Drumcliffe Abbey

From Thomas Walsh's History of the Irish Hierarchy chapter lx, p. 646 ff:

Drumcliffe, in the barony of Drumcliffe, formerly a town of some note.

Lanigan is not inclined to assign to St. Columbkille the merit of erecting the monastery of Drumcliffe; he is only willing to admit, as he does with regard to St. Fechin, at Ballysadare, that St. Columba only founded a church in this place. At the time in which not only Columba flourished, but also that in which St. Fechin was cut off by the plague, the erection of a monastery was a work of very little delay, especially when the people or the prince were pleased to sanction and assist in its construction. The Abbé MacGeoghegan writes, that the piety of the early Christians of Ireland was such, that they not only gave food and other necessaries for the wants of their religious houses, but even dedicated some of their families to the service of God, as was the custom with the Jewish people. If the history of the foundation of Imay, Co. Galway, be correct, we are therein assured, that the holy founder was at his monastery in Easdara, when admonished to seek the island of Imay, by an angel, — yet Lanigan will not accord to him the erection of that establishment. A St. Thorian, a disciple of Columba, who followed him afterwards to Hy, is named as having governed Drumcliffe,
as the first abbot. It is again argued, that as a blank occurs in the names of the abbots, until the year 921, St. Columba was not the founder. Drumcliffe does not appear to be singular in this respect. Voids of the same sort occur in the succession of the bishops of our sees. Lanigan also urges the silence of Ware with regard to its foundation, &c. Ware is also silent of the Dominican convent of Clonmel, one of far later date. Ware omits the ancient monastery of Tirdaglas, founded by Columba, son of Crimthan.

A.D. 921, died the abbot of Drumcliffe, St. Thorian or Thorannan. He was also abbot of Banchor, and was honored on the 12th of June. Died also this year the blessed Maolpatrick Mac Moran.

A.D. 930, died the abbot Moyngall, son of Becan.

A.D. 950, died the blessed Flan O'Becain, archdeacon of Drumcliffe, a learned and celebrated scribe.

A.D. 1029. This year Aengus O'Hoengusa, archdeacon of Drumcliffe, with sixty other persons, perished by an accidental fire in an island called Inislanne (territory of Carberry).

A.D. 1053, Murchad O'Beollain, archdeacon of Drumcliffe, died.

A.D. 1077, died Murrogh O'Beollan, comorb of Drumcliffe and St. Columb.

A.D. 1187, the abbey was spoiled by Melaghlin, king of Meath. The wrath of Heaven soon overtook him, having been killed in a fort-night after.

A.D. 1225, died Amlave O'Beollain, archdeacon of Drumcliffe, a man of extraordinary erudition, and in general esteem for piety, wisdom, and unbounded hospitality.

A.D. 1252, died in this abbey Maelmaidoc O'Baollan, comorb of St. Columb, a venerable and hospitable man, and in universal estimation in England and Ireland.

A.D. 1416, this abbey was set on fire by a band of plunderesr; the abbot Maurice O'Coincoil perished in the flames.

A.D. 1503, died the abbot O'Beollan.

The See Elphin in the Early Modern Period (1499-1704)

From Walsh, Thomas; History of the Irish Hierarchy, cap. xxix, p. 303 ff.

George Bran, Bishop of Dromore, was translated by the Pope to the see of Elphin on the 18th of April, 1499. George died in 1523.
Christopher Fisher is said to have been bishop of Elphin and to have died in 1511. George Brann must have resigned.
John, bishop of Elphin, sat in 1535 and died the next year.
Conatus Ó Siagail, a canon regular abbot of Assadara and chaplain to Manus O'Donnell, was advanced to the see by Henry VIII in 1544.
Bernard O'Higgin, a Dominican friar provided by the Pope presided in 1552.
Andreas Xerea, a Dominican friar was bishop of Elphin A.D. 1562 in the pontificate of Pius IV. Boetius MacEgan was bishop of Elphin in 1646.

Dominick Burke, a Dominican friar of Athenry, was promoted to the see of Elphin by Pope Clement X A.D. 1671, was born in Ireland about the year 1629 of parents steadfastly attached to the ancient faith and illustrious by their birth.

Sighing after spiritual perfection he joined the order of preachers and having embarked for Spain he was arrested by the English heretics who imprisoned him in Kinsale having robbed him of his garments and his traveling expenses. Through the mercy of Christ he effected his escape by leaping from the window of his cell into the slime which was left by the receding tide. He was concealed two days in a neighboring wood without being washed as he was afraid to approach the river. All this time he had neither food nor drink until with difficulty he reached the mansion of Roche, a nobleman, by whom he was humanely treated while recruiting his strength and by whom he was dismissed with becoming apparel and a suitable viatic. He was now enabled to reach his paternal roof to the great surprise of his mother who earnestly entreated him not to expose himself to the danger of a second voyage but his piety prevailed and having obtained from her another viatic he embarked at Galway and safely landed in a Spanish port.

Having entered a convent of the Dominicans, he devoted six years to the completion of his studies but the persecution of Cromwell still raging in Ireland. He set out for Italy where he spent sixteen years esteemed by all who had the happiness of enjoying his conversation. He became master of novices at Venice in the convent of St. Dominic at Milan in the magnificent and ducal convent of St. Mary of thanksgiving and finally in the city of Boschum, distinguished by the birth of Saint Pius V, he performed this office for ten years with credit and advantage. In the general chapter of the order held at Rome in the year 1670 he represented his province and the college of Louvain.

In 1671, he was promoted to the see of Elphin by Clement X unexpectedly and without solicitation on his part. Being forty one years of age when consecrated, he set out for Ireland and for thirty three years continued the good and vigilant pastor. His sufferings are indescribable while the persecution of 1680 raged against the Catholics of England and Ireland. For four months he was concealed in a solitary house and, on the approach of Easter week, in order to have an opportunity of consecrating the oils, he was obliged to travel forty miles at night. When Oliver Plunket, primate of all Ireland, was arrested and confined in Dublin, the bishop of Elphin received from him timely information by which he was enabled to baffle his pursuers. Though poor and without revenues except the voluntary oblations of the faithful he had an aversion towards receiving gifts or presents from any particularly from ecclesiastics and, in order that he might not be a burden to the clergy, he obtained a large and extensive tract of land which he farmed from the most illustrious William de Burgo, earl of Clanrickard, who was his cousin, on which he built a suitable dwelling, exercising that sort of hospitality peculiar to the primitive ages of the church, as soon as the fury of the persecution abated.

At the time of the war of the rebellious heretics of England against James II, the bishop of Elphin was obliged to dwell at Galway, where the citizens respected and revered him and placed at his disposal means sufficiently ample for his episcopal dignity. Besides his devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the canonical office, he made it a rule to repeat daily the entire rosary in her honor. King James II and his queen were much attached to the bishop of Elphin.

Obliged to become an exile, he repaired to Louvain and there dwelt in the college of the Holy Cross. From his retreat in 1695 by frequent letters addressed to the supreme Pontiff, the orthodox princes of Europe and their ambassadors assembled to deliberate on the peace of Ryswick, he informed them of the deplorable state of the Irish Catholics and of the intention on the part of the English people to extirpate the Catholic religion. By his interference with Innocent XII two briefs were issued breathing piety and sympathy with the Irish and recommending the Catholics to subscribe for the support of the exiles from Ireland then thrown destitute all over the Continent. The bishop of Elphin solicited for the entire kingdom of Ireland absolution from the presumed excommunication pronounced by the nuncio Rinuccini and, though others applied they met with repulse, not so with the bishop of Elphin. In the year 1656, John Nolan of Kilkenny, rector of the Minerva, and Richard O'Kelly of Rathbran in Killala, then at Rome to attend the general chapter of the order, strenuously urged the apostolic see to remove this censure. This favor Dominick de Burgo at last obtained and on this occasion thirty three apostolic briefs were addressed to the dioceses of Ireland. At last, full of labor for God and the church and of years, for they numbered seventy five, fortified by the holy rites of religion, in the enjoyment of his mental faculties, he calmly resigned his soul on the 1st of January, 1704, at Louvain and was buried there in the church of the convent near the great altar.

Ambrose MacDermott was appointed bishop in 1707, died 1717.
Patrick French was consecrated in 1718.
John Brett, penitentiary apostolic consecrated at Rome and a Dominican of Sligo abbey, was translated from Killala in 1748 and died in 1756.
James Fallon was bishop of Elphin in the years 1759 and 1775.
Edmond French was bishop of Elphin in 1800 and died in 1810.
George Thomas Plunkett consecrated in 1815 died in 1827.
Patrick Burke appointed coadjutor in 1819 succeeded in 1827 departed in 1844. In life respected and beloved and in death regretted
George Joseph Plunkett Browne consecrated bishop of Galway in October 1831 was translated to Elphin in March 1844, revered as the dove of the Irish church.

Drumcliffe Abbey (Walsh)

From Walsh, Thomas; History of the Irish Hierarchy, chapter lx, p. 646 ff.

Drumcliffe in the barony of Drumcliffe formerly a town of some note.

Lanigan is not inclined to assign to St. Columbkille the merit of erecting the monastery of Drumcliffe. He is only willing to admit as he does with regard to St. Fechin at Ballysadare that St. Columba only founded a church in this place. At the time in which not only Columba flourished but also that in which St. Fechin was cut off by the plague the erection of a monastery was a work of very little delay, especially when the people or the prince were pleased to sanction and assist in its construction. The Abbé MacGeoghegan writes that the piety of the early Christians of Ireland was such that they not only gave food and other necessaries for the wants of their religious houses but even dedicated some of their families to the service of God as was the custom with the Jewish people.

If the history of the foundation of Imay, Co. Galway, be correct we are therein assured that the holy founder was at his monastery in Easdara when admonished to seek the island of Imay by an angel. Yet Lanigan will not accord to him the erection of that establishment. A St. Thorian, a disciple of Columba who followed him afterwards to Hy, is named as having governed Drumcliffe as the first abbot. It is again argued that as a blank occurs in the names of the abbots until the year 921, St. Columba was not the founder Drumcliffe, does not appear to be singular in this respect. Voids of the same sort occur in the succession of the bishops of our sees. Lanigan also urges the silence of Ware with regard to its foundation &c. Ware is also silent of the Dominican convent of Clonmel, one of far later date. Ware omits the ancient monastery of Tirdaglas, founded by Columba, son of Crimthan.

AD 921 died the abbot of Drumcliffe, St. Thorian or Thorannan. He was also abbot of Banchor and was honored on the 12th of June. Died also this year the blessed Maolpatrick Mac Moran.

AD 930 died the abbot Moyngall son of Becan.

AD 950 died the blessed Flan Ó Becain, archdeacon of Drumcliffe, a learned and celebrated scribe.

AD 1029 This year Aengus Ó Hoengusa, archdeacon of Drumcliffe, with sixty other persons, perished by an accidental fire in an island called Inislanne, territory of Carberry.

AD 1053 Murchad Ó Beollain, archdeacon of Drumcliffe, died.

AD 1077 died Murrogh Ó Beollan, comorb of Drumcliffe and St. Columb.

AD 1187 the abbey was spoiled by Melaghlin, king of Meath. The wrath of Heaven soon overtook him, having been killed in a fortnight after.

AD 1225 died Amlave Ó Beollain, archdeacon of Drumcliffe, a man of extraordinary erudition and in general esteem for piety wisdom and unbounded hospitality.

AD 1252 died in this abbey Maelmaidoc Ó Baollan, comorb of St. Columb, a venerable and hospitable man and in universal estimation in England and Ireland.

AD 1416 this abbey was set on fire by a band of plunderers, the abbot Maurice Ó Coincoil perished in the flames.

AD 1503 died the abbot Ó Beollan.

Latin Mass Pilgrimage to Sligo

Members and friends of Saint Assicus' Catholic Heritage Association made their pilgrimage to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the afternoon of Saturday, 17th October, for a Traditional Latin Mass.

The Cathedral was designed by English architect George Goldie (1828-1887), who was also responsible for the design of Churches in Bohola (1859), Ballymote (1859), Strokestown (1860), Gurteen (1866), and Killasser (1868).  The Cathedral's design was 1867.  Building took place between 1867 and 1875.  It was opened on 26th July, 1874, by Paul, Cardinal Cullen and consecrated by Cardinal Cullen on 1st July, 1897.

The design is in a massive Lombard Romanesque, the only 19th Century Irish Cathedral in the Romanesque style.  It is in a basilican style with the triforium gallery extended across the transepts. This effect can also be seen, 'though less correctly and with much less effect, in a Gothic context, in Ss. Peter and Paul's, Cork City.  The tower reaches a height of 70 meters.  The interior is 69 meters wide at the transepts and 19 meters high.  The aisles continue under the triforium right through into a fine ambulatory with a corona chapel that is now a baptistery.  The High Altar, surmounted by a statue of Mary Immaculate is intact under a brass baldachino.  Some of the stained glass is by Lobin of Tours.

Sligo Abbey (Walsh)

From Walsh, Thomas; History of the Irish Hierarchy, chapter lx, p. 655 ff.

Sligo, the capital of the county; a seaport, market-town and a parliamentary borough.

Maurice Fitzgerald, who was Lord Justice of Ireland in the year 1229, and who retained that office from 1232 to 1245, founded this noble monastery on the bank of the river Gitly and adjacent to the castle of Sligo, which Maurice erected A.D. 1245. The church was dedicated under the invocation of the Holy Cross, of which a commemoration was made daily in the divine office. It was supplied with
friars of the order of St. Dominick.

O'Connor Sligo was a liberal benefactor to this monastery. So was Pierce O'Timony, whose statue was erected in the cloister.

A.D. 1360, Mac William Bourke spoiled and burned the town.

A.D. 1414, the sacred edifice was destroyed by an accidental fire: at this time twenty friars were resident in the abbey. Pope John XXIII granted an indulgence to all who would contribute towards the expenses of refounding it.

A.D. 1416, the monastery was rebuilt by friar Bryan Mac Dermot Mac Donagh.

A.D. 1454, Bryan Mac Donagh, dynast of Tirerill, was interred here.

At the general suppression, it was granted to Sir William Taaffe.  It is at present in the possession of Lord Palmerston, who can be styled the "Cecil" of England in this enlightened century.

The ruins of this spacious and beautiful monastery indicate its former magnificence. The northern and southern sides of the arcade, with the east one, still remain covered with an arched roof, which will soon yield to the wreck of time. The arches and pillars are of extraordinary workmanship, a few of which are adorned with sculpture. The east window is beautiful, and the high altar, which still remains, is decorated with relievo sculpture in the Gothic style. On the south side of the altar is a monument of O'Connor, with his own figure and that of his lady.

Archdale observes that Cromwell has done some injury to this monastery, but "that merit" rather belongs to Ireton and Sir Charles Coote, who could perceive no fault in the "frolics" of his soldiers when transfixing Irish innocent babes with their bayonets, and then elevating them on their points, in order that the writhings of those "innocents" would afford diversion to the puritan soldiery of England. Cromwell was never in Connaught.

Pilgrimage to Sligo Cathedral