No More Learning

Bride,orSt. Bridget,inthepresentcityanddioceseofDublin. St. Bride's
Church, ^° situated in Bride-street," was formerly a dependency on the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, and afterwards on St. Patrick's Cathedral, owing to a grant of Archbishop Comin. It also was called after our saint. "
Bride's-alley, running off Bride-street. Bride's-place, situated off Golden- lane. Bridewell-lane, off West Arran-street. This locality may have taken
its name, from some Brideswell, or St. Brigid's well. A nunnery, dedicated toSt. Bride,formerlystoodinChannel-row. Therewasanhospital,dedi- cated to St. Peter and to St. Brigid. '3 It stood in Peter-street. There was a Bride's Well ; now covered by a pump, which is to be seen at present in a courtway off Bride-street. In the county of Dublin, at Killossery, other- wise called Ashbourne-rath on Ashbourne-road, eight or nine miles from Dublin city, are the ruins of an ancient ivied church, which was dedicated to St. Brigid. '* It is a curacy in the deanery of Swords. ^5 it was called Kilteri
or Killostre in ancient documents. '^
The old ruins of Killester, anciently called Kyllastra^7 or Quillestra, are enclosed by walls, and on the road-side. ^^ Several portions of the former
* See Colgan, p. 625.
5 See a description of the ruins in Thomas
Bell's "Essay on the Origin and Progress of Gothic Architecture, with reference to the Ancient History and Present State of the Remains of such Architecture in Ire- land, to which was awarded the' Prize pro- posed by the Royal Irish Academy for the best Essay on that Subject," sect, xvi,, pp.
192 to 195. Dublin : 1829, 8vo.
^
Kill-brigde, or Kilbride, a chapel at Kildare town, and in the same diocese, province of Leinster, was dedicated to St. Brigid, in Colgan's time. See p. 625.
*'
Most Holy Trinity. See
City of Dublin, from the earliest accounts to
the present time," &c. , by J. Warburlon, Rev. J. Whitelaw, and the Rev. Robert
Walsh, vol. i. , p. 267,
" This is probably the one, called Tem-
plum S. Brigidas, or Teampull Bride, in Colgan's list, p. 625.
7 See its
parochial
extent on " Ordnance
'* See " Viride. " Repertorium
Townland
for the
^s See D'Alton's "
of the ^ *^ *'
Survey
County. " Sheets 3, 4, 6, 7, 8.
Queen's
History of Dublin," pp. 400 to 402.
Maps
County
History
and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe- dral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin,"
&c,, book i. , chap, x. , sect, ii. , p. 49.
^7 See some curious grants of lands here
to a certain Andrew Breen, in Warburton's, Whitelaw's and Walsh's "History of the
See Colgan, p. 625. — 9 See aninteresting account of this parish
the — name of which is stated to be proper
Oregan by the Rev. John Baldwin, curate, in William Shaw Mason's "Statistical Ac- count or Parochial Survey of Ireland," vol. iii. No. xvi. , pp. 311 to 332.
See William Monck Mason's
'° We at a. d. i find,
180, Joseph, chaplain City
of from the earliest accounts to Dublin,
of St. Bridget's, was a subscribing witness to a grant of land, made to the prior of the
the present time," «S:c. , vol. i. , p. 266.
'^
"
See William Monck Mason's "History
and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe- dral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin,"
&c. , book i. , chap, xi. , p. 72.
'3 This was founded in 1810, by Dr.
Kirby.
About three miles from Dublin city.
History of the
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 195
building remain, but, in a very delapidated condition. Masses of ivy shade them on every direction. '9 The walls are well jointed and grouted, while the blackcalplimestoneofthisdistrictfurnishedmaterialfortheirerection. These are three feet in thickness, and the church measures seventeen feet in width, ontheinterior,byforty-sixfeet,inlength. Theruinsstandinthecentreofa small and overcrowded graveyard, which is nearly covered with weeds, aged elder trees, and tangled brambles. This chapel—once appendant to the
usual church of Swords—appears to have been quadrangular, without the—
division of nave and choir. Four large apertures are in the side-walls two of these on either side. Towards the road, one opening appears to have been
The Old Ruins of Killester.
arched with undressed stone, and this was of obtusely-pointed Gothic shape. Probably a door lay underneath it. On one of the gables, towards the west, a large door-way pierced the wall, which seems torn away below its sill to thepresentearth-level. Tracesofplaster,remainingaboutitsinterior,prove that the church was used for purposes of worship, at no very remote age. Opposite the gable described, there was an orifice in the other. A large- pointed Gothic eastern window stood here. ^° Mr. D'Alton, who saw the placebeforetheyear1838,infersonlytheexistenceofthiswindow. Com- fortable old mansions, with their high garden walls, are in the immediate vicinity of this old burial-place ; and, but for its proximity to the public road, the seclusion of its situation would almost be complete. The grave surfaces are high over the adjoining fields and the road level ; especially between the ruins and the public highway. Rank, indeed, is that soil,
formed the dust of by
many generations
of here '^^ A dead, quietly reposing.
tecture in Ireland," <S:c. , sect, xiv,, p. 188.
'9 The accompanying engraving by Mrs. Millard, Dublin, is from a sketch taken by the author on the spot, January 1st, 1876.
=° See Thomas Bell's "Essay on the face ; and, in one particular case, the name, Origin and Progress of Gothic Architecture, and date of death, inscribed over two years with reference to the Ancient History and before, were distinctly legible on the tiny Present State of the Remains of such Archi-
^^
infants were found protruding over the sur-
In some instances, the coffins of mere
breast-plate.
196 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February 1.
few old trees, near the iron gate, which affords an entrance, seem to h—ave
shaded the graves beneath for centuries. One of those trees— an ash
is
rapidly decaying. On the October day," when we rested for a time at this
mortuary place, "the sear and yellow leaf" scantily hung from the few re-
maining branches. This chapel, an appendage to Christ Church, Dublin, at
the period of the Anglo-Norman invasion, was dedicated, as we are told, to
St. Brigid, the Patroness of Ireland. ^3
At Swords, about eight miles from Dublin, there was a chapel, dedicated
to St. Brigid, lying north of the town, and an ancient pardon cross stood near. *'^ It adjoined the prebendary's glebe, and it arose not far from the
gates of the old archiepiscopal palace, having two burgages attached. =^5 At
Ward,^° about three or four miles from Dublin, on the Finglas side, are the
very slender ruins of a chapel, dedicated to St. Brigid,^7 one of three subser-
vient to Finglas. These remains are sodded over, almost even with the
ground, excepting one ivied gable. No tomb of note is to be found in the
graveyard.
^^
This chapel of Ward,^9 a parochial one, in the barony of
Castleknock, lay within the diocese and county of Dublin. 3° At Castle-
knock, about five miles from Dublin, there might formerly be seen an abbey
for Canons, following the rule of St. Augustine. About 1184, Richard
Tyrrell, in honour of St. Brigid, granted certain lands to endow it. 3* This
handsome suburban village of Castleknock,32 had a parish church in a barony so called, of Dublin county and diocese. 33 It was dedicated to St. Brigid, whowasalsopatronessofacellthereestablished. 34 Likewise,aKildarenia, parish church, belonging to the diocese of Dublin,35 is said to have been under St. Brigid's patronalge. Tulach, or Tully,36 ^^ parish within the barony of Rathdown, county and diocese of Dublin,37 had a church dedicated to St. Brigid. 33 Already has allusion to it been made, in a previous chapter. Besides these, Grainseach Harold, alias, Harold Grange, a parish church, within the county and diocese of Dublin,39 was under the patronage of St. Brigid. At Tallagh, about seven miles from Dublin, a chapel of St. Bride stood near the Dodder. The stones of this building were used in the
erection of an adjoining factory.
There was a Kilbride chapel, near Rath-
County
of Dublin," pp. 552 to 562.
See William Monck Mason's History
and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe- dral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin,"
&c. , book i. , chap, x. , sect, ix. , p. 58.
" In 1870.
»3 See D'Alton's **
3=" See Colgan, p. 625.
of the
=4 3* "
History of Dublin," pp. 239 to 241.
County
See, also, William Monck Mason's History and Antiquities of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Collegiate Church, near Dublin," &c. , book i. , chap, x. , sect, ii. , p.
**
49.
»s See D'Alton's
35 See Colgan, p. 625. ""
History of the County
3* See Ordnance Survey Townland MapsfortheCountyofDublin. " Sheets 22, 23, 25, 26.
37 See Colgan, p. 625.
38 The Rev. Dr. Todd takes Mr. D'Alton and Ledwich to task, for stating this church had been dedicated to St. Tullock or St. Olave. The ancient name was CuLac riA
ofDublin,"p. 274.
^ In ancient times, called the town of
Riemund le Bank.
'7 See William Monck Mason's "History
and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe- dral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin,"
&c. , book i,, chap, vii. , p. 37.
=^ See D'Alton's "
of Dublin," pp. 584 to 587.
of the
County
*' the hill of the and it bishops,"
History
11-epfcop,
was sacred to St. Bride's memory. See " The Book of Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church, Dublin. Edited by John Clarke Crosthwaite and Rev, James Henthom Todd. Introduction,
^ See its extent, on the ** Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Dublin. " Sheets 10, 11, 13, 14.
3° See Colgan, p. 625.
3' See it shown on the ** Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of p. Ixxxiii. , n. (c). Dublin. " Sheets 13, 14, 17, i8. 39 See Colgan, p. 625.
33 See D'Alton's " of the History
February i. ] 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.