Monday, 19 October 2015
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.
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.
Friday, 2 October 2015
Saint Brigid and the Little Hostage
October 2 is the feast of Saint Giallán of Killelan, a Kildare saint with an interesting story attached to his name. There is a note appended to the margins of the Martyrology of Tallaght which explains that his name, derived from the Irish for a hostage, giall, was bestowed on him by Saint Brigid of Kildare. Our saint was originally a prince of Leinster called Onme who was given to Saint Brigid by another Leinster ruler to ensure the submission of Onme's father. The scribe's note tells us:
[OCTOBER 2]
Onme (i.e. simul) or Omne son of the king of Leinster. And he was given as a hostage to the king of Leth Cuind, and he gave him into Brigit's hand that she might on his account obtain submission a patre suo, et aliquo die dixerunt discipulae Brigitae ei: ' 'tis lovely the little hostage (giallán) is to-day,' said they. 'Giallán will be his name for ever,' said Brigit. And that is the one who is in Cell Giallain in Ui Muiridaig.It seems that the little hostage made quite an impression on Saint Brigid and her household! Professor Pádraig Ó Riain, in his 2011 Dictionary of Irish Saints reveals that the saint is associated with the County Kildare locality of Killelan, probably originally Ceall Ghialláin. October 2 is the second of two feast days recorded for him, the first is at September 6. There is a post on Saint Giallán at my other site here.