No More Learning

Through chance and change, through good and ill,
Like its own God's eternal will,
Deep, constant, bright, unquenchable. "
History
Though
fled the
priests,
And though for ever past the days When God was worshipp'd in t—he blaze That from its altar shone
gone,
lofty ;
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 191
markable, notwithstanding great heaps of wood, that must have been piled upon it, during such a prolonged interval, the ashes of this fire never in- creased. ^^
What is furthermore remarkable, from the time of St. Brigid and after her
death until the twelfth century, an even number, including twenty nuns, and the abbess, had remained in Kildare nunnery. Each of these religious, in
rotation, nightly watched this inextinguishable fire. having placed wood on its embers, the last nun said
On the twentieth night,
" O Brigid, guard thy Then the nun left that
fires, for this night the duty devolves on thyself. "
pyre, but although the wood might have been all consumed before morning, yetthecoalsremainedaliveandinextinguishable. Acircularhedgeofshrubs orthornssurroundedit, andnomalepersondarepresumetoenterwithinthat sacred enclosure, lest he might provoke Divine vengeance, as had been ex- perienced by a certain rash man, who ventured to transgress this ordinance. Women only were allowed to tend that fire. Even these attendants were not permitted to blow it with their breath ; but, they used boughs of trees as fans forthispurpose. Younggoatscouldnotevenpenetratetheenclosure,through St. Brigid's miraculous intervention. At Kildare, also, were to be seen most beautiful plains, which were called St. Brigid's pastures, and no one dared disturb them with the plough. =9 Besides, it was considered almost miraculous, although animals of all the surrounding districts grazed on these lands,3° from the rising to the setting sun, on the following morning this herbage seemed luxuriant as ever. 3^ The same remarks well apply to the celebrated racing ground of the Curragh,3' in the nineteenth as well as during the twelfth century.
It is mentioned, that a certain archer, belonging to Count Richard's family,
had dared to leap over the hedge, and to blow with his breath St. Brigid's
fire, at Kildare ; but, immediately he leaped back frantic, and whoever accosted him, this archer blew into the person's face, in like manner, while stating, that he had thus profaned the saint's sacred fire. In this demented state, he ran through houses of the whole town. Being seized and bound by his companions, he begged them to conduct him towards the first water they could meet, and here drinking an incredible quantity, he immediately ex- pired. When another man had put his leg over the hedge, surrounding this fire, and had been suddenly drawn back by his companions, both his foot and thigh became withered. So long as he lived, that person remained lame and paralysed. 33 This, however, was not the only instance of Divine judg-
talized, in some beautiful lines, written by
Exigua tantum gelidus ros nocte reponet. "
"the poet of all circles and the idol of his "
—
3' See Giraldi Cambrensis' "Opera," vol.
own. " See Moore's Irish Melodies. "
=^ See Giraldi Cambrensis' "Opera," tomus V. Edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. Topographia Hibernica, dist. ii. ,
Georgicae, lib. ii. , 11. 201, 202.
cap. xxxiv. , pp. 120, 121.
^9 Allusion is no doubt made to the Cur-
ragh, "a fine undulating down, about six miles in length and two in breadth," and it
xxxvi. , pp. I2l, 122.
32 The old map of Kildare county by John
Noble and jAmes Keman presents a picture
of the great racing contest in 1 75 1, on the
— of Kildare, between Black and All Curragh
is
the — exceeding
in the world for softness and elasticity of the
"unequalled, perhaps,
Mrs. Hall's "Ireland: its
Scenery, Character," &c. , vol. ii. , pp. 258, Bajazet. This illustration also shows the
turf. " Mr. and
"Citizen of the
equestrian costume of that period.
v. with
259.
3° —
33 See Giraldi Cambrensis'
Edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. graphia Hibernica, dist. ii. , cap. xlviii. , p.
131.
of Virgil "
:
To these pastures are applied
the lines
"Opera. " Topo-
Et quantum longis carpent armenta die- bus
Black so celebrated
Oliver Golds—
:
Edited by James F. Dimock, M. A.
v.
Topographia Hibernica, dist. ii. , cap. xxxv. ,
in World,"
mith's
letter
192 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 1.
ment, visited on those who profaned St. Brigid's sanctuaries ; for, Earl Strong- bow himself had his death-bed thoughts disturbed, by a recollection of his impieties towards our illustrious saint. 34 Many of the mediaeval traditions, regarding holy Brigid's veneration at Kildare, have not been preserved, save only in an imperfect or in a fragmentary fashion. The inhabitants, however, yet relate some legends concerning her.
In the year 1220, Henry of London,35 Archbishop of Dublin,3^ ordered St. Brigid's fire at Kildare to be extinguished. This is said to have been done, so that all occasion for superstition might be removed. 37
At the time when Richard Stanihursts^ wrote, in the sixteenth century,39
it would seem, that Down had fallen from its more ancient splendour, and
hadsunktotheproportionsofavillage. ^^ TheEnglishMartyrology,'^'which has allusion to the twelfth century translation of the bodies of our three
great patron saints,^^ mentions an inscription, likewise, as having been carved on their tombs. '^3 It relates, that their monument continued in Down,44 to
thetimeofHenryVIII. ,KingofEngland. TothegreatregretoftheIrish CathoHc people, it was destroyed about this latter period. Such desecration occurred during that time, when Lord Leonard Gray was governor over
Ireland,andintheyear1538. 4s Itisstated,however,thatSt. Bridget'shead wassavedbysomeoftheclergy,whocarriedittoNeustadt,inAustria; and thence, in 1587, it was taken to the church of the Jesuits, at Lisbon, to whom the Emperor Rudolf II. gave it. ^^
3-* "The native chronicles stigmatize the Earl Richard as the greatest destroyer of the
and that had come to Ireland laity
tis," &c. , lib. i. , p. 26. Edition Antwerpioe, A. D. M. D. LXXXIIII. , 4t0.
clergy
since the time of the Norse tyrant Turgesius. states,
"
authority Corpus ejus terras mandatum est in
According to them, the fatal ulcer had broken
out in his foot, through the miracles of St.
Brigid, St. Columb-Cille, and of the other
saints,
They averred that, on his death-bed, the Earl imagined that he saw St. Brigid, the
holy Abbess of Kildare, in the act of killing
oppido Dunensi in Ultonia," &c.
4^ As related by Giraldus Cambrensis, in
Topographia Hibernica, dist. iii. , cap. xviii. ,
" vol. v. Edited F. Opera," by James
Dimock, M. A. , pp. 163, 164.
whose sanctuaries he had desecrated.
him,forh—avingprofanedherchurchesin withlargeadditionsandimprovements,by
" Leinster. " Gilbert's History
roysofIreland,"chap,ii. ,p. 41. See,also. Notes to chap, ii. , p. 488, bid. The same circumstance is related in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , p. 25, at A. D. 1 1 76.
35 See an account of him in Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops of Dublin," pp. 318 to 320.
3* He occupied this see fropi A. D. 12 13 to 1228,whenhedied,aboutthebeginningof
'*
InburgoDuno,tumulotumulanturinuno, Brigida, Patricius, atque Columba plus. "
July.
37 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's
"
Lives ot
tiquity had been discovered among the ruins of Down Abbey. Among those were no- ticed, when repairing the old cathedral, be- fore the commencement of this century, an
image of St. Patrick, in basso relievo. This "
the Saints," vol. ii. , February 1st, p. 22.
3^ See an account of him and of his writ- ings in S. Austin AUibone's "Critical Dic- tionary of English Literature and British
and American Authors," &c. , vol. ii. , p. was about two feet and a-half in length, his
3225.
39 This writer was bom in Dublin about
the year 1545 or 1546, and he died at Brus- sels, A. D. 1618. See ibid.
4° Stanihurst adds : "nunc tantum villula,
mitre on his head, and crosier in his hand— ;
the work rudely but not unskilfully done. " Dubourdieu's "Statistical Survey of the County of Down. " Appendix sec. 3, pp. 281, 282.
cum veteris structures
« See " Haverty's
Ancient and Modem,"
*'^
of Ireland,
D.
dae fuerunt sepulta. "
parietinis apparet, — et
xxx. , p. 365. "
qua corpora Dubliniensis,
chap,
"
Richardi Stanihursti De Rebus in Hibernia Ges-
See Rev. S. Lives of Baring-Gould's
in Patricii, Columbae, Brigi-
History
"
^3 The following is found in Camden's
Britannia," newly translated into English :
4' At the 1st of This
of the Vice- Edmund Gibson — :
February.
It is thus rendered into English :—
" One tomb three saints contains ; one vault
below.
Does Brigid^ Patrick and Columba show. "
—
^ We are told, that many remains of an-
Col. 1013. Fol. edition,London,1695.
the Saints," vol. ii. , February 1st, p. 22.
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 193
According to the several prophecies, regarding this illustrious saint, her name and her virtues were destined to be celebrated, not only in Ireland, but throughout the world, while that veneration and respect paid to her memory were to continue, until the day of final doom. 47 The event has corresponded, hitherto, with this recorded prediction, nor can we reasonably doubt the prophetic saying will continue to be verified, when time draws to its close ; for, numberless writers have testified concerning the extent and prevalence of those honours paid to her throughout Ireland, as also in the various countries of Europe, and over the entire world. Generations yet unborn shall continue still further to extend and perpetuate her fame.
CHAPTER XVI.
ANCIENT CHURCHES, CHAPELS, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, AND PLACES, DEDICATED TO, OR CALLED AFTER, ST. BRIGID, IN IRELAND—HOLY WELLS AND OBJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH HER MEMORY—MODERN CHURCHES, CHAPELS, AND CONVENTS, DEDICATED TO HER—RELIGIOUS ORDERS PLACED UNDER HER PATRONAGE.
The extraordinary veneration and devotion, entertained by the Irish people for St. Bridget, are evidenced by numberless ancient and modern churches,
chapels, convents, holy wells, and places, still retaining her name, throughout every part of our island. There were many other churches and religious
houses, in different parts of Ireland, and of which St. Brigid is patron ; although such erections and places are not now named after her. Colgan had obtained catalogues of churches, belonging to the different dioceses of Dublin, Tuam, Kildare, Elphin, and Lismore, afterwards united to Waterford, from bishops presiding over these respective sees. From such lists, he was enabled to set down the names of various churches or places, which claimed St. Brigid, as special patron.
^ But, as he was unable to obtain catalogues of contemporaneous churches and patrons, in connexion with the remaining twenty-five or twenty-six sees in Ireland, he justly leaves us to infer, how extended must have been that fame and veneration, procured for our saint, throughout the rest of our island. ^ Of Erinn she was always regarded as thegreatandgeneralintercessor. Hence,ithappened,thatsomanydifferent territories, baronies, parishes, denominations, townlands, and natural objects, were associated with her name. 3 While enlarging this list, from other avail- able sources for information, our catalogue must necessarily be imperfect. A more extended knowledge of localities and of popular traditions, with com- parison and examination of registers or archives, may enable future investi- gators greatly to increase the succeeding topographical collection of Brigitine localities and objects.
= When mere is cited in this Colgan's page
allusion is made to the
chapter, previously
mentioned work and appendix.
^ This enumeration Colgan extracted from
his Catalogue of Churches, belonging to the dioceses, already mentioned. But, he would
^7«*Claram filiam namque
paries, quae sicut sol in vertice caeli lucebit in mundo. "—
Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. ii. , p. 527. Also, the same words occur, in Vita Quarta S. Brigidae, lib. i,, cap. ii. , p. 546, with the additional, "usque in finem sceculi. "—Col-
"Trias —
gan's Thaumaturga. "
^
whether all these
Chapter xvi.
that some places, mentioned by Colgan, as
being
saint, are to be found in other Irish dioceses, besides those previously named. See " Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap. xvi. , pp. 624, 625.
not undertake to
places derived their names
surnamed Thaumaturga, owing to the num-
from
dedicated to, or called our • ber and of her miracles, or whe-
Vol. II. —No. 4.
It must be remarked,
St. Brigid,
after,
greatness
ther some had not been derived from other
saints, bearing the name of Brigid, since many such are to be found in our Irish Ca-
lendars.
say,
194 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
Foremost among the places, where St. Brigid was honoured, is Kildare.
The cathedral church^ of this ancient city, in the province of Leinster, took
her name and tutelary guardianship, we can have little doubt, not very long afterherdemise. ^ Intheseventeenthcentury,herchapelwasalsostanding. *^
A monastery of Canons Regular at Kildare, where St. Brigid formerly pre- sided over monks and nuns, is said to have been dedicated to her ; while,
the convent of her order rejoiced especially, in having her once as an illustrious directrix, and after death as a glorious patroness. In modern times, the
Catholic parochial church has been dedicated to her memory, while, the Presentation Convent and schools of the town are under her special patronage. Further, towards the west, Rosenallis,^ a parish church, in the
barony of Tinnahinch, Queen's County, in the deanery of Killeigh, or Kill- achuidh, diocese of Kildare,^ was dedicated to St. Brigid. 9
The following churches and places were dedicated to or named from St.
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.