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

Thank you for Summorum Pontificum!

 

Our hero!

Our Holy Father!

Pope Benedict XVI!

The Pope of Summorum Pontificum!

National Latin Mass Pilgrimage to Knock 2015

The National Latin Mass Pilgrimage is a special event in Knock.  Unique among Latin Mass pilgrimages around the Country, His Grace, the Archbishop of Tuam has designated this pilgrimage under his own authority and appointed a chaplain, Fr. John Loftus of the Diocese of Killala.

The organisation of the National Pilgrimage was undertaken by Our Lady's Catholic Heritage Association in co-ordination with the other Catholic Heritage Associations around the Country but all Latin Mass Communities, Chaplaincies, Associations and groups around the Country are invited to participate each year.

As usual, the main exercises of the pilgrimage took place in the old Parish Church of Knock, whish stood when the apparitions took place.  The apparitions are uniquely Eucharistic in that the Blessed Sacrament was present in the form of the Lamb of God with Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John, during the whole of the apparition.  That may be the reason for the silence of the apparition and perhaps the key to it's central message, the importance of silence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament - very appropriate for the Traditional Latin Mass.

There was a tremendous turn out from all parts of the Country for a Missa Cantata of Our Lady celebrated by Fr. Loftus.  In keeping with the exercises of the official pilgrimages to the Shrine, the Missa Cantata was followed by the Stations of the Cross and the pilgrimage concluded with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

National Latin Mass Pilgrimage to Knock

Latin Mass for the Assumption in Ballaghaderreen

By the kind permission of Bishop Kelly of Achonry and Father Gavigan, Adm., friends and members of our Association from across the Country made a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of the Annunciation and Saint Nathy for the feast of the Assumption. The Mass was offered for the late Bishop Thomas Flynn of Achonry who had been a great friend to the Gregorian Rite.  By a beautiful coincidence, we were met by the Bishop and the Religious of the Diocese who were there to celebrate the Year for Consecrated Life. 

Ballaghaderreen is the only Parish of the Diocese of Achonry in the County of Roscommon, although it was part of County Mayo until an Act of the British Parliament in 1859.

The Cathedral was designed for Bishop Patrick Durnin of Achonry (1852-1875) about 1855 by the English architects Matthew Ellison Hadfield and George Goldie. The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal 19 (Oct 1856), 325 (illus., Pl. XXIX) described it as: "New cathedral in Early English style. It was commenced some three or four years ago, and after laying the basement course, the works were suspended under the direction of the above named firm [Weightman, Hadfield & Goldie]. The plan consists of a spacious nave and aisles, chancel, side chapels, western tower and sacristy. The proportions of these various portions were already determined before Messrs. Weightman and Co. commenced operations, and they have been in consequence very much crippled in carrying out their design."

It was consecrated on 3rd November, 1860. The site was donated by Lord Dillon and the local blue limestone came from quarries on his estate. The High altar is by Henry Lane of Dublin.  The Dillons were prominent in the National struggle.  The newspaper The Nation, was co-founded by John Blake Dillon with Thomas Davis and Charles Gavin Duffy.

Annual Latin Mass for the Assumption, Letterkenny Cathedral

A good friend has asked us to let you know that the annual Latin Mass for the feast of Our Lady's Assumption will take place on Saturday, 15th August, at 4 p.m.  Photos of a previous Mass can be found here.

Pilgrimage to Ballaghaderreen Cathedral

Latin Mass in Strokestown

Pilgrimage to Athlone

This was the first time that we had made a pilgrimage to Athlone.  The magnificent Church of Ss. Peter and Paul, sometimes known as the Cathedral of the Shannon, is a major landmark at the central point of Ireland, at the main crossing of the Shannon, which divides the Country roughly in half, east and west, by the main road between Dublin and Galway that joins the east coast to the west and divides the Country roughly in half, north and south.  The town straddles two provices (Leinster and Connacht), two Counties (Westmeath and Roscommon), and two Dioceses (Ardagh & Clomnacnoise and Elphin).

The Church was completed in 1937 and, like many post-Independence Churches, is in a fusion of styles - Galway Cathedral being the high point of the fusion movement - Doric and Baroque.  The Doric is most obvious in the stark exterior, a restrained Baroque more notable in the interior that has a range of marble features, still complete.  Several fine Harry Clarke windows are in place.  It is one of the most complete and most harmonious Churches in the Country, being built and decorated to a single design in one project.

Athlone Abbey (Walsh)

From Thomas Walsh's History of the Irish Hierarchy chapter lix, p. 623 ff:

Athlone, situated on the river Shannon. A market-town and parliamentary borough, rendered famous through its vigorous defence against the arms of King William III., the "Absalom" of England, and gives the title of earl to the family of Ginckle.

A Cistercian abbey was founded here, in the twelfth century, which was called de Innocentia.

A.D. 1216. King John, by a grant, dated the 30th of May, gives to this abbey four carucates of land, in the fee of Lagscueth, in exchange for the site on which he erected the castle of Athlone, and granted to the said monks the tenth of the expenses of the aforesaid castle.

A.D. 1279, King Edward I., on the 6th of June, granted to this abbey the weirs and fisheries of Athlone, and the toll of the bridge; also eight acres of arable land, at the yearly rent of £12.

A.D. 1455, died the abbot Thomas Cumin, a man celebrated for extensive knowledge and unexampled wisdom.

In the time of Queen Elizabeth, this abbey was in the possession of Sir Kichard Bingham, knight, first commissioner of Connaught, together with three chapels in the barony of Athlone, Gama, Kiltoame,
and Drayme, collectively worth 70s. Irish money.

Twentieth of Queen Elizabeth, a grant was made to Edmund O'Fallon, of Athlone, of a mill, on the water of Clonekille, in this county, and two other mills above the bridge of Athlone, with a castle on the east end of the bridge, and a small piece of land adjacent to said castle, lately built in the county of Westmeath, to hold the same at the annual rent of 12d. Irish money. And on the 5th of August preceding, another royal grant was made to said Edmund, of a stone house, and two gardens tliereunto belonging, with two other houses on the south side of the said castle, and an eel-weir on the river Shannon — all parcels of the property of this abbey.

In the ninth of King James I. it was found, that a house and garden thereunto annexed, in the town of Athlone, parcel of this abbey, annual value, besides reprises, 12d., was, by a grant trom the crown, in
the possession of Edward White, late of Ballynderry, in this county.