right line of succession was restored. But Turlough O'Brien being once more restored by Roderick O'Connor, who entered Munster after O'Neill's departure for the North, cruelly put out the eyes of the lawful king Connor O'Brien, as well as those of his son-acts of barbarous policy to disqualify them for the throne, the fruits of which he did not long enjoy, being deposed by his son Murtagh and banished into Leinster. This occurred in 1165, but Murtagh was not recognised as king until 1167, in which year his father, Turlough O'Brien, died. He was slain, however, in the next year by Connor O'Brien, grandson of Connor Na Cateragh, but after a short interval, the assassin and his accomplices were themselves put to death by Dermod Fioun, the brother of his grandfather, aided by O'Faolain, prince of the Desies. In the reign of Torlogh O'Brien several interesting events occurred in the history of the Church, amongst others the great Synod or National Council of Kells, at which Cardinal Paparo, Legate of Pope Eugenius III, presided, and distributed the palliums brought by him from Rome to the four Archbishops of Armagh, Cashel, Dublin and Tuam-a concession promised by Innocent II. to St. Malachy, Bishop of Down, who, with a view to obtain this favor, had himself journeyed to Rome in the year 1139. St. Malachy again visited the Continent in the Pontificate of Eugenius III, and died in the Abbey of Clairvaux, then presided over by Saint Bernard, who wrote his biography, and made those strictures on the state of the Irish Church, the severity of which is partly to be ascribed to the austerity of St. Bernard's character, partly to the want of exact information. Another event referred to this reign which is supposed to have led to the introduction of the English, an important epoch in the history of Ireland, at which we have arrived, was the alleged abduction of Dervoghal, the wife of O'Ruarc, prince of Breffny, by the cruel and sacrilegious tyrant MacMurrough, who was obliged to make ample satisfaction for the outrage. But the truth of this story, which has been so long held as an authentic piece of history, has of late years been seriously questioned; and we have heard from the late Professor O'Curry, that he had in his possession some Irish manuscripts which invalidate the claims of this episode of the Irish Helen to be regarded as a portion of our authentic history. The date of the Synod of Kells is 1152. By it tithes were first introduced into Ireland, but they were not enforced until after the English invasion, A.D. 1172, when they were established by the Synod of Cashel.2 It was in the year 1161 Roderick O'Connor built a famous castle of "lime and stone at Tuam." 2 During the reign of Murtagh Mac Neill, Monarch of Ireland, there was convened a national Synod at Kennanus or Kells in the county of Meath; the design of this Council was the reformation of discipline and manners, and to institute two new Archbishopricks in Ireland, viz. those of Dublin and Tuam. The persons appointed by the Pope to preside in this Council were Giolla Criost O'Conaire, Bishop of Lismore, and Pope's Legate, and the Roman Cardinal Johannes Papiro (Paparo); the four palls or copes were then conferred on the four Archbishops. This Council, says Keating, is thus recorded in an old Book of Cluainadnach, viz. in the year from the Incarnation, being bissextile, 1157 (52 for 57 is a mistake) was celebrated in the spring, a noble Council at Caennanus, in which Synod presided Cardinal John, a Presbyter of the blessed St. Lawrence, and the Assembly consisted of twenty-two Bishops, five Bishops elect and so many Abbots and Priors belonging to the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and our apostolic father Eugenius. This Cardinal condemned, and by all proper methods extirpated simony and usury, and commanded tithes to be paid by apostolical authority. He delivered four copes (palls) to the four Archbishops of Ireland :-to the Archbishops of Dublin, of Tuam, of Cashel, and Armagh Primate over the rest; and as soon as the Council was ended the said Cardinal passed the seas. Thus that old Book. Amongst the Bishops that assisted at this Council was Turgesius, Bishop of Limerick. The suffragans then appointed under the Archbishoprick of Cashel, were Limerick, Killaloe, Inniscatha (which, about the beginning of the twelfth century, was united to Limerick), Waterford, Lismore, Cloin, Cork, Ross and Ardfearth. Sir James Ware says that this Synod was held in 1152.-Antiq. Hiber., cap. 16. In 1164, Donald, or Daniel O'Brien, surnamed the Great, succeeded his brother Murtagh in the crown of Limerick. Roderick O'Connor, about this time, assumed being monarch of Ireland and held many wars with Donald, who would not acknowledge his sovereignty; at length, in the year 1167, they made peace and concluded an offensive and defensive alliance with each other. This Donald, king of Limerick, was a most virtuous, religious, and warlike man; according to Hugh MacCurtin, he built and endowed eighteen monasteries. But as we find most ancient authors confound his actions with those of his son, Donogh, who succeeded him, before we give an account of the landing of the English in Ireland, we shall give a particular account of all the monasteries founded as well by Donald as by his son Donogh, and shall distinguish between each. MONASTERIES FOUNDED BY DONALD, KING OF LIMERICK. Holycross. 1169. This abbey of Holycross, in the county Tipperary, was founded by Donald O'Brien, king of Limerick; it was so called for having a great relic of the holy cross in it: the words of the charter began thus: "Donald, by the grace of God, king of Limerick, to all kings, dukes, earls, barons, knights, and other Christians of whatsoever degree throughout Ireland, perpetual greeting in Christ, &c." The Bishop of Lismore, as Pope's Legate, the Archbishop of Cashel and the Bishop of Limerick signed this charter as witnesses. King John, when Earl of Morton, confirmed this foundation. The abbot of this house had title of Earl of Holycross, had a seat in the house of peers in Ireland, and was commonly Vicar-General of the Cistertian Order in Ireland. The house was a daughter of the Cistertian abbey of Nenay, in the county of Limerick. Suiry or Inislaunog. 1172. Most authors say that this year Donald O'Brien, king of Limerick, founded this abbey for the Cistertian monks in the county of Tipperary, on the banks of the river Suir. Colgan says that this abbey was long before Donald's time, and that it was he who rebuilt and endowed it in 1187. The Cathedral of Cashel. 1172. About this time, Donald O'Brien, king of Limerick, built a new cathedral in Cashel, from the ground and endowed it; he converted the old cathedral of Cormac into a chapel or chapter-house; he likewise bestowed large revenues on the see of Cashel, to which his son Donogh, surnamed Carbrac, gave others in Thomond, and amongst the rest two islands called Sulleith and Kismacayl. This donation was confirmed by King John on 6th September, 1215. Nunnery of Limerick. 1172. The said Donald, king of Limerick, founded a nunnery for Augustinian nuns of the Order of Canons Regular, in Limerick, in the English town. This house was dedicated to St. Peter and was called St. Peter's cell. Nunnery of Kil-oen. 1172. The said Donald founded at Kil-oen, in the county of Clare, a nunnery for Augustinian nuns of the Order of Canons Regular of St. Augustin. Clare or Kilmoney. 1194. Donald, king of Limerick, or as others say his son, Donogh, in 1200, founded an abbey for Canons Regular at Kilmoney, near Clare, on the River Fergio (Fergus). Inshenegananagh. The said Donald either founded or rebuilt for the Canons Regular an abbey in the island called Innisnegannenagh, or the island of Canons, in the Shannon, between Limerick and the sea, nearly opposite Foynes island. Feal. 1188. This was first an abbey and then a cell of Cistertians united to the abbey of Nenay. Curcumroe. 1194. In this year, Donald, king of Limerick, founded for Cistertian monks this abbey of Curcumroe, or Corcamroe, in the county Clare; it was called the abbey of Our Lady of the Fruitful Rock; it was situated in a very pleasant place and was daughter to the abbey of Furness in England. The cell of Kilsane was annexed to this abbey. Some say this abbey was founded by Donogh Carbrac, son of Donald, in 1200. Kilcoul. 1194. The same Donald founded in the county Tipperary, for the Cistertian monks, the abbey of Kilcoul, as appears by the charter of confirmation, granted to it by King Henry III., and which mentions it to be founded by King Donald O'Brien. The records of the Cistertian order mention it to be founded in the year 1200, and that consequently it must be by his son Donogh Carbrac. This house was a daughter of the abbey of Jerpont. The Cathedral of Limerick. 1194. About the time of the English first coming into Ireland, this pious king, Donald O'Brien, of Limerick, gave his own palace to the Church and of it made a Cathedral, which before was the small Church of St. Munchin, now a parochial Church; he built and endowed this new Cathedral which is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The charter which he granted to Brictius, bishop of Limerick, about this time, 1194, is as follows:-"Domnald, king of Limerick, to all the faithful of God, both present and to come, greeting: Know all, that I have given to Brictius, bishop of Lumneach, and his successors, and to the clergy of St. Mary, Lumneach, in free and perpetual alms, the land of Imurgan and the land of Ivamnacham, from the arch of Imuregram to the land of Imalin, and from the ford of Ceinu to the river Sinan, with all its appurtenances, and in confirmation hereof I set my seal. Witness, Mathew, Archbishop of Cashel, and Ruadri va Gradei.” See fully on this subject the chapter devoted to the Cathedral. 'Black Book of the Bishops of Limerick. MONASTERIES FOUNDED BY DONOUGH CARBRAC, KING OF LIMERICK. Kilsane. 1198. Kilsane, for Cistertian monks, in the county of Limerick. It in sometime became a cell belonging to the abbey of Curcumro, county Clare. St. Saviour's of Limerick of Dominicans. 1227. Donogh Corbrac O'Brien, king of Limerick, this year built and endowed, in the city of Limerick, a convent for the Friars of the Order of St. Dominick, under the invocation and title of St. Saviour. This convent had large possessions in lands in and about the city; the fishing of the salmonweir belonged to it, and St. Thomas's island where was a chapel of ease. The land going to Parteen, called Mona-na-Brahir, likewise belonged to it. In this year, 1241, this King Donagh was buried in this convent and a magnificent statue was erected over his tomb. In 1644 this convent was in Rome erected into a university. [See the chapter relating to this convent and the Order of Dominicans in Limerick.] Ennis of Franciscans. 1240. This year, Donogh Carbrac O'Brien, king of Limerick, built for the Franciscans a most sumptuous convent in the town of Ennis, or Ennis Cluanruada, county Clare. The Church is yet standing, and a portion of it has been used for many years by the Protestants for their service. Galbally of Franciscans. 1240, or thereabouts, this same Donogh Carbrac O'Brien, king of Limerick, founded for the Franciscans a convent in Galbally, being on the borders of the county Limerick and the county Tipperary.' Of Monasteries and Convents, (including some few afterwards founded, and which shall be more fully noticed in the proper place), the following, alone, were in the City and County of Limerick, viz. :— To gratify the curious, we here insert certain catalogues with regard to the kingdom of Ireland in general, in order to show in what a flourishing state it was from the first preaching of Christianity until the coming of the English, both in learning, religion, sanctity, hospitality, and force of arms. Extracted out of Colgan's Lives of Irish Saints, and Gratianus Lucius, or John Lynch, Archdeacon of Tuam's Cambrensis Eversus. St. Guinerus, Myr. St. Hispadius, Myr. St. Fintanus St. Cormachus St. Fichinus St. Fierga St. Sernocus St. Papanus St. Fingar St. Abbanus Sa. Piala, Myr. Sa. Dympna, Myr. Sa. Ernata Sa. Lafara Sæ. 12 Filia Augusti Regi S. Eudæus Sa. Fanchæa Sa. Derfraicha S. Columbanus S. Kiaranus S. Brendanus S. Brigida Thirteen in all. The number of Monks in some 300 under St. Fechinus 879 under St. Carthagus 300 under St. Columbanus Ancient Irish Doctors and St. Sedulius, Dr St. Cælius Sedulius, Dr S. Columba, 20 S. Finbarrus S. Ibarus S. Fiednus S. Nemidus S. Mocteus S. Patricius, Apost. S. Fachnanus, the founder of the Academy of Ross St. Ainchellus Manslanius Johannes Soctus Eregina, founder, with King Alfred, of the University of Oxon Petrus ab Hibernia, Master to St. Thomas B. Marianus Gorman S. Lomanus S. Carnecus S. Ultanus S. Eminus S. Tridolinus S. Daganus S. Cuthbertus, 20 |