Of this Abbey we have a beautiful
Aquatinta view, by Jonathan Fisher, in his "*
Scenery of Ireland," plate ix.
Aquatinta view, by Jonathan Fisher, in his "*
Scenery of Ireland," plate ix.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
AlreadyCormacfeltassured,hewouldnotlongsurvivethisbattle.
Speeding on over the plain, which was covered with the blood of slain men and horses, the monarch was frequently thrown by the restiveness of his horse.
At length, while climbing a steep ascent, the animal's hind feet slipped in the blood of the slain,w and his war-steed tumbled over the king ; owfng to this accident, the neck and backbone of the unfortunate Cormac Mac
60
Cullinan were broken.
Before his death Cormac exclaimed, "Into thy hands, O Lord, I com-
mend afterwards he on the fatal field. 61 The my spirit. " Shortly expired
King's body was found among the slain, by some of the enemy. 62 Not respecting the person and character of this amiable monarch, these men thrust the lifeless corpse through, with their lances. The Annals of the Four Masters also relate, that Cormac Mac Cullinan's head was afterwards cut 63 a wretch
57 See Ferdinando Warner's "
Ireland," vol. i. , book ix. , p. 373.
s* We are iniormed, that this Aidus was a
man profoundly versed in Law, History and the Latin language.
59 This is stated in Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
11
Archbishops of Cashel," p. 467. The rough and irregular conformation of ground, on which the battle was fought, coincides with this account, as noticed by the writer
on the spot.
60 "
See John O'Mahony's Keating's His- tory of Ireland," chap, vii. , pp. 527, 528.
in the R. I. A. includes an anonymous poem on the death of Cormac Mac Cullinan,
King and Archbishop of Cashel, who died a. d. 906. It would appear from the fifth
quatrain of this very scarce poem, that Sealbhach, Cormac's secretary, was the author of it. See p. 235.
County of Antrim, is called Dun-lis, in the Annals of the Four Masters, vol. ii. , at the
year 1584. See note (i), p. 570.
65 This Sir James Ware remembers to
have read in a Cottonian manuscript.
66
"Bean-Ree, mentioned in the Cotton manuscript, seems to have taken its name from the event of the day ; for Bean signifies a Rock ; and Ri or Righ, a King ; that is
the Rock of the King. " Harris' Ware,
vol. i. ,
62
The "Annals of Clonmacnoise," '
translated by Conell Mageoghegan, and edited by Rev. Denis Murphy, S. J. ,
"
state
:
Archbishops of Cashel," p. 467.
named,
Fiach Ua of Denlis. 64 Another Ugfadan,
off, by
account has it, that Cormac was slain by a herdsman,6* at Beanree,66 near
" There was a overthrow to great given
the Munstermen at Bellaghmowna by those of Leih Conn and Leinstermen, Anno 900, where Cormack mc Cuilleanann, King of Munster, and arch-bishop of Cashel 1, was pittifully slaine by the hands of a cowherd," p. 144.
63 The people of Ballaghmoon point out a stone on which they say King Cormac's head was cut off by a common soldier.
"
See Dr. O'Donovan's Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. ii. , n. (b), p. 564.
64 Mr. O'Donovan remarks, that Denlis is
61 The liv. vol. of O'Longan MSS. not identified, but that Dunluce, in the
History
of
September 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 363
Leighlin, while he was upon his knees, and devoutly praying for the success
6 of his army, then engaged in battle. ?
Besides King Cormac Mac Cullinan, the following Princes, nobles and ecclesiastics, fell in this battle. 68 At the very first onset, Morchertach, Prince ofOssory, and his son, were slain. 69 With the progress of this engagement, Fogertach, son to Suibhne, the Ruler of Ciarraighe-Chuirche, now Kerry- currihy barony, in the County of Cork ; Ohill,7° son to Eogan, in the flower of his age, and being also a man of great learning; Colman, Abbot of Kinnety, who was the most renowned jurist in Ireland ; Ceallach, son to Cearbhall, lord of Ossory ; Maelgorm, lord of Ciarraighe-Luachra, a territory comprised
1
the lord of Corca-Duibhne, now Corcaguiny barony, in the County of Kerry, anciently the O'Falvy's country j Cormac, chief of the Decies ; Dubhagan, chief of Feramuigh ; Cenfoelad, chief of Ui-Gonill ; Eiden, chief of Aidnia
within the present County of Kerry ; Maelmorda, lord of Raithlinn j?
Milemuadum, Madagon, Dubdabhurin, Conall and Feradach ; Aidus, ruler 2
of Valiehania, and Domhnall, ruler of Duncarmnia,? with many other nobles ; while 6,000 of the common soldiers, fell in this engagement. 73 The
most distinguished chiefs, that fought in the victorious army, were Flann, son to Malachy, Monarch of Ireland ; Kearball, son to Murigen, King of Leinster ; Tegus, son to Foilar, of Hy-Kinsellagh ; Teminean, of Ua- Deaglioida, or eastern Ida, now the Gorey barony, in the County of Wexford ; Keallach and Lorcan, two chiefs of Cinel ; Inergus, son to Duibhghill, of Ui-Drona, or Idrone ; Follamun, son to Oilill, of Fothartaf ; Tuahall, son
comprised the parishes of " Kilmoe," "Scool," " Kilcrobane," "Durris," " Kil- maconage,"and"Caheragh,"inthes—outh-
67 The author of his misfortune, Flabher-
tach, was taken prisoner, and after the
battlebroughttoKildare,wherehewas
reproved greatly, by the Leinster clergy. west of the county of Cork. " Dr.
See O'Mahony's "
John Keating's History
of Ireland," chap, vii. , p. 531.
O'Donovan's " or Leabhar-na-g-Ceart,
Book of Rights," note (k), p. 59.
72 See John O'Mahony's Keating's
"History of Ireland," chap, vii. , pp. 528, 529.
73 "It was in commemoration of this the
following lines were composed by Dalian, the son of Mor :
Cormac of Feimhin ; Fogartach,
Colman, Ceallach of the hard conflicts, They perished with many thousands in the
great battle of Bealach-Mughna.
Flann of Teamhair, of the plain, of Tailltin,
Cearball of Carman, without fail,
On the seventh of [the calends of] Septem- ber, gained the battle of which hundreds
68
Dalian, the Ollamh of Kerball, King of
Leinster, has given an abridged summary of the battle itself of Ballagh Mughna, and he has stated, in a historic lay, the number of warriors that fell in it. See John O'Mahony's Keating's " History of Ireland," chap, vii. , P- 536.
*9The 4to paper MSS. in the R. I. A. , No. 33-4, contains fragments of O'Dugan's and O'Huidhreen's topograpical poems; besides a poem of 208 verses enumerating the principal persons of the other provinces, who met with death in the province of Leinster, special reference being made to the grave of Cormac Mac Cuillanan.
70 The Four Masters call him the Abbot
of Trian-Corcaighe, which is interpreted the third part of Cork.
71 " This was the name of the seat of
O'Maghthamhna (O'Mahony), who, accord-
ing to O'h-TJidhrin, was chief of the Cineal
m-Bece, whose territory extended on both
sides of the river Bandain (Bandon). This Since Jesus was born of heaven, three and
territory was erected into the barony of
"
Kinelmeaky. " In latter ages a sept of the
same tribe settled in Corca Luighe,
O'Driscoll's country, where they became
masters of the district called Fonn- —
Iartharach, or the western land, which Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 569 to 571.
were
The bishop, the soul's director, the re-
nowned illustrious doctor,
joyful.
King of Caiseal, King of Iarmumha ; O God ! alas for Cormac !
It was of the year of Cormac's death was also said
nine hundred years,
Till the death of Cormac, were clearly
fulfilled ; sorrowful the death of the
King of Minister. "
Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
364
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 14.
to Uger of Ua-Mureadach ; Odron, son to Kenedy, ofLeix; Muilchallon, son to Feargall, of Fortuaha j and Clerken, the chief of Ui-Bairche. ? *
It has been falsely asserted, that in the year 905, Carmot or Cormac, son of Cokeman, a godly and religious man, the Monarch of Ireland, with Kyrvalt, son of Morgan, King of Leinster, were vanquished by the Danes, and that they fell in battle. " But, this account is quite at variance with Ireland's political condition, at that period, and contrary to the statement of
6
Notwithstanding his injunctions, said to have been expressed in Cormac Mac Cullinan's last testament 77 regarding the place of his interment, Sir James Ware tells us, that his body was conveyed to Cashel and there buried. But, an account given by Keating is quite different. He informs us, that Flann Sionna, having refreshed his troops after the battle of Bealach Mughna, marched into Ossory, attended by a numerous and princely retinue. Ceallach Mac Carrol, prince of Ossory, being a tributary chief to Cormac Mac Cullinan, as King over Munster and Leath Modha, had been slain in the battle already mentioned; and Flann Sionna had resolved on placing Diarmuid Mac Carrol, brother to the first-mentioned prince, on the throne of Ossory. We are told, that while here, the soldiers of the Irish Monarch, expecting a great reward, brought him Cormac Mac Cullinan's head, which was laid at his feet. Yet, to the honour of this victorious monarch, be it said, that instead of applauding and rewarding them for this action, like a generous enemy, he ordered those executioners away from his presence, as barbarous ruffians, who had no more respect for fallen majesty thanforacommonenemy. Atthesametime,heupbraidedthemfortheir barbarous cruelty and inhumanity, in thus disfiguring the remains of the
venerabledead. Cormac'sheadwasthentakenupbytheKing,whowith
8
difficulty restrained his tears. ?
fate of so just a prince, and of a prelate, so religious and venerable. He then gave strict orders, that King Cormac's body should be searched after, and buried according to the provisions of his will. 79 The royal relics were committed to the care of Maenach, who heard his last confession, and who administered holy Communion to Cormac. 80 With great solemnity, Maenach removedhisbodytoDisartDiarmuda,orCastledermot. Theretheremains were interred, with great honour. 8 ' Near the church of Castledermot and to the left, as one enters, lies a stone, rudely formed into a coffin-shape, with a cross indented on it. The lines cut to represent the cross are not sunk deep, and
74 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the "History of Ireland," chap, vii. , pp.
all respectable authorities. ?
Four Masters," vol. ii. , notes (b, d, e, f, g, h, i), pp. 568 to 571.
75 See Hanmer's " Chronicle of Ireland," pp. 176, 177.
"
529, 530.
7? See an article, "Ancient Irish
Biography," No. xxiv. , on Cormac Mac-
Lhancarvan, who calls Cormac " Carmot, the son o—f Cukeman, King and Bishop of
Translation and Notes by John O'Donovan, LL. D. , pp. 202 to 205.
Ireland. "
Harris' Cashel," p. 466.
vol.
" Arch-
8t See Dermot O'Connor's
Ware,
i. ,
" of History
Keating's
of
77 The vi. vol. of O'Longan MSS. in the
book
having
188.
to See " Three Fragments of Irish
Having kissed it, he lamented the untimely
Cuillenan, in
any Irish annals or document that I know
of. It is in the chronicle of Caradoc of Dubhaltach MacFirbisigh, edited with a
The fable of Cormac
76
killed by the Danes is not to be found in
been
vol. No. i. ,
It is strange, that after such a circumstantial account, Dr. Lanigan should be found to termed Cormac MacCullinan's Will, 32 state: "But I do not find that Keating verses, p. 209. makes hi—m be actually interred at Castle- 78 See John O'Mahony's Keating's dermot. " " Ecclesiastical History of
bishops
R. I. A. contains a bad copy of what is
Ireland,"
ii. , p. 451.
"
The Irish Penny Magazine,"
24, p.
Annals," copied from Ancient Sources, by
September 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 365
do not exceed more than two inches in breadth. Those extend, one line the whole length of the stone, and the other, its whole width, at the broadest part. Under that stone, tradition says, the King of Munster lies interred. This account receives some addition from persons who have read Keating's History and other writers' works. Such readers say, that by this King of Munster is meant Cormac Mac Cuillionan, who was killed in battle, and who, when brought to Castledermot, was buried there. 83 Here it is said a Monastery was founded by a holy man, named Diarmait8* or Dermod, from whom the place derived its name. 8* Other accounts have it, that his body was conveyed to Cashel and there buried. 85
It is very probable, in consequence of the great respect, in which the memory of Cormac was held, that Cashel became a permanent and regular See, after his death. 86 Wherefore it should seem, that a more ancient church had been on the Rock of Cashel than any shown by the existing ruins ; and that it had been under the jurisdiction of prelates who succeeded him, until the time when Cormac MacCarthy, King of Munster, built the beau- tifulchapelwhichstillbearshisname. Forthenexttwocenturiesafterthe death of Cormac Mac Cuillinan, our information regarding his successors is but scant. 8? The bounds of the latter See were to extend from Sliebh Eibhliune88 to the river Suir, and from Chamh-Coill89 to Greine-Airbha. 9° Sliebh-Eibhliune appears to have been the northern boundary of the diocese. In the Synod held at Rath Bresail, a. d. 1118, the boundaries of Cashel
1
Diocese seem to have been for the first time accurately defined. 9
time St. Celsus^2 ruled as Archbishop over Armagh, and he is said to have established its superiority over the Sees of Leath Mogha at the Synod of Fiedh-mac ^ngussa,93 when Moalmurry O'Dunain was Archbishop of Cashel. Pope Innocent the Seconds* ratified Celsus's confirmation, and there were accordingly in Ireland at that period only two metropolitan sees, namely, the primatial one at Armagh, and that of Cashel. In the year 1152, Cashel was erected into a Metropolitan See, by Pope Eugenius III. , and the
Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xxii. , sect, vi. ,
n 56, p. 365. 82 "
See Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Kildare, collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. , pp. 70, 71. Mr. O'Conor's Letter, dated Kildare, December 3rd, 1837.
83 See an account of him in the Sixth Volume of this work, at the 21st of June, Art. i.
84 At Castledermot was founded a fine abbey, by Lord Offaly, father of the first Earl of Kildare, in the reign of King Edward I.
Of this Abbey we have a beautiful
Aquatinta view, by Jonathan Fisher, in his "*
Scenery of Ireland," plate ix. , a. d. , 1 792.
85 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops of Cashel," vol. i. , p. 467.
86 Rev. Dr. Lanigan remarks, " there is
good reason to think that, as the capital of
Munster, its following bishop gradually acquired, even before it became a really
Metropolitan See, the ascendancy which had bee—n formerly enjoyed by the church of Emly. " "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , chap, xxii. , sect, iv. , p. 350.
9 See an account of it, and the bounds of Cashel Diocese, at that period, at the Festi- val of St. Gille or Gillebert, in the Second Volume of this work, at February 4th, Art. v. , and n. 77, ibid.
92 See his Acts, at the 6th of April, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. i.
93 Held in the year im.
94 Pope Innocenr the Second was called to
ii
fill St. Peter's chair, a. d. 30, and he occu-
pied it 13 years, 7 months, and 9 days.
8?
Ecclesiae Hibernica? ," vol. i. , Province of Munster, p. 4.
See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's "Fasti
^ It seems very probable, it is the place now called Knockahaw, situated between
Templemore and Borris-in-Ossory.
^ Chamh-Coill, or " the eminent wood," is now known by the name of Knawhill. Hibernica. " This is situated between Cashel and Salchoid, in
the County of Tipperary.
9° Grine-Airbha, or Cross-Grein, must
have been somewhere about the conflux of the river Suir with the Lingan, which divides Tipperary from the County of Kil- kenny, at and above the Three Bridges.
Seward's "
Topographia
At this
"
366 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 14.
Pallium was then bestowed on Armagh, Dublin, Tuam and Cashel. 95 In the latter See, its ruling prelate was Donat O'Lonergan, who died at a good
6 He was succeeded
time a Synod was held at Cashel, a. d. 1172, by order of King Henry II. , and over it Christian O'Conarchy, Bishop of Lismore, and the Pope's Legate, presided. With the exception of Gelasius, Archbishop of Armagh, all the other ArchbishopsandBishopsofIrelandassistedatit, withdiversAbbots,Deans, Priors and Clerics, together with ecclesiastics who represented the kings. In this Synod, they constituted Henry II. and his heirs, kings and lords of Ireland for ever, and passed some other important decrees. The charters
of the Archbishops and Bishops, with their seals pendent, were received by the King,who trans- mitted a copy of those charters to Pope Alexander, who by his apostolic authority confirmed their decrees. At this same Synod, the Laws of Eng- land were received by all, and the ob- servance of them confirmed by an oath. In 1179, Cashel was burned, and in 1182, Arch-
old in age
1158. 9
by
Donald and in his O'Hallucan,
Donald died. 97 Shortlybe- fore the time when the English arrived in Ireland, Donald O'Brien, King of Limerick, built a new Cathedral dedi- cated to St. Patrick on the Rock of 8 and con- verted Cormac's chapel into a chapel or chapter-house, on the south side of the choir He also endowed it with lands. 99 This twelfth-century Cathedral seems to have been built of
Cathedral of Cashel, Interior.
95 The Most Rev. John Healy says, Whilst formally recognising the superiority of Armagh as the Primatical See, four palls were granted by the Cardinal Legate, thus
legally constituting fou—r archbishops in Ire- "
DAlton in 1
See " Irish Penny Magazine," vol. i. , No.
land for the first time. " Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum, or Ireland's Ancient Schools and Scholars," chap, xv. , sect, iv. , p.
98 to According
John
169.
361.
96 According to the Annals ot the Priory
bishop
Cashel,?
of All Saints, on Lough Ree of the River
Shannon. 97SeeArchdeaconHenryCotton's Fasti
Ecclesiae Hibernicse," vol. i. , Province of Munster, p. 5.
34, p. 266.
99 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
of Cashel," p. 464.
"
Archbishops
"
September . 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 367
limestone taken from the precipitous rock on which it stands. It was
cruciform in shape, and had a large square tower in the centre of the cross.
The length of this ruin from east to west, including the nave and choir, are
about 210 feet ; the transepts from north to south are about 170 feet long.
At present, there are no appearances of piers, arches or lateral aisles, in either
nave or choir. There are three lofty lancet-arched windows, each one quite
distinct from the other, in both the north and south transepts. The side
windows of the choir and nave are of a similar construction. The eastern
window and the wall which was around it are now quite destroyed. Several
ancient flat tombs are to be seen within the nave IO° but for the most ——; part
their inscriptions if any such existed are, for the most part, effaced.
Without are many modern tombs, to indicate the family burial-places of
—— various deceased members. 101 The old regal or rather episcopal residence
lies towards the west ; and on the interior of the Cathedral, to which it had been attached, the vestige of a gallery may still be traced. This faced the
position occupied by the high altar. Several of the windows, doorways and
arches have very fine moulded and ornamental stones. Through the thick-
ness of the walls " the monks' walk" is to be seen. 102 Immediately under
the Castle wall—now so designated—there is a well of curious construction.
It has been bored through the solid rock, and it is thirty-two feet in depth.
It usually contains fifteen feet of water in depth, but sometimes during the
droughts of summer it only contains eight feet of water. Below, the well is
eight feet in diameter, but it is only three feet at the top, which has been
surrounded with neatly-pointed stone. 10^ With regard to the position of the
existing church ruins on the Rock of Cashel, it has been stated by a local
10
writer, * that the chancel of Cormac's Chapel is not placed in the centre of
the church, but that it inclines to the south. To account for this, a mystic
10* it has been noticed, that Cormac's Again,
has been
Chapel and the Cathedral adjoining do not stand parallel with each other. For this peculiarity, the theory of orientation is alleged. Cormac's Chapel is supposed to have been founded on the 1st of May, and the adjoining Cathedralonthe17thofMarch. Thus,itisinferred,thattheinclinationof
100
meaning
their respective angles may be solved.
100
Apparently those of prelates and other distinguished ecclesiastics or lay-persons.
101 One of the most interesting and con-
spicuous is that in limestone, with plain, chaste mouldings, surmounted by a funer—al
urn, and having the following inscription:
Sacred to the Memory
of
Denys Scully, Esq.
Born on 4th May 1773,
Died on
Requiescat in Pace.
25th
October
1830. Amen.
—"
Patriots who contended for Freedom of
Conscience and Constitutional Liberty he bore a promineut Part. His Statement of the Penal Laws is a solid Monument of his
own Genius, and of the complicated Oppres- sion of his Country and his Religion. "
102 During a visit made to the Rock of Cashel in November, 1853, the writer saw an adventurous goat browsing on the very highest top of the side-wall. The accom-
On the reverse we read
:
Among
the
Documents," Clonmel,
I0S Mr. White thus states his opinion ;
"As the Church is the 'Body of Christ,'
this church is built to represent Him a—s He
— the Cross, with His head the hung upon
sought.
panying illustration of the interior of the Cathedral, from an approved view, has been drawn on the wood and engraved by Gregor
Grey.
I03 This well had been examined in Sep-
tember, 1848, and several pieces of old tombs, ruinous tracery, and a remarkable
grotesque figure, called by the local guide,
"
a Buddhist Divinity," were found. About this time a portion of
the old castle had fallen.
I0* DavisWhite,inhis "Cashel John book,
of the Kings ; Being a History of the City of Cashel, compiled from scarce Books and
George Haskins,
original
1863.
to one side ; the nave represents the rest of the body, and the towers at each side (there being no tran- septs) the arms. " By whom, such position of the Chancel thus accounted for, has been
imagined, Mr. White does not mention.
chancel leaning
368 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 14.
The Round Tower on the Rock of Cashel10? stands at the north-east angle of the Cathedral northern transept, with which it is connected. 108 Its circumference at base is 56 feet, and it is stated to be 90 feet in height ; it retains its original conical stone roof, which springs from a projecting string-course. The masonry of the tower exhibits some curious features : it rises from a plinth of 6 inches projection ; for 5 feet in height it is built of freestone in irregularly squared blocks ; there is next a long patch of lime- stone about 4 feet high, roughly built, the stones cracked and damaged, and looking like a repair. Next appears about 6 feet high of freestone masonry inblocks,roughlydressed,butwithoutspawls; fromthisupwardsthework is all of even character, being of freestone in irregular courses of from 7 inches to 12 inches high, rough-squared but closely laid, and an admirable piece of work. The original doorway faces south-west, and is of small dimensions ; it is 10 feet from the ground level; the ope is at present built up, the sill-stone is gone, and the jambs are much damaged. There is a more modern doorway broken into the north-eastern angle of transept. It has a quadrangular window-ope about 20 feet from the ground, which faces south ; a similar ope is at 36 feet, facing east ; and one at about 50 feet, facing to the south-west. As usual, these opes are of small dimensions, and they have sloping jambs. In the attic story, immediately under the eave- course, are four window opes of larger dimensions, having angular heads externally and square heads internally. Those opes are well proportioned, and nearly face the cardinal points ; two of the angular heads are cut out of solid stones, and the other two are built of two or more blocks.
Internally
100
there are offsets taken from the thickness of the wall.
The history of the Catholic Archbishops and See of Cashel since the
Reformation is best given in the valuable and recondite work of the Very*
Rev. Laurence F. Renehan, D. D. , formerly President of Maynooth College, published from his Manuscripts, and edited by the Very Rev. Daniel M'Carthy, D. D. 110 This work has been compiled from printed and contem- poraneous documents and scarce books, on which the learned collector has exercised great research, combined with sound judgment, in connexion with his subject. The history of the Protestant Archbishops may be found very
111
trans- lated by him into English, with very numerous and important additions to
fully related in Walter Harris' edition of Sir James Ware's works,
the
originals.
118 It is said, that about a. d. 12 16, the town of Cashel had
,o6 To illustrate such a position, Mr. John
"
History of Hertfordshire," p. 43: "One end of every church doth point to such place where the sun did rise at the time the foundation thereof was laid, which is the reason why all churches do not directly point to the east ; for if the foundation was laid in June, it
coeval with that of the adjoining Cathedral walls. However, Mr. Brash regards the Round Tower as the oldest erection on the
Rock of Cashel.
109 In Marcus Keane's "Towers and
Temples of Ancient Ireland," there is an engraving of what he calls an idol of well- cut limestone, two feet six inches in height, discovered some few years before the pub- lication of that work in 1867 (Dublin 4to) buried several feet under the ground near the base of the Round tower at Cashel. See
Davis White thus cites Chau—ncey's
pointed to the north-east, where the sun
rises at that time of the year ; if it was laid
in the spring or autumn, it was directed full
east ; if in winter, south-east : and by the
standing of these churches it is shown at p. 33.
lt0 " what time of the year the foundations of See
them were laid. "
107 See Richard Rolt Brash's " Ecclesias-
tical Architecture of Ireland," chap. vii. ,
Cashel, pp. 91, 92. • 108 An examination of the door-way, which enters the Round Tower internally, shows manifestly, that its time of building was
Collections on Irish Church His- tory," vol. i. , Archbishops of Cashel, pp.
239 to 386.
"'See vol. i. "Archbishops of Cashel,"
pp. 463 to 488.
,,a Neither of the authorities mentioned in
the text, however, bring the history of Cashel down to the present date.
September 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 369
been erected into a borough, "3 by Archbishop Donat O'Lonergan, the third bearing that name in the See. 11* Soon after the succession of Marian
O'Brien, Pope Honorius III. confirmed the number of twelve Canons in the Cathedral of Cashel, by a Bull, dated the 6th May, 1224. Archbishop David Mac Kelly founded a Dominican Convent in Cashel, a. d. 1243, the ruins of which are still to be seen ; and about a. d. 1250, a Franciscan friary was founded by William Hacket. In the year 1276, a royal mandate issued for the erection of a king's castle in Cashel, and early in the fourteenth century, the city was surrounded with a stone wall, and a castle was built, which was left in charge of a constable. In the year 1372, an Irish parlia- ment—not then confined to any particular locality—was held in Cashel. When Richard O'Hedian or O'Heden ruled that See from a. d. 1406 to 1440, he re-built, or at least repaired, from a very ruinous condition, the Cathedral of St. Patrick. He built a Hall, likewise, for his Vicars Choral, confirming to them the lands of Grange Connell and Thurles-Beg. In the year 1495, Gerald FitzGerald, Earl of Kildare, burned the Cathedral, to be revenged on the reigning Archbishop, David Creagh. The last Austinian Prior of Athassel Priory, Edmund Butler, was consecrated Archbishop of Cashel in 1527, holding his conventual house in commendam, until the period of the dissolution of monasteries. His successor was Roland Baron, alias Fitz-
Gerald, desended from the ancient family of the Geraldines, and he departed this life on the 28th of October, 1561. After his death, the See continued vacant for six years ; the Catholic Archbishop, Maurice Gibbon or Fitzgibbon, apparently struggling against the power of Queen Elizabeth, who, on the 2nd of October, a. d. 1567, had promoted by Letters Patent James MacCaghvvell,intheinterestsoftheReformation. Duringhistime,byanAct of Parliament, in a. d. 1568, the See of Emly was united to that of Cashel.
When Mac Cagwell died in 1570, the celebrated Miler Magrath, who from being a Franciscan friar had become a pervert to Protestantism, was trans- lated by the Queen from the See of Clogher to the Sees of Cashel and Emly. Meantime,theCatholicArchbishopFitzgibbonhadbeennecessitated to fly from Ireland and seek refuge in Spain and France. On his death, about the year 1578, Darby O'Hurley was appointed Archbishop of Cashel by Pope Gregory XIII. , but on returning to Ireland, he was discovered and arrested. Brought before the Privy Council in Dublin, and refusing to take the objectionable oaths of supremacy and allegiance, he was at first subjected to frightful tortures, and afterwards this holy martyr was hanged on Stephen's Green, on the 6th of May, 1584.
60
Cullinan were broken.
Before his death Cormac exclaimed, "Into thy hands, O Lord, I com-
mend afterwards he on the fatal field. 61 The my spirit. " Shortly expired
King's body was found among the slain, by some of the enemy. 62 Not respecting the person and character of this amiable monarch, these men thrust the lifeless corpse through, with their lances. The Annals of the Four Masters also relate, that Cormac Mac Cullinan's head was afterwards cut 63 a wretch
57 See Ferdinando Warner's "
Ireland," vol. i. , book ix. , p. 373.
s* We are iniormed, that this Aidus was a
man profoundly versed in Law, History and the Latin language.
59 This is stated in Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
11
Archbishops of Cashel," p. 467. The rough and irregular conformation of ground, on which the battle was fought, coincides with this account, as noticed by the writer
on the spot.
60 "
See John O'Mahony's Keating's His- tory of Ireland," chap, vii. , pp. 527, 528.
in the R. I. A. includes an anonymous poem on the death of Cormac Mac Cullinan,
King and Archbishop of Cashel, who died a. d. 906. It would appear from the fifth
quatrain of this very scarce poem, that Sealbhach, Cormac's secretary, was the author of it. See p. 235.
County of Antrim, is called Dun-lis, in the Annals of the Four Masters, vol. ii. , at the
year 1584. See note (i), p. 570.
65 This Sir James Ware remembers to
have read in a Cottonian manuscript.
66
"Bean-Ree, mentioned in the Cotton manuscript, seems to have taken its name from the event of the day ; for Bean signifies a Rock ; and Ri or Righ, a King ; that is
the Rock of the King. " Harris' Ware,
vol. i. ,
62
The "Annals of Clonmacnoise," '
translated by Conell Mageoghegan, and edited by Rev. Denis Murphy, S. J. ,
"
state
:
Archbishops of Cashel," p. 467.
named,
Fiach Ua of Denlis. 64 Another Ugfadan,
off, by
account has it, that Cormac was slain by a herdsman,6* at Beanree,66 near
" There was a overthrow to great given
the Munstermen at Bellaghmowna by those of Leih Conn and Leinstermen, Anno 900, where Cormack mc Cuilleanann, King of Munster, and arch-bishop of Cashel 1, was pittifully slaine by the hands of a cowherd," p. 144.
63 The people of Ballaghmoon point out a stone on which they say King Cormac's head was cut off by a common soldier.
"
See Dr. O'Donovan's Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. ii. , n. (b), p. 564.
64 Mr. O'Donovan remarks, that Denlis is
61 The liv. vol. of O'Longan MSS. not identified, but that Dunluce, in the
History
of
September 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 363
Leighlin, while he was upon his knees, and devoutly praying for the success
6 of his army, then engaged in battle. ?
Besides King Cormac Mac Cullinan, the following Princes, nobles and ecclesiastics, fell in this battle. 68 At the very first onset, Morchertach, Prince ofOssory, and his son, were slain. 69 With the progress of this engagement, Fogertach, son to Suibhne, the Ruler of Ciarraighe-Chuirche, now Kerry- currihy barony, in the County of Cork ; Ohill,7° son to Eogan, in the flower of his age, and being also a man of great learning; Colman, Abbot of Kinnety, who was the most renowned jurist in Ireland ; Ceallach, son to Cearbhall, lord of Ossory ; Maelgorm, lord of Ciarraighe-Luachra, a territory comprised
1
the lord of Corca-Duibhne, now Corcaguiny barony, in the County of Kerry, anciently the O'Falvy's country j Cormac, chief of the Decies ; Dubhagan, chief of Feramuigh ; Cenfoelad, chief of Ui-Gonill ; Eiden, chief of Aidnia
within the present County of Kerry ; Maelmorda, lord of Raithlinn j?
Milemuadum, Madagon, Dubdabhurin, Conall and Feradach ; Aidus, ruler 2
of Valiehania, and Domhnall, ruler of Duncarmnia,? with many other nobles ; while 6,000 of the common soldiers, fell in this engagement. 73 The
most distinguished chiefs, that fought in the victorious army, were Flann, son to Malachy, Monarch of Ireland ; Kearball, son to Murigen, King of Leinster ; Tegus, son to Foilar, of Hy-Kinsellagh ; Teminean, of Ua- Deaglioida, or eastern Ida, now the Gorey barony, in the County of Wexford ; Keallach and Lorcan, two chiefs of Cinel ; Inergus, son to Duibhghill, of Ui-Drona, or Idrone ; Follamun, son to Oilill, of Fothartaf ; Tuahall, son
comprised the parishes of " Kilmoe," "Scool," " Kilcrobane," "Durris," " Kil- maconage,"and"Caheragh,"inthes—outh-
67 The author of his misfortune, Flabher-
tach, was taken prisoner, and after the
battlebroughttoKildare,wherehewas
reproved greatly, by the Leinster clergy. west of the county of Cork. " Dr.
See O'Mahony's "
John Keating's History
of Ireland," chap, vii. , p. 531.
O'Donovan's " or Leabhar-na-g-Ceart,
Book of Rights," note (k), p. 59.
72 See John O'Mahony's Keating's
"History of Ireland," chap, vii. , pp. 528, 529.
73 "It was in commemoration of this the
following lines were composed by Dalian, the son of Mor :
Cormac of Feimhin ; Fogartach,
Colman, Ceallach of the hard conflicts, They perished with many thousands in the
great battle of Bealach-Mughna.
Flann of Teamhair, of the plain, of Tailltin,
Cearball of Carman, without fail,
On the seventh of [the calends of] Septem- ber, gained the battle of which hundreds
68
Dalian, the Ollamh of Kerball, King of
Leinster, has given an abridged summary of the battle itself of Ballagh Mughna, and he has stated, in a historic lay, the number of warriors that fell in it. See John O'Mahony's Keating's " History of Ireland," chap, vii. , P- 536.
*9The 4to paper MSS. in the R. I. A. , No. 33-4, contains fragments of O'Dugan's and O'Huidhreen's topograpical poems; besides a poem of 208 verses enumerating the principal persons of the other provinces, who met with death in the province of Leinster, special reference being made to the grave of Cormac Mac Cuillanan.
70 The Four Masters call him the Abbot
of Trian-Corcaighe, which is interpreted the third part of Cork.
71 " This was the name of the seat of
O'Maghthamhna (O'Mahony), who, accord-
ing to O'h-TJidhrin, was chief of the Cineal
m-Bece, whose territory extended on both
sides of the river Bandain (Bandon). This Since Jesus was born of heaven, three and
territory was erected into the barony of
"
Kinelmeaky. " In latter ages a sept of the
same tribe settled in Corca Luighe,
O'Driscoll's country, where they became
masters of the district called Fonn- —
Iartharach, or the western land, which Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 569 to 571.
were
The bishop, the soul's director, the re-
nowned illustrious doctor,
joyful.
King of Caiseal, King of Iarmumha ; O God ! alas for Cormac !
It was of the year of Cormac's death was also said
nine hundred years,
Till the death of Cormac, were clearly
fulfilled ; sorrowful the death of the
King of Minister. "
Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
364
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 14.
to Uger of Ua-Mureadach ; Odron, son to Kenedy, ofLeix; Muilchallon, son to Feargall, of Fortuaha j and Clerken, the chief of Ui-Bairche. ? *
It has been falsely asserted, that in the year 905, Carmot or Cormac, son of Cokeman, a godly and religious man, the Monarch of Ireland, with Kyrvalt, son of Morgan, King of Leinster, were vanquished by the Danes, and that they fell in battle. " But, this account is quite at variance with Ireland's political condition, at that period, and contrary to the statement of
6
Notwithstanding his injunctions, said to have been expressed in Cormac Mac Cullinan's last testament 77 regarding the place of his interment, Sir James Ware tells us, that his body was conveyed to Cashel and there buried. But, an account given by Keating is quite different. He informs us, that Flann Sionna, having refreshed his troops after the battle of Bealach Mughna, marched into Ossory, attended by a numerous and princely retinue. Ceallach Mac Carrol, prince of Ossory, being a tributary chief to Cormac Mac Cullinan, as King over Munster and Leath Modha, had been slain in the battle already mentioned; and Flann Sionna had resolved on placing Diarmuid Mac Carrol, brother to the first-mentioned prince, on the throne of Ossory. We are told, that while here, the soldiers of the Irish Monarch, expecting a great reward, brought him Cormac Mac Cullinan's head, which was laid at his feet. Yet, to the honour of this victorious monarch, be it said, that instead of applauding and rewarding them for this action, like a generous enemy, he ordered those executioners away from his presence, as barbarous ruffians, who had no more respect for fallen majesty thanforacommonenemy. Atthesametime,heupbraidedthemfortheir barbarous cruelty and inhumanity, in thus disfiguring the remains of the
venerabledead. Cormac'sheadwasthentakenupbytheKing,whowith
8
difficulty restrained his tears. ?
fate of so just a prince, and of a prelate, so religious and venerable. He then gave strict orders, that King Cormac's body should be searched after, and buried according to the provisions of his will. 79 The royal relics were committed to the care of Maenach, who heard his last confession, and who administered holy Communion to Cormac. 80 With great solemnity, Maenach removedhisbodytoDisartDiarmuda,orCastledermot. Theretheremains were interred, with great honour. 8 ' Near the church of Castledermot and to the left, as one enters, lies a stone, rudely formed into a coffin-shape, with a cross indented on it. The lines cut to represent the cross are not sunk deep, and
74 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the "History of Ireland," chap, vii. , pp.
all respectable authorities. ?
Four Masters," vol. ii. , notes (b, d, e, f, g, h, i), pp. 568 to 571.
75 See Hanmer's " Chronicle of Ireland," pp. 176, 177.
"
529, 530.
7? See an article, "Ancient Irish
Biography," No. xxiv. , on Cormac Mac-
Lhancarvan, who calls Cormac " Carmot, the son o—f Cukeman, King and Bishop of
Translation and Notes by John O'Donovan, LL. D. , pp. 202 to 205.
Ireland. "
Harris' Cashel," p. 466.
vol.
" Arch-
8t See Dermot O'Connor's
Ware,
i. ,
" of History
Keating's
of
77 The vi. vol. of O'Longan MSS. in the
book
having
188.
to See " Three Fragments of Irish
Having kissed it, he lamented the untimely
Cuillenan, in
any Irish annals or document that I know
of. It is in the chronicle of Caradoc of Dubhaltach MacFirbisigh, edited with a
The fable of Cormac
76
killed by the Danes is not to be found in
been
vol. No. i. ,
It is strange, that after such a circumstantial account, Dr. Lanigan should be found to termed Cormac MacCullinan's Will, 32 state: "But I do not find that Keating verses, p. 209. makes hi—m be actually interred at Castle- 78 See John O'Mahony's Keating's dermot. " " Ecclesiastical History of
bishops
R. I. A. contains a bad copy of what is
Ireland,"
ii. , p. 451.
"
The Irish Penny Magazine,"
24, p.
Annals," copied from Ancient Sources, by
September 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 365
do not exceed more than two inches in breadth. Those extend, one line the whole length of the stone, and the other, its whole width, at the broadest part. Under that stone, tradition says, the King of Munster lies interred. This account receives some addition from persons who have read Keating's History and other writers' works. Such readers say, that by this King of Munster is meant Cormac Mac Cuillionan, who was killed in battle, and who, when brought to Castledermot, was buried there. 83 Here it is said a Monastery was founded by a holy man, named Diarmait8* or Dermod, from whom the place derived its name. 8* Other accounts have it, that his body was conveyed to Cashel and there buried. 85
It is very probable, in consequence of the great respect, in which the memory of Cormac was held, that Cashel became a permanent and regular See, after his death. 86 Wherefore it should seem, that a more ancient church had been on the Rock of Cashel than any shown by the existing ruins ; and that it had been under the jurisdiction of prelates who succeeded him, until the time when Cormac MacCarthy, King of Munster, built the beau- tifulchapelwhichstillbearshisname. Forthenexttwocenturiesafterthe death of Cormac Mac Cuillinan, our information regarding his successors is but scant. 8? The bounds of the latter See were to extend from Sliebh Eibhliune88 to the river Suir, and from Chamh-Coill89 to Greine-Airbha. 9° Sliebh-Eibhliune appears to have been the northern boundary of the diocese. In the Synod held at Rath Bresail, a. d. 1118, the boundaries of Cashel
1
Diocese seem to have been for the first time accurately defined. 9
time St. Celsus^2 ruled as Archbishop over Armagh, and he is said to have established its superiority over the Sees of Leath Mogha at the Synod of Fiedh-mac ^ngussa,93 when Moalmurry O'Dunain was Archbishop of Cashel. Pope Innocent the Seconds* ratified Celsus's confirmation, and there were accordingly in Ireland at that period only two metropolitan sees, namely, the primatial one at Armagh, and that of Cashel. In the year 1152, Cashel was erected into a Metropolitan See, by Pope Eugenius III. , and the
Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xxii. , sect, vi. ,
n 56, p. 365. 82 "
See Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Kildare, collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. , pp. 70, 71. Mr. O'Conor's Letter, dated Kildare, December 3rd, 1837.
83 See an account of him in the Sixth Volume of this work, at the 21st of June, Art. i.
84 At Castledermot was founded a fine abbey, by Lord Offaly, father of the first Earl of Kildare, in the reign of King Edward I.
Of this Abbey we have a beautiful
Aquatinta view, by Jonathan Fisher, in his "*
Scenery of Ireland," plate ix. , a. d. , 1 792.
85 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops of Cashel," vol. i. , p. 467.
86 Rev. Dr. Lanigan remarks, " there is
good reason to think that, as the capital of
Munster, its following bishop gradually acquired, even before it became a really
Metropolitan See, the ascendancy which had bee—n formerly enjoyed by the church of Emly. " "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , chap, xxii. , sect, iv. , p. 350.
9 See an account of it, and the bounds of Cashel Diocese, at that period, at the Festi- val of St. Gille or Gillebert, in the Second Volume of this work, at February 4th, Art. v. , and n. 77, ibid.
92 See his Acts, at the 6th of April, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. i.
93 Held in the year im.
94 Pope Innocenr the Second was called to
ii
fill St. Peter's chair, a. d. 30, and he occu-
pied it 13 years, 7 months, and 9 days.
8?
Ecclesiae Hibernica? ," vol. i. , Province of Munster, p. 4.
See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's "Fasti
^ It seems very probable, it is the place now called Knockahaw, situated between
Templemore and Borris-in-Ossory.
^ Chamh-Coill, or " the eminent wood," is now known by the name of Knawhill. Hibernica. " This is situated between Cashel and Salchoid, in
the County of Tipperary.
9° Grine-Airbha, or Cross-Grein, must
have been somewhere about the conflux of the river Suir with the Lingan, which divides Tipperary from the County of Kil- kenny, at and above the Three Bridges.
Seward's "
Topographia
At this
"
366 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 14.
Pallium was then bestowed on Armagh, Dublin, Tuam and Cashel. 95 In the latter See, its ruling prelate was Donat O'Lonergan, who died at a good
6 He was succeeded
time a Synod was held at Cashel, a. d. 1172, by order of King Henry II. , and over it Christian O'Conarchy, Bishop of Lismore, and the Pope's Legate, presided. With the exception of Gelasius, Archbishop of Armagh, all the other ArchbishopsandBishopsofIrelandassistedatit, withdiversAbbots,Deans, Priors and Clerics, together with ecclesiastics who represented the kings. In this Synod, they constituted Henry II. and his heirs, kings and lords of Ireland for ever, and passed some other important decrees. The charters
of the Archbishops and Bishops, with their seals pendent, were received by the King,who trans- mitted a copy of those charters to Pope Alexander, who by his apostolic authority confirmed their decrees. At this same Synod, the Laws of Eng- land were received by all, and the ob- servance of them confirmed by an oath. In 1179, Cashel was burned, and in 1182, Arch-
old in age
1158. 9
by
Donald and in his O'Hallucan,
Donald died. 97 Shortlybe- fore the time when the English arrived in Ireland, Donald O'Brien, King of Limerick, built a new Cathedral dedi- cated to St. Patrick on the Rock of 8 and con- verted Cormac's chapel into a chapel or chapter-house, on the south side of the choir He also endowed it with lands. 99 This twelfth-century Cathedral seems to have been built of
Cathedral of Cashel, Interior.
95 The Most Rev. John Healy says, Whilst formally recognising the superiority of Armagh as the Primatical See, four palls were granted by the Cardinal Legate, thus
legally constituting fou—r archbishops in Ire- "
DAlton in 1
See " Irish Penny Magazine," vol. i. , No.
land for the first time. " Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum, or Ireland's Ancient Schools and Scholars," chap, xv. , sect, iv. , p.
98 to According
John
169.
361.
96 According to the Annals ot the Priory
bishop
Cashel,?
of All Saints, on Lough Ree of the River
Shannon. 97SeeArchdeaconHenryCotton's Fasti
Ecclesiae Hibernicse," vol. i. , Province of Munster, p. 5.
34, p. 266.
99 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
of Cashel," p. 464.
"
Archbishops
"
September . 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 367
limestone taken from the precipitous rock on which it stands. It was
cruciform in shape, and had a large square tower in the centre of the cross.
The length of this ruin from east to west, including the nave and choir, are
about 210 feet ; the transepts from north to south are about 170 feet long.
At present, there are no appearances of piers, arches or lateral aisles, in either
nave or choir. There are three lofty lancet-arched windows, each one quite
distinct from the other, in both the north and south transepts. The side
windows of the choir and nave are of a similar construction. The eastern
window and the wall which was around it are now quite destroyed. Several
ancient flat tombs are to be seen within the nave IO° but for the most ——; part
their inscriptions if any such existed are, for the most part, effaced.
Without are many modern tombs, to indicate the family burial-places of
—— various deceased members. 101 The old regal or rather episcopal residence
lies towards the west ; and on the interior of the Cathedral, to which it had been attached, the vestige of a gallery may still be traced. This faced the
position occupied by the high altar. Several of the windows, doorways and
arches have very fine moulded and ornamental stones. Through the thick-
ness of the walls " the monks' walk" is to be seen. 102 Immediately under
the Castle wall—now so designated—there is a well of curious construction.
It has been bored through the solid rock, and it is thirty-two feet in depth.
It usually contains fifteen feet of water in depth, but sometimes during the
droughts of summer it only contains eight feet of water. Below, the well is
eight feet in diameter, but it is only three feet at the top, which has been
surrounded with neatly-pointed stone. 10^ With regard to the position of the
existing church ruins on the Rock of Cashel, it has been stated by a local
10
writer, * that the chancel of Cormac's Chapel is not placed in the centre of
the church, but that it inclines to the south. To account for this, a mystic
10* it has been noticed, that Cormac's Again,
has been
Chapel and the Cathedral adjoining do not stand parallel with each other. For this peculiarity, the theory of orientation is alleged. Cormac's Chapel is supposed to have been founded on the 1st of May, and the adjoining Cathedralonthe17thofMarch. Thus,itisinferred,thattheinclinationof
100
meaning
their respective angles may be solved.
100
Apparently those of prelates and other distinguished ecclesiastics or lay-persons.
101 One of the most interesting and con-
spicuous is that in limestone, with plain, chaste mouldings, surmounted by a funer—al
urn, and having the following inscription:
Sacred to the Memory
of
Denys Scully, Esq.
Born on 4th May 1773,
Died on
Requiescat in Pace.
25th
October
1830. Amen.
—"
Patriots who contended for Freedom of
Conscience and Constitutional Liberty he bore a promineut Part. His Statement of the Penal Laws is a solid Monument of his
own Genius, and of the complicated Oppres- sion of his Country and his Religion. "
102 During a visit made to the Rock of Cashel in November, 1853, the writer saw an adventurous goat browsing on the very highest top of the side-wall. The accom-
On the reverse we read
:
Among
the
Documents," Clonmel,
I0S Mr. White thus states his opinion ;
"As the Church is the 'Body of Christ,'
this church is built to represent Him a—s He
— the Cross, with His head the hung upon
sought.
panying illustration of the interior of the Cathedral, from an approved view, has been drawn on the wood and engraved by Gregor
Grey.
I03 This well had been examined in Sep-
tember, 1848, and several pieces of old tombs, ruinous tracery, and a remarkable
grotesque figure, called by the local guide,
"
a Buddhist Divinity," were found. About this time a portion of
the old castle had fallen.
I0* DavisWhite,inhis "Cashel John book,
of the Kings ; Being a History of the City of Cashel, compiled from scarce Books and
George Haskins,
original
1863.
to one side ; the nave represents the rest of the body, and the towers at each side (there being no tran- septs) the arms. " By whom, such position of the Chancel thus accounted for, has been
imagined, Mr. White does not mention.
chancel leaning
368 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 14.
The Round Tower on the Rock of Cashel10? stands at the north-east angle of the Cathedral northern transept, with which it is connected. 108 Its circumference at base is 56 feet, and it is stated to be 90 feet in height ; it retains its original conical stone roof, which springs from a projecting string-course. The masonry of the tower exhibits some curious features : it rises from a plinth of 6 inches projection ; for 5 feet in height it is built of freestone in irregularly squared blocks ; there is next a long patch of lime- stone about 4 feet high, roughly built, the stones cracked and damaged, and looking like a repair. Next appears about 6 feet high of freestone masonry inblocks,roughlydressed,butwithoutspawls; fromthisupwardsthework is all of even character, being of freestone in irregular courses of from 7 inches to 12 inches high, rough-squared but closely laid, and an admirable piece of work. The original doorway faces south-west, and is of small dimensions ; it is 10 feet from the ground level; the ope is at present built up, the sill-stone is gone, and the jambs are much damaged. There is a more modern doorway broken into the north-eastern angle of transept. It has a quadrangular window-ope about 20 feet from the ground, which faces south ; a similar ope is at 36 feet, facing east ; and one at about 50 feet, facing to the south-west. As usual, these opes are of small dimensions, and they have sloping jambs. In the attic story, immediately under the eave- course, are four window opes of larger dimensions, having angular heads externally and square heads internally. Those opes are well proportioned, and nearly face the cardinal points ; two of the angular heads are cut out of solid stones, and the other two are built of two or more blocks.
Internally
100
there are offsets taken from the thickness of the wall.
The history of the Catholic Archbishops and See of Cashel since the
Reformation is best given in the valuable and recondite work of the Very*
Rev. Laurence F. Renehan, D. D. , formerly President of Maynooth College, published from his Manuscripts, and edited by the Very Rev. Daniel M'Carthy, D. D. 110 This work has been compiled from printed and contem- poraneous documents and scarce books, on which the learned collector has exercised great research, combined with sound judgment, in connexion with his subject. The history of the Protestant Archbishops may be found very
111
trans- lated by him into English, with very numerous and important additions to
fully related in Walter Harris' edition of Sir James Ware's works,
the
originals.
118 It is said, that about a. d. 12 16, the town of Cashel had
,o6 To illustrate such a position, Mr. John
"
History of Hertfordshire," p. 43: "One end of every church doth point to such place where the sun did rise at the time the foundation thereof was laid, which is the reason why all churches do not directly point to the east ; for if the foundation was laid in June, it
coeval with that of the adjoining Cathedral walls. However, Mr. Brash regards the Round Tower as the oldest erection on the
Rock of Cashel.
109 In Marcus Keane's "Towers and
Temples of Ancient Ireland," there is an engraving of what he calls an idol of well- cut limestone, two feet six inches in height, discovered some few years before the pub- lication of that work in 1867 (Dublin 4to) buried several feet under the ground near the base of the Round tower at Cashel. See
Davis White thus cites Chau—ncey's
pointed to the north-east, where the sun
rises at that time of the year ; if it was laid
in the spring or autumn, it was directed full
east ; if in winter, south-east : and by the
standing of these churches it is shown at p. 33.
lt0 " what time of the year the foundations of See
them were laid. "
107 See Richard Rolt Brash's " Ecclesias-
tical Architecture of Ireland," chap. vii. ,
Cashel, pp. 91, 92. • 108 An examination of the door-way, which enters the Round Tower internally, shows manifestly, that its time of building was
Collections on Irish Church His- tory," vol. i. , Archbishops of Cashel, pp.
239 to 386.
"'See vol. i. "Archbishops of Cashel,"
pp. 463 to 488.
,,a Neither of the authorities mentioned in
the text, however, bring the history of Cashel down to the present date.
September 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 369
been erected into a borough, "3 by Archbishop Donat O'Lonergan, the third bearing that name in the See. 11* Soon after the succession of Marian
O'Brien, Pope Honorius III. confirmed the number of twelve Canons in the Cathedral of Cashel, by a Bull, dated the 6th May, 1224. Archbishop David Mac Kelly founded a Dominican Convent in Cashel, a. d. 1243, the ruins of which are still to be seen ; and about a. d. 1250, a Franciscan friary was founded by William Hacket. In the year 1276, a royal mandate issued for the erection of a king's castle in Cashel, and early in the fourteenth century, the city was surrounded with a stone wall, and a castle was built, which was left in charge of a constable. In the year 1372, an Irish parlia- ment—not then confined to any particular locality—was held in Cashel. When Richard O'Hedian or O'Heden ruled that See from a. d. 1406 to 1440, he re-built, or at least repaired, from a very ruinous condition, the Cathedral of St. Patrick. He built a Hall, likewise, for his Vicars Choral, confirming to them the lands of Grange Connell and Thurles-Beg. In the year 1495, Gerald FitzGerald, Earl of Kildare, burned the Cathedral, to be revenged on the reigning Archbishop, David Creagh. The last Austinian Prior of Athassel Priory, Edmund Butler, was consecrated Archbishop of Cashel in 1527, holding his conventual house in commendam, until the period of the dissolution of monasteries. His successor was Roland Baron, alias Fitz-
Gerald, desended from the ancient family of the Geraldines, and he departed this life on the 28th of October, 1561. After his death, the See continued vacant for six years ; the Catholic Archbishop, Maurice Gibbon or Fitzgibbon, apparently struggling against the power of Queen Elizabeth, who, on the 2nd of October, a. d. 1567, had promoted by Letters Patent James MacCaghvvell,intheinterestsoftheReformation. Duringhistime,byanAct of Parliament, in a. d. 1568, the See of Emly was united to that of Cashel.
When Mac Cagwell died in 1570, the celebrated Miler Magrath, who from being a Franciscan friar had become a pervert to Protestantism, was trans- lated by the Queen from the See of Clogher to the Sees of Cashel and Emly. Meantime,theCatholicArchbishopFitzgibbonhadbeennecessitated to fly from Ireland and seek refuge in Spain and France. On his death, about the year 1578, Darby O'Hurley was appointed Archbishop of Cashel by Pope Gregory XIII. , but on returning to Ireland, he was discovered and arrested. Brought before the Privy Council in Dublin, and refusing to take the objectionable oaths of supremacy and allegiance, he was at first subjected to frightful tortures, and afterwards this holy martyr was hanged on Stephen's Green, on the 6th of May, 1584.
