^ It lay near Douglas, beside the river, in a beautiful situation, and its prioress was anciently a
baroness
of the Isle of Man.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
i.
mediaeval times
:
rough drawing Noyer's "Antiquarian
it, Sketches"
" 'Twas common then
For pilgrims to flock to St. Brigid's shrine.
So they placed on the table pitchers of wine,
Game from the mountain and meat from the pen.
"
'*'^ See ibid. . No. 78.
=*^ It would be very desirable, that our
—Fytte II. , stanza i.
151.
^^ A very remarkable and venerated well, dedicated to St. Brigid, and lately covered by a stone building, may be seen close
by.
"^s See a fuller account of it, with an il-
Irish Catholic Directory, Almanack, and Registry" contained the patron saints' names
of our parishes, churches, chapels and reli- gious houses. By a rightly directed effort,
the
Also, n. (a), p.
information could readily be obtained,
Survey Townland Maps for the County of lustration, in William F. Wakeman's paper, Cork. " Sheet 99. It is in the parish of
"On Certain Markings on Rocks, Pillar Stones, and other Monuments, observed
ChieflyintheCounty Fermanagh. "— "Jour- nal of the Royal Historical and Archaeolo-
gical Association of Ireland," vol. iii.
Templebreedy, and barony of Kerrycurrihy, East Riding of Cork county.
=5^ ggg "The Poems of J. J. Callanan," p. 67.
by the -editor or publisher.
"*9 These scarcely rise above the earth at
present.
'^^ Now known as Templebreedy.
=51 See it represented, on the ' ' Ordnance
of
among
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 209
decorated style, its windows have geometric tracery. The chancel window has five lights, the western one is spherico-triangular. At the eastern and western ends of aisles are spherical windows, and there are also side chancel- windows. Besidesthewesternentrance,thetowerservesasaporch,anditis placed for effect on the north side, a little higher up than midway, and it will be the great entrance usually. The aisles are separated from the nave by rows of circular red marble columns, with Bath-stone caps for carving. The church is all built externally of limestone-ashlar, while the windows and dressings are finely chiselled. ^ss As yet, the tower has only reached its lower
story, but the other portions of this fine building, internally and externally, have nearly reached completion. ^54
Church of the Assumption, of St. Michael, of St. Patrick, and of St. Brigid, Wexford.
The beautiful new Church of the Assumption,2SS King's-street, Wexford, has also been dedicated to St. Michael, St. Patrick, and St. Bridget, as joint
patrons. '^sfi The grounds, on which the new church stands, are in part on the site of the ancient cemetery, attached to St. Brigid's old church, which, ac-
cording to local tradition, formerly stood there. ^'Sz An adjoining street is called Bride-street, at the present time, and its name seems to have been de- rived from the early ecclesiastical structure to which it led.
^53 Communication from Very Rev. Denis Canon M'Swiney, P. P. , headed River View, Carrigaline, Co. Cork, dated Feb. 1st,
1872.
^54 Communication from Very Rev. Denis
Canon M'Swiney, dated, January 5th, 1876.
=S5 The first stone was laid June 27th, 185 1. This church was opened for public
worship, April i8th, 1858.
^56 The accompanying engraving of it, by
Mrs. Millard, was executed after a photo-
graph, locally prepared in Wexford.
'57 Human remains have been disinterred
Vol. II.
P
210 Lives of the IRISH saints.
[February t.
The Sisters of Mercy Convent, Rathdrum,=58 county of Wicklow, has been dedicated to St. Brigid, by permission of his Eminence Cardinal Cullen. =^59
This appears from the parish registers.
After the beginning ot the present century, a religious community of
Brigitine nuns was established in Ireland. This is a most useful institute,
for the peculiar wants of our country ; and, it has been in highly successful
operation, from the very commencement of its inauguration. The first con-
vent of St. Brigid was founded in Tullow, county of Carlow, by the Right
Rev. Dr. Delany, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, on the ist of February,
1807, as also, the Convent of St. Brigid, in Mountrath, on the i8th of April,
1809. Besides these, the Convent of Tullow has sent out two affiliations,
one to Abbeyleix, in the Queen's County, a. d. 1842, and one to Goresbridge,
County Kilkenny, a. d. 1858. Of late, another branch has been established
at Paulstown, not far from the latter place, and within the same county. All
of these houses are situated in the diocese of Leighlin. The Brigitine nuns
have adopted a constitution and rules, which tend greatly to promote charity,
piety, and religious knowledge, in every parish, where their institute has been
established. They gain over many of the humble people to a life of peni-
tence. Holding lighted tapers in their hands, they make a solemn declara-
tion and dedication of themselves, on each feast of St. Brigid. ^^° This order
has been established for educational purposes, and, it has three schools in
constant operation, under each community ; a poor school, a benefit school,
and a boarding-school. The teaching of poor children and adults on Sundays
and holy days, in the parish church to which their convent belongs, is a special
^'^^
rule of this order.
The house and chapel of the Sisters of the Holy Faith, at Glasnevin,
diocese of Dublin, are under the patronage of St. Brigid. In the beginning of 1857, a Ladies' Association of Charity, under the zealous and self-denying Miss Aylward, had been formed to rescue from proselytism Catholic children exposed to danger. An admirable system was adopted, for placing these with Catholic families, until they could be educated and provided with means for earning an honest livelihood. St. Brigid was chosen as patroness of this goodwork. Whentheorphanagewasbegun,noonedreamtofestablishing a new community to take charge of it. On the contrary, great efforts were made to avoid anything of the sort ; but. Providence made use of those very efforts to accomplish His will. After some trials and much labour, two or three ladies associated themselves,^^^ to examine cases of proselytism, to rescue those orphans in greatest danger of losing the faith, to make clothes for them, and to superintend their rearing and education. This little seed, cast upon the earth by a seeming accident, took root and grew. The asso- ciates in 1867 numbered twenty-two. These ladies are united by the sacred bondsofreligion,underthetitle. SistersoftheHolyFaith. '^3 TheCardinal
there, when improvements were effected in
P. P. , granted May 30th, 1869.
=*<' See "The Life of St. an Brigid,"by
Irish Priest, chap, xiii. , pp. 184 to 187.
'^* Much of the foregoing information, re- garding the Brigitine Nuns, was kindly communicated, by the Superioress of Mount- rath Convent, Sister Mary J. Peter Stein,
in a letter, addressed to the writer, A. p. 1866.
=*= In the house No. 42 Eccles-street, Dublin.
=*3 See " Eleventh Annual Report of St. Brigid'sOrphanageforFiveHundredChil- dren,"p. . 8, A. D. 1867.
the of the new entourage
church, which, with its twin sister, the Church of the Im-
maculate Conception and of St. John Bap- tist, has been erected by the respected parish priest, Very Rev. James Canon Roche, as enduring monuments of his indomitable la- hour and pious zeal for the greater glory of God.
=^58 The extent of this parish, in the barony
"
of Ballinacor North, is shown on the
nance Survey Townland Maps for the County ofWicklow. " Sheets24,29,30,35.
"59 At request of Rev. Richard Galvin,
Ord-
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 211
Archbishop of Dublin has greatly fostered and aided this institute, sanctioned byHisHolinessPopePiusIX. HisEminence,findingthatthehousein Eccles-street was too small for the sisters that taught in their schools, sent them to succeed the religious Ladies of the Sacred Heart, in Glasnevin Con- vent. 2^4 Even a great enlargement of this house was soon required. The grounds are extensive and beautifully situated. It is not too much to say, that St. Brigid's new home, at Glasnevin, is one of those spots, fashioned by the Almighty Architect for religious exercises. ="^5 The River Tolka separates the convent grounds from the charming Botanical Gardens. ^^^ The whole scene is redolent of literary, patriotic, and above all, of religious associations.
In the name of our great abbess, the orphanage of St. Brigid was founded, while through her influence and prayers it has flourished. During the past nineteen years, this noble institute has saved from proselytism the immense number of one thousand three hundred and seventy Catholic orphans. Otherwise, humanly speaking, these should have been lost to the Church. Under her influence, also, the schools of the Holy Faith have, so to speak, sprang from the orphanage \ and, as a matter, almost of necessity, to take charge of these works, the Sisters of the Holy Faith have grown up, a new family,intheChurch. Besidesmanagingtheorphanage,theseladieshave fourteen schools, with a daily attendance of one thousand four hundred poor children. It must seem a strange-thing, that the former grounds and resi- dence of a distinguished Protestant Bishop of Kildare should become the dwellingofSt. Brigid,Patro—nessofKildare. Intruth,itappearstobethe place for St. Brigid's work within two short miles of the General Post Office, Dublin, and yet the situation is completely rural. Here, those Sisters of the Holy Faith, that teach the poor schools in the lanes of the city, can retire at evening to breathe, and acquire strength and buoyancy for their hardwork. Thereisnoharderstrainonmindandbody,thanthedailytoil of teaching. Here, it shall please God, a band of apostolic teachers can be trained to defend the faith of poor children, and impart, with knowledge, a love of virtue. Here, then, St. Brigid's spirit will rest, and religious teachers are likely to grow up under her patronage. These good ladies will devote themselves to the instruction and sanctification of poor children, in the capitalofholyIreland; hereafter,theirmissionmayextendtomoredistant places.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES DEDICATED TO ST. BRIGID, IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS, IN ANCIENT AND MODERN TIMES, AS ALSO ON THE CONTINENT OF
AND IN AMERICA— —
EUROPE, FESTIVALS, COMMEMORATIONS, OFFICES, HYMNS,
RELICS, USAGES, AND POPULAR MEMORIALS, REFERRING TO HER CONCLUSION.
In England, Wales and Scotland, as also in minor islands around their coasts,^ the fame and virtues of St. Brigid had spread, even from very re-
=^'^ Much of the foregoing and succeeding information was kindly communicated to the
writer, by Miss Aylward, the Lady Supe-
rioress, and foundress of the Sisters of the
very complete description of the Botanic ^^5 See Ninth Annual Report of St. Gardens, at Glasnevin. See vol. ii. , pp.
Holy Faith. "
Brigid's Orphanage for Five Hundred Chil-
1279 to 1304.
Chapter xvil—^ See "Martyrologium
Anglicanum," ad I. Februarii.
dren," p. 20, a. d. 1865. ^^ "
In the History of the City of Dublin,
from the earliest accounts to the present
time," &c. , as compiled by J. Warburton, Rev. J. Whitelaw, and the Rev. Robert
Walsh, are some interesting views, with a
212 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[February i.
motetimes. * ManypartsofEnglandhadchurchesdedicatedtoSt. Brigid. 3 In the city of London, Fleet-street, St. Bride's Church was celebrated in old
Catholic times, nor has the parochial designation yet disappeared. This church was extant in the seventeenth century. A very elegant spire sur- mounts the present Protestant church ; but, it had been injured by lightning, in1805. 4 Nearitssite,Fleet-street,London,inthefourteenthcenturyand in the reign of Edward III. , stood the palace of St. Bride. It had been built, in the vicinity of St. Bride's Well. It is supposed, the present Bride- well occupies this site. Edward III. had a daughter, named Brigid, who became a nun. 5 At Glastonbury, as we have already observed, a St. Brigid was venerated at the ist of February ; however, it is thought, she must have been different from our holy abbess, and that her real festival may have been assigned incorrectly to the present date. ^ In the litany of the very ancient church of Salisbury, Wiltshire, her name was specially invoked. There is a parish,calledKirkbride,intheIsleofMan. Theonlynunneryinthesame place was called after St. Brigid. It is said to have been founded by our
holy virgin,7 in the beginning of the sixth century.
^ It lay near Douglas, beside the river, in a beautiful situation, and its prioress was anciently a baroness of the Isle of Man. She held courts in her own name, and
possessed authority equal to a baron. 9
Several in '° nearest to and to places Scotland, especially Ireland, subjected
Irish influences," are enumerated, as having been under our saint's patronage. Among those are the Hebrides, anciently called Bride's or Brigid's Islands, ashasbeenthoughtfromourSt. Bride. " Excluding,perhaps,thenunsat Kildare, no others, excepting the inhabitants of those western isles, dedicated more churches to her. Thus, their veneration was expressed and perpetuated. ^3
The Hebrideans imagined, however, that her remains reposed at Abernethy,^* the Pictish capital. When the Scots annexed the Pictish territories to their
own, they paid a singular homage to the relics of St. Brigid, in Abemethy. ^s We are told, one of the Hebrides was called after her, and specially deno-
arii. We have already shown how this
mistake originated.
^ The Manx she received the veil think,
'John Macpherson, evidently no great
admirer of St. Brigid, writes " The several :
divisions of Britain concurred
very zealously
with Ireland, the country that gave her of virginity from St. Maughold, fourth
birth, in treating her c—haracter with a most ""
superstitious respect. Critical Disserta- tions on the Origin, Antiquities, Language, Government, Manners and Religion of the Ancient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots. " Dissertation xv. , p. 239.
3 So states the English Martyrology, when alluding to St. Brigid, at the 1st of Febru-
ary.
*• "
See 'Cassell's Illustrated Guide to
London. " The Churches of London, p.
132. London, 1862, 8vo.
5 Much of the foregoing information was
kindly communicated by a talented lady,
Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme, living in Ranelagh,
near Dublin, and quite conversant with the
traditional and historic lore of her country.
^
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap. XV,, p. 624.
7 The Manx have a
"
Martyrologium Anglicanum," I. Febru-
bishop of their island,
'See George Woods' "Account of the
Past and Present State of the Isle of Man," book i. , chap, ix. , pp. 112, 113.
tradition,
lived for some time in their island. See
that she
gine," lib. ix. , p. 158.
'* See an account of it, in Mackenzie E. C.
Walcott's " Scoti-Monasticon : The Ancient
Church of Scotland," pp. 316, 317.
'S gee Hector Boetius' "Scotorum His«
toriae, a pruna Gentis Origine," lib. ix.
'°
See Rev. Thomas Innes' "Civil and
Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," book
ii. , p. 128.
*' See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
" See ** Critical Dis- John Macpherson's
sertations on the Origin, Antiquities, Lan- guage, Government, Manners, and Religion of the Ancient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots, Dissertation xv. , p. 240.
"
^^ Jbid. ^ p. 239. Also, Hector Boetius' Scotorum Historioe, a prima Gentis Ori-
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 213
minated Brigidiana. '^ Indeed, throughout the whole west and south of Scotland,^7venerationtowardsherwasunbounded. St. Bridewasthepatron saint of the noble family of Douglas,''^ and they invoked her help on all im- portant occasions. ^9 The church of Douglas also bears her name. '° Her temples among the Hebrideans were more numerous than such as had been erected to any of their other saints. ''^ Among well-known Scottish localities, a scarped upburst of trap-rock out of the surrounding red sand-stone, and not far from the Laws,^^ in Forfarshire, is known as St. Bride's Ring, at Kin- genny. =3 TheChurchofSt. BrigidedeBlacketisnoticed,intheChartulary ofHolyrood. ^'* TheChurchofSt. BrigidofKypeismentionedintheChar- tulary of Kelso f^ and in that of Glasgow,^^ the Church of Wintertonegen, in
Valle de Niht. =^7 In Aberdeenshire, we have St. Bride's Rock, at Tomantoul.
We find St. Bride's Church, at Cushnie,^^ at Crochaul,^? at Kildnimmie,3o and at Skene. 3^ In Lanarkshire, there is a place, called East Kilbride, about seven miles from Glasgow. 3^ Its ancient church belonged to the
lar
protection
**
Critical Dissertations on the Origin, An-
^5 =^^
One of the most complete and satisfac-
of that 33 Likewise, there is a remarkable enclosed barrow, city.
bishops
which occupied the summit of one of the Cathkin hills, in the parish of Kilbride. 34 An interesting account of this parish has been written. ss We learn, also, that St. Bride was honoured at Auchtergaven, and at the romantic Blair Athol,36 in Perthshire, on the other side of the Drumalban. 37 Again, a church was consecrated to St. Brigid at Dunnottar, a. d. 1394,3^ according to Bishop Forbes. 39 Besides the foregoing, St. Bride's Chapel and bum are
^^ "
See Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme's Saints
of Ireland. " February i. , p. 15.
^7 Macpherson says he has "reason to
ii. , p. 305.
23 Forbes' "Kalendars of See Bishop
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
=''* See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 291. He quotes p.
42, and again at p. 57, St. Brigide's of Lou-
that the western isles of Scotland were, in some one period or other during the reign of popery, put under the particu-
suspect,
tiquities, Language, Government, Manners, and Religion of the Ancient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and IrishScots. " Dissertationxv. , p.
History of the City of Glasgow," by Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon.
Forbes' "Kalendars of
2^ See " View of the Diocese of Aber-
'^
Bishop Scottish Saints," p. 291.
glas,
to their great patroness :
Collections for the of the History
'*
Scottish
and Social
35 Ure's " of and Kil- History Rutherglen
bride. "
3^ See an account of this parish in " The
History chap, i. , pp. 137, 138.
Scottish Saints," p. 291.
^^ ** See Hector Boetius'
Scotorum His-
Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 172, 173.
toric, 158.
a
prima
Gentis
Origine,"
lib.
ix. , p.
37 See " New Statistical
Survey
of Scot-
and — blacket is recorded. Bridget, perhaps
of St.
in a great measure appropriated to her. " Page 153.
240.
In connexion with th^ family of Dou- we read the — in reference
="7 See
following lines,
,
The folk upon the Sonounday
Held to Saynct Bridis Kyrk thair way ; And thai that in the Castell war
Ischyt owt, both les and mar,
And went thair palmys for to ber. "
deen. "
Shires of Aberdeen and Banff".
Club, p. 593.
Spaulding
—"The Bruce ; or, The Metrical History
of Robert I. , King of Scots," by Master John Barbour, Archdeacon of Aberdeen. Buke Feyrd, 11. 335 to 339, vol. i. Edited
by John Jamieson, D. D,
^9 See Cosmo Innes' " Sketches of Early
Progress,"
^° See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
^'^ Ibid. , p. 279.
32 See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," Lanark, p. 877.
33 See " The Imperial Gazetteer of Scot-
=^ The word "Law" is an Anglo-Saxon
prefix or suffix, signifying an isolated hill or
land. " Perth, p. 426.
3^ See Jervise's "Memorials of Angus,"
p. 448.
39 See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 291.
mount, generally of a conical form. See "
The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol.
tory of modern historical works is
''
The
=9
^°
Ibid. , p. 589.
Ibid. , p. 642.
land," vol. ii. , p. 188.
34 See Daniel Wilson's
"
Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland," chap, iii. ,
PP- 55. 56, 71.
214
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS
[February i.
tobeseen,atKilbarchan,inRenfrewshire. ^® Again,thereisaspringofSt.
Bride, at Traquair. -*^ Also, we find St. Brigid's or Bride's Spring at Dunsyre in Lanarkshire. 42 There is a Kilbride, in Lorn,43 This wildly beautiful dis- trict of Argyleshire'*'* is said to have derived its name from Labhrin or Loam. '^s Also, St. Bride's Chapel and Well were at Beath in Ayrshire. ^^ Here there is a parish called Kilbride. 47 The lands of S. Brydehill, in Dumfries- shire,-*^ are noted, in the Retours. 49 There is a Kilbride, in Arran. There is a Kilbride, in Cromarty. There is a Kilbride, in Uist. 5° St. Bride had a chapel at Rothesay,s^ a royal burgh, in Bute. s^ In the parish of Kilmoire, in Bute,53 a convent had been erected to St. Bride. S4 There was a St. Bride's Church, at Kirkcolm,55 at Kirkmabreck, in Wigtonshire. s^ This is situated, on the western side of Lough Ryan, entering Stranraer. The dedication of St. Bride is found in the Lewes,57 at Borve. s^ Besides this, at the remote OrcadianS9 extremity of Scotland, St. Bride's dedication is found in Stronsay and Papa,^ in the Orkney Islands. ^^ There, our saint is associated with St. Nicholas.
mediaeval times
:
rough drawing Noyer's "Antiquarian
it, Sketches"
" 'Twas common then
For pilgrims to flock to St. Brigid's shrine.
So they placed on the table pitchers of wine,
Game from the mountain and meat from the pen.
"
'*'^ See ibid. . No. 78.
=*^ It would be very desirable, that our
—Fytte II. , stanza i.
151.
^^ A very remarkable and venerated well, dedicated to St. Brigid, and lately covered by a stone building, may be seen close
by.
"^s See a fuller account of it, with an il-
Irish Catholic Directory, Almanack, and Registry" contained the patron saints' names
of our parishes, churches, chapels and reli- gious houses. By a rightly directed effort,
the
Also, n. (a), p.
information could readily be obtained,
Survey Townland Maps for the County of lustration, in William F. Wakeman's paper, Cork. " Sheet 99. It is in the parish of
"On Certain Markings on Rocks, Pillar Stones, and other Monuments, observed
ChieflyintheCounty Fermanagh. "— "Jour- nal of the Royal Historical and Archaeolo-
gical Association of Ireland," vol. iii.
Templebreedy, and barony of Kerrycurrihy, East Riding of Cork county.
=5^ ggg "The Poems of J. J. Callanan," p. 67.
by the -editor or publisher.
"*9 These scarcely rise above the earth at
present.
'^^ Now known as Templebreedy.
=51 See it represented, on the ' ' Ordnance
of
among
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 209
decorated style, its windows have geometric tracery. The chancel window has five lights, the western one is spherico-triangular. At the eastern and western ends of aisles are spherical windows, and there are also side chancel- windows. Besidesthewesternentrance,thetowerservesasaporch,anditis placed for effect on the north side, a little higher up than midway, and it will be the great entrance usually. The aisles are separated from the nave by rows of circular red marble columns, with Bath-stone caps for carving. The church is all built externally of limestone-ashlar, while the windows and dressings are finely chiselled. ^ss As yet, the tower has only reached its lower
story, but the other portions of this fine building, internally and externally, have nearly reached completion. ^54
Church of the Assumption, of St. Michael, of St. Patrick, and of St. Brigid, Wexford.
The beautiful new Church of the Assumption,2SS King's-street, Wexford, has also been dedicated to St. Michael, St. Patrick, and St. Bridget, as joint
patrons. '^sfi The grounds, on which the new church stands, are in part on the site of the ancient cemetery, attached to St. Brigid's old church, which, ac-
cording to local tradition, formerly stood there. ^'Sz An adjoining street is called Bride-street, at the present time, and its name seems to have been de- rived from the early ecclesiastical structure to which it led.
^53 Communication from Very Rev. Denis Canon M'Swiney, P. P. , headed River View, Carrigaline, Co. Cork, dated Feb. 1st,
1872.
^54 Communication from Very Rev. Denis
Canon M'Swiney, dated, January 5th, 1876.
=S5 The first stone was laid June 27th, 185 1. This church was opened for public
worship, April i8th, 1858.
^56 The accompanying engraving of it, by
Mrs. Millard, was executed after a photo-
graph, locally prepared in Wexford.
'57 Human remains have been disinterred
Vol. II.
P
210 Lives of the IRISH saints.
[February t.
The Sisters of Mercy Convent, Rathdrum,=58 county of Wicklow, has been dedicated to St. Brigid, by permission of his Eminence Cardinal Cullen. =^59
This appears from the parish registers.
After the beginning ot the present century, a religious community of
Brigitine nuns was established in Ireland. This is a most useful institute,
for the peculiar wants of our country ; and, it has been in highly successful
operation, from the very commencement of its inauguration. The first con-
vent of St. Brigid was founded in Tullow, county of Carlow, by the Right
Rev. Dr. Delany, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, on the ist of February,
1807, as also, the Convent of St. Brigid, in Mountrath, on the i8th of April,
1809. Besides these, the Convent of Tullow has sent out two affiliations,
one to Abbeyleix, in the Queen's County, a. d. 1842, and one to Goresbridge,
County Kilkenny, a. d. 1858. Of late, another branch has been established
at Paulstown, not far from the latter place, and within the same county. All
of these houses are situated in the diocese of Leighlin. The Brigitine nuns
have adopted a constitution and rules, which tend greatly to promote charity,
piety, and religious knowledge, in every parish, where their institute has been
established. They gain over many of the humble people to a life of peni-
tence. Holding lighted tapers in their hands, they make a solemn declara-
tion and dedication of themselves, on each feast of St. Brigid. ^^° This order
has been established for educational purposes, and, it has three schools in
constant operation, under each community ; a poor school, a benefit school,
and a boarding-school. The teaching of poor children and adults on Sundays
and holy days, in the parish church to which their convent belongs, is a special
^'^^
rule of this order.
The house and chapel of the Sisters of the Holy Faith, at Glasnevin,
diocese of Dublin, are under the patronage of St. Brigid. In the beginning of 1857, a Ladies' Association of Charity, under the zealous and self-denying Miss Aylward, had been formed to rescue from proselytism Catholic children exposed to danger. An admirable system was adopted, for placing these with Catholic families, until they could be educated and provided with means for earning an honest livelihood. St. Brigid was chosen as patroness of this goodwork. Whentheorphanagewasbegun,noonedreamtofestablishing a new community to take charge of it. On the contrary, great efforts were made to avoid anything of the sort ; but. Providence made use of those very efforts to accomplish His will. After some trials and much labour, two or three ladies associated themselves,^^^ to examine cases of proselytism, to rescue those orphans in greatest danger of losing the faith, to make clothes for them, and to superintend their rearing and education. This little seed, cast upon the earth by a seeming accident, took root and grew. The asso- ciates in 1867 numbered twenty-two. These ladies are united by the sacred bondsofreligion,underthetitle. SistersoftheHolyFaith. '^3 TheCardinal
there, when improvements were effected in
P. P. , granted May 30th, 1869.
=*<' See "The Life of St. an Brigid,"by
Irish Priest, chap, xiii. , pp. 184 to 187.
'^* Much of the foregoing information, re- garding the Brigitine Nuns, was kindly communicated, by the Superioress of Mount- rath Convent, Sister Mary J. Peter Stein,
in a letter, addressed to the writer, A. p. 1866.
=*= In the house No. 42 Eccles-street, Dublin.
=*3 See " Eleventh Annual Report of St. Brigid'sOrphanageforFiveHundredChil- dren,"p. . 8, A. D. 1867.
the of the new entourage
church, which, with its twin sister, the Church of the Im-
maculate Conception and of St. John Bap- tist, has been erected by the respected parish priest, Very Rev. James Canon Roche, as enduring monuments of his indomitable la- hour and pious zeal for the greater glory of God.
=^58 The extent of this parish, in the barony
"
of Ballinacor North, is shown on the
nance Survey Townland Maps for the County ofWicklow. " Sheets24,29,30,35.
"59 At request of Rev. Richard Galvin,
Ord-
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 211
Archbishop of Dublin has greatly fostered and aided this institute, sanctioned byHisHolinessPopePiusIX. HisEminence,findingthatthehousein Eccles-street was too small for the sisters that taught in their schools, sent them to succeed the religious Ladies of the Sacred Heart, in Glasnevin Con- vent. 2^4 Even a great enlargement of this house was soon required. The grounds are extensive and beautifully situated. It is not too much to say, that St. Brigid's new home, at Glasnevin, is one of those spots, fashioned by the Almighty Architect for religious exercises. ="^5 The River Tolka separates the convent grounds from the charming Botanical Gardens. ^^^ The whole scene is redolent of literary, patriotic, and above all, of religious associations.
In the name of our great abbess, the orphanage of St. Brigid was founded, while through her influence and prayers it has flourished. During the past nineteen years, this noble institute has saved from proselytism the immense number of one thousand three hundred and seventy Catholic orphans. Otherwise, humanly speaking, these should have been lost to the Church. Under her influence, also, the schools of the Holy Faith have, so to speak, sprang from the orphanage \ and, as a matter, almost of necessity, to take charge of these works, the Sisters of the Holy Faith have grown up, a new family,intheChurch. Besidesmanagingtheorphanage,theseladieshave fourteen schools, with a daily attendance of one thousand four hundred poor children. It must seem a strange-thing, that the former grounds and resi- dence of a distinguished Protestant Bishop of Kildare should become the dwellingofSt. Brigid,Patro—nessofKildare. Intruth,itappearstobethe place for St. Brigid's work within two short miles of the General Post Office, Dublin, and yet the situation is completely rural. Here, those Sisters of the Holy Faith, that teach the poor schools in the lanes of the city, can retire at evening to breathe, and acquire strength and buoyancy for their hardwork. Thereisnoharderstrainonmindandbody,thanthedailytoil of teaching. Here, it shall please God, a band of apostolic teachers can be trained to defend the faith of poor children, and impart, with knowledge, a love of virtue. Here, then, St. Brigid's spirit will rest, and religious teachers are likely to grow up under her patronage. These good ladies will devote themselves to the instruction and sanctification of poor children, in the capitalofholyIreland; hereafter,theirmissionmayextendtomoredistant places.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES DEDICATED TO ST. BRIGID, IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS, IN ANCIENT AND MODERN TIMES, AS ALSO ON THE CONTINENT OF
AND IN AMERICA— —
EUROPE, FESTIVALS, COMMEMORATIONS, OFFICES, HYMNS,
RELICS, USAGES, AND POPULAR MEMORIALS, REFERRING TO HER CONCLUSION.
In England, Wales and Scotland, as also in minor islands around their coasts,^ the fame and virtues of St. Brigid had spread, even from very re-
=^'^ Much of the foregoing and succeeding information was kindly communicated to the
writer, by Miss Aylward, the Lady Supe-
rioress, and foundress of the Sisters of the
very complete description of the Botanic ^^5 See Ninth Annual Report of St. Gardens, at Glasnevin. See vol. ii. , pp.
Holy Faith. "
Brigid's Orphanage for Five Hundred Chil-
1279 to 1304.
Chapter xvil—^ See "Martyrologium
Anglicanum," ad I. Februarii.
dren," p. 20, a. d. 1865. ^^ "
In the History of the City of Dublin,
from the earliest accounts to the present
time," &c. , as compiled by J. Warburton, Rev. J. Whitelaw, and the Rev. Robert
Walsh, are some interesting views, with a
212 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[February i.
motetimes. * ManypartsofEnglandhadchurchesdedicatedtoSt. Brigid. 3 In the city of London, Fleet-street, St. Bride's Church was celebrated in old
Catholic times, nor has the parochial designation yet disappeared. This church was extant in the seventeenth century. A very elegant spire sur- mounts the present Protestant church ; but, it had been injured by lightning, in1805. 4 Nearitssite,Fleet-street,London,inthefourteenthcenturyand in the reign of Edward III. , stood the palace of St. Bride. It had been built, in the vicinity of St. Bride's Well. It is supposed, the present Bride- well occupies this site. Edward III. had a daughter, named Brigid, who became a nun. 5 At Glastonbury, as we have already observed, a St. Brigid was venerated at the ist of February ; however, it is thought, she must have been different from our holy abbess, and that her real festival may have been assigned incorrectly to the present date. ^ In the litany of the very ancient church of Salisbury, Wiltshire, her name was specially invoked. There is a parish,calledKirkbride,intheIsleofMan. Theonlynunneryinthesame place was called after St. Brigid. It is said to have been founded by our
holy virgin,7 in the beginning of the sixth century.
^ It lay near Douglas, beside the river, in a beautiful situation, and its prioress was anciently a baroness of the Isle of Man. She held courts in her own name, and
possessed authority equal to a baron. 9
Several in '° nearest to and to places Scotland, especially Ireland, subjected
Irish influences," are enumerated, as having been under our saint's patronage. Among those are the Hebrides, anciently called Bride's or Brigid's Islands, ashasbeenthoughtfromourSt. Bride. " Excluding,perhaps,thenunsat Kildare, no others, excepting the inhabitants of those western isles, dedicated more churches to her. Thus, their veneration was expressed and perpetuated. ^3
The Hebrideans imagined, however, that her remains reposed at Abernethy,^* the Pictish capital. When the Scots annexed the Pictish territories to their
own, they paid a singular homage to the relics of St. Brigid, in Abemethy. ^s We are told, one of the Hebrides was called after her, and specially deno-
arii. We have already shown how this
mistake originated.
^ The Manx she received the veil think,
'John Macpherson, evidently no great
admirer of St. Brigid, writes " The several :
divisions of Britain concurred
very zealously
with Ireland, the country that gave her of virginity from St. Maughold, fourth
birth, in treating her c—haracter with a most ""
superstitious respect. Critical Disserta- tions on the Origin, Antiquities, Language, Government, Manners and Religion of the Ancient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots. " Dissertation xv. , p. 239.
3 So states the English Martyrology, when alluding to St. Brigid, at the 1st of Febru-
ary.
*• "
See 'Cassell's Illustrated Guide to
London. " The Churches of London, p.
132. London, 1862, 8vo.
5 Much of the foregoing information was
kindly communicated by a talented lady,
Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme, living in Ranelagh,
near Dublin, and quite conversant with the
traditional and historic lore of her country.
^
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap. XV,, p. 624.
7 The Manx have a
"
Martyrologium Anglicanum," I. Febru-
bishop of their island,
'See George Woods' "Account of the
Past and Present State of the Isle of Man," book i. , chap, ix. , pp. 112, 113.
tradition,
lived for some time in their island. See
that she
gine," lib. ix. , p. 158.
'* See an account of it, in Mackenzie E. C.
Walcott's " Scoti-Monasticon : The Ancient
Church of Scotland," pp. 316, 317.
'S gee Hector Boetius' "Scotorum His«
toriae, a pruna Gentis Origine," lib. ix.
'°
See Rev. Thomas Innes' "Civil and
Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," book
ii. , p. 128.
*' See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
" See ** Critical Dis- John Macpherson's
sertations on the Origin, Antiquities, Lan- guage, Government, Manners, and Religion of the Ancient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots, Dissertation xv. , p. 240.
"
^^ Jbid. ^ p. 239. Also, Hector Boetius' Scotorum Historioe, a prima Gentis Ori-
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 213
minated Brigidiana. '^ Indeed, throughout the whole west and south of Scotland,^7venerationtowardsherwasunbounded. St. Bridewasthepatron saint of the noble family of Douglas,''^ and they invoked her help on all im- portant occasions. ^9 The church of Douglas also bears her name. '° Her temples among the Hebrideans were more numerous than such as had been erected to any of their other saints. ''^ Among well-known Scottish localities, a scarped upburst of trap-rock out of the surrounding red sand-stone, and not far from the Laws,^^ in Forfarshire, is known as St. Bride's Ring, at Kin- genny. =3 TheChurchofSt. BrigidedeBlacketisnoticed,intheChartulary ofHolyrood. ^'* TheChurchofSt. BrigidofKypeismentionedintheChar- tulary of Kelso f^ and in that of Glasgow,^^ the Church of Wintertonegen, in
Valle de Niht. =^7 In Aberdeenshire, we have St. Bride's Rock, at Tomantoul.
We find St. Bride's Church, at Cushnie,^^ at Crochaul,^? at Kildnimmie,3o and at Skene. 3^ In Lanarkshire, there is a place, called East Kilbride, about seven miles from Glasgow. 3^ Its ancient church belonged to the
lar
protection
**
Critical Dissertations on the Origin, An-
^5 =^^
One of the most complete and satisfac-
of that 33 Likewise, there is a remarkable enclosed barrow, city.
bishops
which occupied the summit of one of the Cathkin hills, in the parish of Kilbride. 34 An interesting account of this parish has been written. ss We learn, also, that St. Bride was honoured at Auchtergaven, and at the romantic Blair Athol,36 in Perthshire, on the other side of the Drumalban. 37 Again, a church was consecrated to St. Brigid at Dunnottar, a. d. 1394,3^ according to Bishop Forbes. 39 Besides the foregoing, St. Bride's Chapel and bum are
^^ "
See Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme's Saints
of Ireland. " February i. , p. 15.
^7 Macpherson says he has "reason to
ii. , p. 305.
23 Forbes' "Kalendars of See Bishop
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
=''* See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 291. He quotes p.
42, and again at p. 57, St. Brigide's of Lou-
that the western isles of Scotland were, in some one period or other during the reign of popery, put under the particu-
suspect,
tiquities, Language, Government, Manners, and Religion of the Ancient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and IrishScots. " Dissertationxv. , p.
History of the City of Glasgow," by Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon.
Forbes' "Kalendars of
2^ See " View of the Diocese of Aber-
'^
Bishop Scottish Saints," p. 291.
glas,
to their great patroness :
Collections for the of the History
'*
Scottish
and Social
35 Ure's " of and Kil- History Rutherglen
bride. "
3^ See an account of this parish in " The
History chap, i. , pp. 137, 138.
Scottish Saints," p. 291.
^^ ** See Hector Boetius'
Scotorum His-
Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 172, 173.
toric, 158.
a
prima
Gentis
Origine,"
lib.
ix. , p.
37 See " New Statistical
Survey
of Scot-
and — blacket is recorded. Bridget, perhaps
of St.
in a great measure appropriated to her. " Page 153.
240.
In connexion with th^ family of Dou- we read the — in reference
="7 See
following lines,
,
The folk upon the Sonounday
Held to Saynct Bridis Kyrk thair way ; And thai that in the Castell war
Ischyt owt, both les and mar,
And went thair palmys for to ber. "
deen. "
Shires of Aberdeen and Banff".
Club, p. 593.
Spaulding
—"The Bruce ; or, The Metrical History
of Robert I. , King of Scots," by Master John Barbour, Archdeacon of Aberdeen. Buke Feyrd, 11. 335 to 339, vol. i. Edited
by John Jamieson, D. D,
^9 See Cosmo Innes' " Sketches of Early
Progress,"
^° See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
^'^ Ibid. , p. 279.
32 See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," Lanark, p. 877.
33 See " The Imperial Gazetteer of Scot-
=^ The word "Law" is an Anglo-Saxon
prefix or suffix, signifying an isolated hill or
land. " Perth, p. 426.
3^ See Jervise's "Memorials of Angus,"
p. 448.
39 See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 291.
mount, generally of a conical form. See "
The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol.
tory of modern historical works is
''
The
=9
^°
Ibid. , p. 589.
Ibid. , p. 642.
land," vol. ii. , p. 188.
34 See Daniel Wilson's
"
Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland," chap, iii. ,
PP- 55. 56, 71.
214
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS
[February i.
tobeseen,atKilbarchan,inRenfrewshire. ^® Again,thereisaspringofSt.
Bride, at Traquair. -*^ Also, we find St. Brigid's or Bride's Spring at Dunsyre in Lanarkshire. 42 There is a Kilbride, in Lorn,43 This wildly beautiful dis- trict of Argyleshire'*'* is said to have derived its name from Labhrin or Loam. '^s Also, St. Bride's Chapel and Well were at Beath in Ayrshire. ^^ Here there is a parish called Kilbride. 47 The lands of S. Brydehill, in Dumfries- shire,-*^ are noted, in the Retours. 49 There is a Kilbride, in Arran. There is a Kilbride, in Cromarty. There is a Kilbride, in Uist. 5° St. Bride had a chapel at Rothesay,s^ a royal burgh, in Bute. s^ In the parish of Kilmoire, in Bute,53 a convent had been erected to St. Bride. S4 There was a St. Bride's Church, at Kirkcolm,55 at Kirkmabreck, in Wigtonshire. s^ This is situated, on the western side of Lough Ryan, entering Stranraer. The dedication of St. Bride is found in the Lewes,57 at Borve. s^ Besides this, at the remote OrcadianS9 extremity of Scotland, St. Bride's dedication is found in Stronsay and Papa,^ in the Orkney Islands. ^^ There, our saint is associated with St. Nicholas.
