dedicated to St.
or some- Kilbride,
Munster,
times called Temple Brigid, was a chapel in Armagh city and diocese, pro- vince of Ulster. "' To this, allusion has been more fully made, in a previous
chapter. "3 Kill-brigdemajor,orKilbridethegreater,aparishchurch,and Kill-brigde minor, or Kilbride the lesser, a chapel, in Maglacha''^'* district, dioceseofOssory,honouredSt. Brigidastheirspecialpatroness. "^ There is a townland and parish of Kilbride, barony of Ida, in the county of Kil- kenny. "^ ThereisalsoatownlandofKilbride,intheparishandbaronyof Callan, in the same county. "^ There is, in addition, a Kilbride Glebe there. "^ Besides these, we find a Kill-brigde, "9 or Kilbride,^3o a parish church,'3i in
*°7 See "Ordnance Survey Townland nance Survey Townland Maps for the County Maps for the County of Westmeath. " of Limerick. " Sheet 47.
Sheets 26, 33. Sheet 33.
ggg Colgan, p. 625.
"3 It was near the old Catholic chapel
still used.
"* This was a plain, in the barony of
Brigid.
Kill-brigde,
Quinta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. i. , p, 628.
""See "Ordnance Survey Townland O'Donovan's "Topographical Poems of
Maps for the County of Mayo. " Sheets 7, 14.
*'4
Townland Maps for the Queen's County. " Sheets 4, 5, 8, 9.
"5 See " Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the King's County. " Sheets 8, 9,
16, 17, 25.
"^
See Sheet 16.
"7 See " Ordnance Survey Townland
John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," n.
more, and between it and Tipper, which belonged to the Knights of St.
John of Jerusalem. Between the Golden Hill and Knocktelowny, eight or nine miles from Dublin, were the ruins of a chapel called Kilbride Ogadre. It lies in the glen near the Liffey. It was dependent on the mother church of Kilmesantan or Templesantan, so picturesquely situated high over the bank of the Dodder River, and nestling among the Dublin mountains. '*" At Stillorgan, about five miles from Dublin, there was a church,-*^ dedicated to St. Bride. '*^ It is supposed, the Protestant church now stands on its site. An ancient well is near, but it could not be ascertained, as having been dedicated to St. Brigid, from any existing tradition. —
The — local denominations or at least the following compound vastly
greater number of them are presumed to have been called after our St. Brigid. Here were probably named, in honour of her, and also dedicated,
churches, chapels, or religious institutions. A chapel of St. Brigid was
within Cunga or Cong Monastery, county of Mayo, and province of Con- naught. <3 This existed in the seventeenth century, and perhaps to a later
period. In the city of Dublin, there is a parish,44 and a parochial church, dedicated to St. Bridget. 45 The church is now used for purposes of Protestant worship, and it stands on the site of a former Catholic church. Adjoining are the Protestant schools of St. Bridget. There is another parish, dedicated to St. Bridget, in the barony of Forth, and county of Wexford. ^^
There was a Kill-brigde, a chapel in the territory of Imachuais,47 in Meath ; and, also, a Kill-brigde, in Ferakeall^^ territory, diocese of Meath. Variousplaces,here,wereunderherprotection. Kilbrideparish,issituated partly in the barony of Fore,'*^ county of Meath ;5o and, partly in the barony Clonmahon,5' county of Cavan. s^ Kilbride townland is in this latter division. 53 There is a townland of Kilbride,54 in the parish of Nobber, barony of Mor-
47 Under this form, it does not seem to be easy of identification. We find, however, in the "Tripartite Life of St. k Patrick," mention made of a "territory of Laeghaire of Bregia and Imghae in the territory of
"
Laeghaire of Meath. "
of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 395.
*° See "William Monck Mason's **
History and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe- dral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin,"
book i. , chap, v. , xi. , pp. 28, 74, 75, and nn. ibid.
*' See D'Alton's "History of the County of Dublin," pp. 837 to 841.
—Miss
Cusack's
Life
4' According to Archbishop "LiberNiger. "
Allen's
"
48 This is rendered by Dr. O'Donovan,
Viri ctllanitn seu potius ecclesiarum'^
43 See Colgan, p. 624. An interesting The name was long preserved in Fircal, now account of Cong, with an illustration from a known as Eglish, a barony in the King's
drawing by Samuel Lover, R. H. A. , will be County ; but, there is ample evidence to found in Sir William Wilde's "Lough prove, that Feara-ceall comprised, likewise,
Corrib, its Shores and Islands, with Notices
of Lough Mask," chap, vii. , pp. 145 to 176. 44 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Dublin. " Sheet
18.
45 The present parish of St. Bride consists
of a union of three smaller parishes, the ancient St. Bride's, St. Stephen's and St. Michael de la Pole. See that most elegant and valuable hand-book, so handsomely issued, "An Historical Guide to Ancient and Modern Dublin. " Illustrated by en- gravings, after drawings by George Petrie. By the Rev. G. N. Wright, A. M. , pp. 152 to 154.
4^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford. " Sheet 37.
the baronies of Ballycowan and Ballyboy, in the same county. See " The Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na
Naomh O'Huidhrin," n. 24, p. vi.
49 A great number of ancient forts may be
seen, in this division of the parish.
"
Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of
Meath. " Sheets8,9.
5' Several ancient forts are to be found on
this section of the Ordnance Maps.
"
5^ This is shown on the
vey Townland Maps for the County of Cavan. " Sheets38,42.
53 See ibid. , Sheet 38.
54 This is shown on the " Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Meath. " Sheets 6, 12.
5° This is shown on the
Ordnance Sur-
198 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February i.
gallion,andcountyofMeath. Wefind,also,aparish,calledKilbridessor
Moymet,56 ^^ the barony of Upper Navan, deanery of Trim, and county of Meath. Itcontainsanoldchurch,venerableinitsdesolation,andmantled with ivy. 57 It measures seventy-five by sixteen feet. At Iskaroon,58 there is a church and well dedicated to St. Brigid. A cemetery adjoined both, but it has been discontinued as a place of interment for many past years. S9 In Killare parish,^° barony of Rathconrath, and county of Westmeath, deanery ofClara,anddioceseofMeath,therearetheruinsofSt. Brigid'schapel; the length was thirty-three feet, by nineteen in breadth. Two ash-trees spread over the site of the altar. St. Bridgid's AVell, shaded by an ash-tree, is also
"
pointed out. Again, a small chapel, called Tigh-Bahrighde, or
Bridgid's House,"stoodonthetownlandofArdnurcher. ^^ Ithasbeenpulleddown,
however, and uprooted. St. Bridgid's Well is here, also, and it is occasionally frequented. ^=' AtDrumbride,^3parishofDrumcondra,^4andbaronyofLower Slane, in the deanery of Kells, county of Meath, an abbey and a church are said to have been erected by St. Brigid. On a lofty hill, portion of an old church yet remains. It is situated about two miles north of Drumcondra. The cemetery is yetafavouriteplaceofinterment,forpeopleintheneighbourhood. ^^ Amoat is beside it. In the parish of Kilbride,^^ barony of Dunboyne and deanery of Kells, in the county of Meath, there was an old church, which was pulled down, but the cemetery remains. ^7 Near it is St. Bridgid's Well. The parish is under her patronage. In it are several fragments of way-side crosses. The beautiful Lough Sheelin lies near it, and various islands there certify to the existence of ancient religious foundations. ^^ At Kilbride,^9 a parish situated in the barony of Kilcoursey, King's County, a church and convent are said to have been founded by St. Brigid. The people have a tradition, that this was the first church erected by her, after she became a professed religious, on the hill of Usney. Some remains of a chapel and of a con- ventual establishment are to be seen ; and, fragments of the church, which remain in the contiguous cemetery, measure fifty-two feet in length, by twenty-four in width. 7° The parish of Oldcastle,^' in the barony of Demifore,
55 A certain Mr, Carey, in 1657, was li- meath. This latter part is noted, on
censed to preach at Bride's parish to the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
Irish,
" once Lord's day and that he County of Westmeath. " Sheets 24, every ; 31,
32, 37, 38.
^^
See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii. , chap, xix,, pp. 494, 497.
''3 Its position is marked, on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Meath. " Sheet 3.
^4 ggg ^-^/^^ Sheets 3, 6.
^s See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. ,
chap, xvi,, p. 295.
^^
See it noted, on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Meath. " Sheets 45, 51.
^7 It is shown, on Sheet 45.
doe occasionally repair to Trim and Atbye
(query) Athboy, to preach as aforesaid. "— Very Rev. Richard Butler's "Some Notices of the Castle and of the Ecclesiastical Build-
ingsofTrim, compiled from various autho-
rities," p. 160.
56 See it marked, on the
'*
Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of
Meath. " Sheets 30, 36.
57 This, with the castle, is found on Sheet
30. ' The townland is called Kilbride.
58 This denomination,withIskaroon Little, will be found on Sheet 30.
59 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii,,
chap, xvii,, pp. 368, 369,
^ See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County Westmeath. " Sheet 24.
^' Ardnurcher or Horseleap parish is
partly in the barony of Kilcoursey, King's
County, and this is shown on "Ordnance County. " Sheets 2, 8.
Survey Townland Maps for the King's ^° See Rev. A. Cogan's Diocese of County," Sheet 2 ; and partly in the Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii,, barony of Moycashel, county of West- chap, xix. , p. 496.
^^
See Rev, A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii. , chap.
xvi. , pp. 313, 314.
^9 j^g position is defined, on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the King's "
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 199
countyofMeath,wasdedicatedtoSt. Bridgid. 7^ Thechurchhasbeenlong since levelled. In the graveyard are fragments of stone crosses and of ancienttombs. 73 AholywellliesnearthetownofOldcastle,butitspatron's name is not recorded. 74 On a hill called Carrick-Moile, in the parish of Lickbla,75 barony of Fore, and deanery of Mullingar, there is a well dedicated to St. Brigid. Here stations used to be held on her festival day. 7^ There was a church also called Kilbride, on the townland of Adamstown,77 but only
a graveyard there remains. 7^
There was an ancient church of St. Brigid in Cork, close to St. Finbarfs
Cathedral. No vestige of the church now remains ; but, an old burying- ground is there, and, for a considerable time, it had been used by the Ana- baptists, of whom existed a few families. Now, these are extinct, or almost so, in Cork. Few people in this city knew of that little graveyard. We can have no doubt, but this church was dedicated to the great St. Brigid. 79 There was, also, a Kill-brigde, or Kilbride, a chapel, in Baile antobuir or Ballintober village,^°inthedioceseofTuam,andprovinceofConnaught. ^^ Therewas a Kill-brigde, or Kilbride, near the town of Fethard,^^ in a parish of the
samename,^^dioceseofCashel,andprovinceofMunster. 24 Besidesthese, "
Kill-brigde, or Kilbride, or the cell of Brigid," a chapel in Kill-luckin parish, diocese of Elphin, and in the territory of Siol-Muiredhuighj^s rejoiced
in the abbess as glorious
^^ The known this people, by
name, were the O'Conors of Magh Naoi,^7 and their correlatives. ^^ Their territory
7" Its position is marked, on the "Ord- of Kilconnell. See Sheet 86. " Ordnance
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Galway. "
^' See Colgan, p. 625.
s^
See Sheet 70.
^3 The town and parish so named are
noted, on the "Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Tipperary. " Sheet 70. The parish is in the barony of Middlethird, and in the South Riding of the county.
^* See Colgan, p. 625.
^5 The Siol or Sil-Muireadhaigh descended
from Muireadhach Muilleathan, King of
Connaught, who died in the year 701. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," n. 231, p. xxxiii.
"^
See Colgan, p, 624.
^^ The inhabitants of the town of Ros-
common and of its vicinity, when speaking
"
^^ A vast number of ancient forts lie with-
County of Meath.
Sheets 9, 10, 15.
in this parish.
73 See Rev. A. Cogan's
"
Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. ,
chap, xvi. , p. 334.
74 See Maps, Sheet 9.
75 Its extent is shown, on the
"
Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Westmeath. " Sheets I, 2, 3. Yet Car- rick-Moile is not noted within it, on any of those Maps.
7^ See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , and n. p. 400.
^^ There are two Adamstowns, in the
county of Westmeath ; one, in the parish of
Castletownkindalen and barony of Moy-
cashel, and the other, in the parish of
special patron.
Conry, and barony of Rathconrath. See of the country generally, call that district,
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the CountyofWestmeath. " Sheets25,32.
7^ See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , p. 418.
79 Letter of Very Rev. Denis Canon MacSwiney, P. P. , dated Feb. 1st, 1872, River View, Carrigaline, Co. Cork.
lying between them and Athlone, "the Barony," and that between them and El-
phin, "the Magery. " They say you are not in the Magery, until you are two miles and a-half, north of Roscommon town. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (h), p. 87.
^^
After the establishment of surnames, they branched into various families and spread themselves over a considerable terri- tory. ThesefamiliesweretheMacDermots,
^° There are two townlands called Ballin-
tober East and West, in the parish of Kilree-
kill and barony of Leitrim. Sheet 98.
There is a Ballintober, parish of Cummer, MacDonoughs, O'Beirnes, O'FJanagans, and barony of Clare. Sheet 57. There is
a Ballintober, parish and barony of Kilcon- nell. Sheet 86. Again, there is a Ballin-
tober, parish of Killallaghtan, and barony
Mageraghtys, O'Finaghtys. Of all these ancient clans or septs, the O'Conors were
the most powerful. See ibid. ^ vol. i. , n. (i), p. 301.
200 LIVES OJi THE IRISH SAINTS
[February i,
was known as Machaire-Chonnacht,^9 a large plain in the county of Ros- common. 9° Kill-brigde, or Kilbride, in the territory of Gleanntachuir,^' in the diocese of Derry, and in the Ulster province,92 was dedicated to St.
Brigid. At Kilmactalway,93 about eight miles from Dublin, one of the avenues from Castle Bagot demesne leads to the ruins of Kilbride chapel,^* of which mention has already been more fully made, in a previous chapte—r.
or a— Again, Kill-brigde, Kilbride, chapel,
in the
parish
of
Bally
an
Chaly
a denomination now unknown9S diocese of Tuam,96 was called after St.
Brigid. There is a townland of Kilbride,97 in the parish and barony of
Ross,countyofGalway; and,wefindatownland,calledKilbride,98inthe
parishofBright,99baronyofUpperLecale,countyofDown. Theseplaces
were sacred to St. Brigid. There are two townlands of Kilbride, respectively
in the parishes of Aghade and Barragh, both in the barony of Forth, and
'°'
county of Carlow. '°° There is a Kilbride townland, in the parish of
Abbeylara, barony of Granard, and county of Longford. There is a Kilbride townland,^°^intheparish,baronyandcountyofLouth. ThereisaKilbride
townland,'°3intheparishandbaronyofBurrishoole,countyofMayo. There is another Kilbride townland, '°'^ in the parish of Mayo, barony of Clanmorris, same county. Again, there is a Kilbride townland,^°s in the parish of Kil- cunduff, barony of Gallen, and county of Mayo. There is a townland of Kilbride, in the parish of Cloncurry, baronies of Ikeathy and Oughterany, County Kildare. '°^ There is a parish, called Pass of Kilbride, in the barony
^ The following are its bounds, according chapel, worth yearly xu. d. , according to
to the general tradition of the Roscommon the Inquisition of 38 Henry VIII. See
"
people. It extends northward as far as William Monck Mason's History and
Lismacooil, in the parish of Kilmacumshy ; eastwards, to Falsk, in the parish of Kil- luckin ; westwards, from the bridge of Cloonfree, near Stokestown as far as the bridge of Castlerea ; and, southwards, to a hill, lying two miles and a-half, north of Roscommon town. The natives of Baslick parish call a hill, in the townland of Drisha- ghan in that parish, the navel or centre of the Machaire, or plain of Connaught. This conveys a distinct idea, regarding the posi- tion of Magh Naoi. See ibid. , vol. iii. , n.
Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathedral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin," &c. , book i. , chap, v. , p. 29.
95 Or, at least, not noticed, on the Ord- nance Survey Maps.
96 See Colgan, p. 624.
97 See " Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the County of Galway. " Sheets 13, 26.
98 See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Down. " Sheet 45. 99 This church stood in a field, now known as "Church Park," about three-quarters of a mile S. W. of Killough. It was razed in and Elphin, also between Castlerea and 1830, and little trace of it now remains. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' "Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore," n.
(h), p. 88.
9° It lay between the towns of Roscommon
Stokestown.
9' This was formerly called in Irish "Ooi^i-
iiAc 5l,inne-co6Ai|\. This particular denomi-
(t), p. 34.
nation is now
and decompounded preserved,
,, 100 gge «« Ordnance Townland
partly in Donough, the name of the parish,
and partly in Glentogher, otherwise Carrow-
more, an extensive mountainous tract there-
in. This was the native parish of our great
hagiologist, John Colgan. The church was
founded by St. Patrick, and originally the
place was called Domnach-mor Muighe- Maps for the County of Louth. " Sheet Tochuir. See Archbishop Cotton's "Visi- II.
tation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. '°3 See " Ordnance Survey Townland Mcccxcvii. " Edited by Rev. William Maps for the County of Mayo. " Sheet 68.
Reeves, n. (v), p. 67,
^ See Colgan, p. 625.
93 See D'Alton's "History of the County
ofDublin,"p. 688.
'°* See ibid. Sheets 90, 91, loi.
'°s See ibid. Sheets 62, 72.
^°^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland
MapsfortheCountyofKildare. " Sheet
9* This Kilbride, near Clondalkin, was 4. found to have had one cottage and. one old
Survey MapsfortheCountyofCarlow. " Sheets
17, 18.
loi geg it Ordnance Survey Townland
MapsfortheCountyofLongford. " Sheet II-
'°^ See ** Ordnance Survey Townland
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 201 ofFartullagh,CountyWestmeath. '°7 Thereis,also,asaseparatedenomina-
Sheets 27, 33, 34.
*" "=
See Colgan, p. 625.
"8 ^°9 "° *"
See ibid.
See ibid.
See Colgan, p. 624.
See " Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix
of
in the same ^°^ On the townland of barony.
the
Kilbride,'°9 it seems likely a church to St. Brigid had been erected. Already
tion,
parish
Kilbride,
have we noticed, in a previous chapter, the parishes and townlands, called
Kilbride, in the counties of Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford. It seems likely the following places were named after her
—
The
Chapel Cill-brigde, or Kilbride, in Kildare deanery and diocese, province of Lein- ster. "° The town of Kildare, in the middle of this diocese, is surrounded
immediately by the deanery so named. "^ There is a parish of Kilbride, in the barony of Tirawley, county of Mayo ;"^ a townland in it bears the same
name. "3 There is a townland, called Kilbride,"* in the parish of Lea, barony of Portnahinch, Queen's County. There is a parish of Kilbride, in
the barony of Ballycowan. King's County ;"5 a townland of the same de- nomination lies within it. "^ A very extensive parish, lying within the baronies of Ballintober South and of Roscommon, in the county of Ros- common,isdenominatedKilbride. "7 InthebaronyofBallintoberNorth, in the parish of Kilmore, and in the same county, there is a townland called
Kilbride. "^ Kill-brigde major, or Kilbride the greater,"^ and Kill-brigde- minor, or Kilbride the lesser,'^° parish churches of Limerick diocese, in
^^^
were dedicated to St.
or some- Kilbride,
Munster,
times called Temple Brigid, was a chapel in Armagh city and diocese, pro- vince of Ulster. "' To this, allusion has been more fully made, in a previous
chapter. "3 Kill-brigdemajor,orKilbridethegreater,aparishchurch,and Kill-brigde minor, or Kilbride the lesser, a chapel, in Maglacha''^'* district, dioceseofOssory,honouredSt. Brigidastheirspecialpatroness. "^ There is a townland and parish of Kilbride, barony of Ida, in the county of Kil- kenny. "^ ThereisalsoatownlandofKilbride,intheparishandbaronyof Callan, in the same county. "^ There is, in addition, a Kilbride Glebe there. "^ Besides these, we find a Kill-brigde, "9 or Kilbride,^3o a parish church,'3i in
*°7 See "Ordnance Survey Townland nance Survey Townland Maps for the County Maps for the County of Westmeath. " of Limerick. " Sheet 47.
Sheets 26, 33. Sheet 33.
ggg Colgan, p. 625.
"3 It was near the old Catholic chapel
still used.
"* This was a plain, in the barony of
Brigid.
Kill-brigde,
Quinta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. i. , p, 628.
""See "Ordnance Survey Townland O'Donovan's "Topographical Poems of
Maps for the County of Mayo. " Sheets 7, 14.
*'4
Townland Maps for the Queen's County. " Sheets 4, 5, 8, 9.
"5 See " Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the King's County. " Sheets 8, 9,
16, 17, 25.
"^
See Sheet 16.
"7 See " Ordnance Survey Townland
John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," n.
