church * was taken down and a Protestant place of worship erected on the site. Balreagh. The old church stood on a hill, appropriately called the Mountain Parish. The walls have been for the most part torn down. Length, fifty feet six inches by twenty-one. Chapels. Early in the last century, Mass used to be celebrated in a secluded valley, on the lands of Toberquill; † and when Catholic chapels were tolerated, or connived at, a site was procured at Sheefin, and an humble temple erected, which lasted for many years. This was the predecessor of the present chapel of Taghmon, which was built on the townland of Parsonstown, by Rev. Andrew McAlroy, present P.P. of Kinnegad. In the Turin district, a mud-wall thatched house was erected in the last century, about a quarter of a mile from where the present chapel stands. This was followed by the late chapel of Turin, on the present site, which lasted for many years. The present chapel was built in 1830, by Rev. Eugene O'Rorke. In the visitation of Dr. Plunket to this union, on the 28th of June, 1788, he found "two chapels rebuilt, and three schools." Pastors. In 1690, Rev. John Tyrrell was presented by James II. to the rectory of Rathconnell. In 1704, Rev. Charles Reilly was registered as " Popish Priest of Roconnell, Taghmon and Tyfarnan.' He was * There is a tradition here that Cromwell, when besieging the Castle of Taghmon, slept for a night in the old church. The Nugents, it is said, made their escape, during the night from the Castle, and thus escaped being massacred. †Tubberaquill signifies Topairt a choill. There were many wells in the parish, such as St. John's well near Rathconnell; Tubber-Aillean or St. Aillian's well; Tubber-Patrick, near Kilmalish. There was an old church and grave-yard at Crosherdree. There was an anchorite's cell anciently at Taghmon.-(See St. Canice's Cathedral, by Dr. Greaves, p. 70, note.) ny wells in th Aillean or & s an old chr See St. Can' ordained in 1692, lived at Taghmon in the year of the Re- The Rev. Thomas Hope succeeded. He belonged to the Rev. Robert Gilsenan succeeded. He resigned in 1781, The Rev. Thomas Stafford succeeded. This worthy The Rev. Martin Hart was appointed successor on the "Sacred to the memory of Rev. Martin Hart, who died on the 26th of July, in the year 1825, after discharging His * De Burgo tells us that in 1757 he was translated to the Dominican Convent of Dublin (p. 219). 1 many virtues entitled him to Rev. Eugene O'Rorke succeeded, and was translated to Killucan in September, 1837. Rev. Andrew McAlroy was appointed from the curacy of Navan, on the 17th of September, 1837, and was translated to Kinnegad on the 24th of October, 1844. Rev. William J. Halligan succeeded, and was translated to Delvin in November, 1847. Rev. Thomas Bermingham was born in the parish of Killina, or Rahin, studied in Kilbeggan and Kilkenny, officiated for several years as curate in the parish of Delvin, and, on the translation of Rev. Mr. Halligan, was appointed to the pastoral charge of Turin. CHAPTER XIX. 1. BALLIMORE.-2. CLARA.-3. DRUMRANY.-4. EGLISH.— 5. FRANKFORD.-6. KILBEGGAN.-7. KILKENNY WEST. 8. RAHIN.-9. TUBBER.-10. TULLAMORE The Deanery or Conference District of Clara comprises the union-parishes of Ballimore, Clara, Drumraney, Eglish, Frankford, Kilbeggan, Kilkenny West, Rahin, Tubber, NOTE.-Killyna signifies "Cella Finiani," and there was a church here with a cemetery, both of which have been cleared off. Kilmalish, a few fragments of which remain, signifies Kilmolaise, "the church of Saint Molaise," otherwise called St. Laisrean. This learned and holy man was a disciple of St. Finian's, in the Monastery of Clonard, and subsequently founded the great Abbey of Devenish. In the Annals of the Four Masters, the death of St. Molasi, Abbot of Devenish, is entered at the 12th of September, A.D. 563. and Tullamore. The Vicars and Masters of Conference are Very Rev. Mathew M'Alroy, P.P., V.G., Tullamore, and Very Rev. Dr. Hope, P.P., Ballimore. 1. Ballimore. This union includes the ancient parishes of BallimoreLoughseudy and Killare. Ballimore. This old church was torn down and uprooted, and a Protestant house of worship erected on its site. Of the ancient vicars we have now only a few names. Maurice O'Kennedy, Pastor of Loughseudy, obtained leave to go to Rome.-(Pat. 7 Henry IV.) Andrew O'Casey was presented to the parochial church of the Blessed Virgin of Loghsewdy (Pat. 3 Henry VI.) John Coffy, Vicar of Ballymory, died in 1546. Richard Bermingham was presented to this parish. — (Patent and Close Rolls, p. 130.) There is an oratory or mortuary chapel at Ballimore, which measures twenty-two feet nine inches by fourteen feet seven inches. Rev. Messrs. Walkin (a Friar), Levy, and Doyle (inter alios) are buried in Ballimore. There is an old stone on the side of the hill of Mullaghcloe, where it is said Father Dalton used to celebrate Mass; it was probably an altar-stone, and has the following inscription: "Me fieri fecit Joann es Dalton, Sacerdos. Anno Domini 1689. Two old thorn trees grow over the stone, and have formed a little arbour. Here the priest offered the Holy Sacrifice, and the people knelt around on the side of the hill. There is a holy well, called Sunday Well, and also Mary's Well, convenient to the little chapel. There was an old church, called Temple-Lynn, about a mile and a half east of Ballimore. In old times there was a cemetery here; latterly it is a receptacle for unbaptized children. There is a broad terrace or double ditch at Ballimore-Loughsewdy, surrounded by firs and brushwood, called the Lord's Road, where the priest celebrated Mass in the days of persecution. Cases of this kind occurred even in the middle of the last century. On these occasions some of the flock kept vigil, lest the sacred ceremonies would be disturbed, and usually the Holy Sacrifice would be offered before the break of day. Killare. The old church measures sixty feet by twenty. In the grave-yard are interred Rev. Messrs. Walsh and Egan. About twenty or thirty perches north-east of Killare are the ruins of St. Bridget's Chapel; length, thirty-nine feet by nineteen. Two ash trees spread their branches over the site of the altar. St. Bridget's Well is still pointed out, shaded by an ash tree, and is still an object of reverence. Pastors. In 1704 the Rev. James Dalton was registered as Popish Priest of Ballymore and Drumrany." He was ordained in Dublin, in 1676, by Dr. Plunket, Bishop of Meath, lived at Ballymacallin in the year of the Registration, was then aged fifty, and had for sureties, in accordance with the penal statute, Connor Wyre, of Derryroe, and Robert Dillon, of Ballymacallin. Same year Rev. Laurence Dalton was registered as "Popish Priest of Killare." He was ordained, in 1695, at Namur, by John Vanden Pere, Bishop of Namur, lived at Killare in the year of the Registration, was then thirtysix years of age, and had for sureties Edward Fitzgerald, of Pierstown, and Thomas Burke, of Cappinconran. There is a tradition amongst the people that Mass was often celebrated by Father Dalton of Killare, in the days of persecution, at the backs of ditches and on the sides of the hills. The years of the deaths of these pastors, and places of repose, are unknown to me. |