The Cistercians of Kildare and Leighlin - Introduction

In arranging Latin Masses in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin one is hit by a number of obstacles, not least the physical impossibility of such celebrations that seems to be a key element of the "liturgical requirements of Vatican II" as interpreted by the local ecclesiastical architects and authorities, as well as clerical intransigence. However, we are making best efforts to make pilgrimages to sites in the Diocese that bring us closer to various elements of our Catholic heritage. One of those themes has been the former Cistercian houses in the Diocese. We were blessed to have our annual retreat directed this year by a monk of Heiligenkreutz, who also celebrated Mass in Doonane, and we have been blessed to have organised Mass in Duiske Abbey, one of the few restored Cistercian Abbey Churches in Ireland, which is towards the south of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. This series is going to trace those Cistercian houses in the Diocese.


Prior to the Norman Invasion of Ireland in 1169, the Cistercian Order had established 15 houses in Ireland: Mellifont, Bective, Inislounaght, Dublin, Monasteranenagh, Baltinglass (K&L), Newry, Kilbeggan, Abbeydorney, Boyle, Jerpoint, Holycross, Aghamanister. Of those, Baltinglass and is within the boundaries of the present Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. Only St. Mary's at Dublin was not a filiation of Mellifont.

In the years following the Norman Invasion, 9 'Norman' Cistercian Houses were established: Inch, Dunbrody, Grey Abbey, Comber, Tintern, Graignamanagh (KNL), Abington, Abbeylara, Tracton. Of those, Graignamanagh (Duiske) was within the boundaries of the Diocese.

In the years following the Invastion there were also 10 'Irish' Cistercian foundations: Assaroe, Midleton, Corcumroe, Killeny (K&L), Kilcooley, Monasterevin (K&L), Abbeyleix (K&L), Abbeyknockmoy, Abbeyshrule, Macosquin. Both Abbeyleix and Monasterevin lie within the bounds of the Diocese.

To be exact, the Abbeys of Baltinglass, Killeny, Abbeyleix and Graignamanagh are in the Diocese of Leighlin and the Abbey of Monasterevin is in the Diocese of Kildare.

Baltinglass (1148) was a daughter house of Mellifont (1142) and mother house of Jerpoint (1160).

Killeny (1162), which was just to the north of Graignamanagh, was suppressed in 1228 at the time of the visitation of Stephen of Lexington.

Monasterevin (1172) was a daughter house of Baltinglass. It was a continuation of the monastic life of St. Evin at Rosglas.

Abbeyleix (1183) was established thanks to a grant by Conor O'More, Prince of Laois and, according to Sir James Ware (The Antiquities and History of Ireland), was a daughter house of Baltinglass.

Graignamanagh (1204) was a daughter house of Stanley in Wales.

Discipline in the Cistercian Houses in Ireland was a concern of the General Chapter, which, in 1216 sent the Abbot of Clairvaux to investigate the situation at Mellifont, its filiation. He was met by closed gates and rebellious monks. The same was true of the visitation of Jerpoint, where the abbot was supported in his dissent by the abbots of Baltinglass, Killeny, Kilbeggan and Bective. These houses were later to be involved in what was known as the Conspiratio Mellifontis. The Chapter General deposed the abbots of Mellifont and Jerpoint and new visitors were appointed but the issue of discipline in certain Irish houses continued until 1228, when the Abbot of Clairvaux appointed Stephen of Lexington, the Abbot of Stanley (mother house of Graignamanagh) as his deputy for the visitation. Stephen was to be elected Abbot of Clairvaux itself in 1249. He held a colloquium of abbots at Graignamanagh and a chapter of abbots at St. Mary's, Dublin.

Stephen reported to Pope Gregory IX that everything of Cistercian life had disappeared from the Irish monasteries except the wearing of the habit: "Nam in abbiciis Hiberniae censura et ordo noster excepto habito vix in aliquo seruabitur."

One of the outcomes of the visitation was that most of the Irish monasteries were given new mother houses outside Ireland. Baltinglass, (Jerpoint) and Monasterevin were to be daughter houses of Fountains Abbey in England, where Eva, the daughter of Diarmuid MacMurrough, was patroness and was buried. After his visitation, French and Latin were to be the two languages of all Cistercian houses in Ireland. While discipline markedly improved after 1228, the Chapter General of 1271 referred to the "quaestio taediosa" of Irish indiscipline and by 1274 the houses in Ireland had been returned to the supervision of their original mother houses.

St. Malachy of Armagh, pray for us!
St. Bernard of Clairvaux, pray for us!

The ones that got away - Baltinglass

Dr. Comerford says of St. Joseph's Church, Baltinglass, that "The fine parochial Church of Baltinglass was built during the incumbency of Rev. Daniel Lalor, but chiefly through the exertions of his curate, Rev. John Nolan. the finishing and decoration of the interior were carried into effect by the Very Rev. Dr. Kane. The Altar of the B. Virgin is a memorial to Fr. Lalor, as the subjoined inscription indicates: 'Erected in memory of Rev. D. Lalor, P.P., whose enlightened munificence in the cause of education and religion deserves deep and abiding gratitude. Died, 24th January, 1871, aged 81 years. May he rest in peace.' The second side-altar has been erected in memory of Dr. Kane, and is dedicated to St. Philip Neri, his patron Saint. A monumental Brass records the fact: 'This altar has been erected principally by the Parishioners of Baltinglass, in grateful remembrance of the eminent talents, great services, and exalted religious sentiments of the Very Rev. Dr. Kane, P.P. of Baltinglass, and V.G. of Kildare and Leighlin. Died, 2nd July, 1883, in the 61st year of his age, and the 35th year of his Sacred Ministry.'"

The great Fr. Lalor was Parish Priest for 40 years from 1831 to 1871 and was succeeded immediately by Fr. Kane.

Fine is too small a word for the cavernous Church of Baltinglass, more worthy of the title of Cathedral than the edifice that bears it, in my humble opinion. Mercifully, the fittings remain almost intact and almost complete. The massive Altar rails have been moved back but retained and the predella of the High Altar is shortened but not by much. If 'Summorum Pontificum' had any application in that Parish, it would be a pleasure to serve Mass there.

The Church was one of the earliest designs of John Bourke, whose career was spent working almost exclusively for Church patrons but mostly additions or alterations, such as the restoration of Ballyconnell Church in Carlow in 1858, his only other work in this Diocese. The foundation stone was laid in 1846 and the Church substantially complete by 1854. The magnificent high altar and tower of 1872 are to the design of J.S. Butler, who also designed Churches in the Diocese at Raheen (1859), Mountrath (1861), Clogherinkoe (1861-2), Emo (1861-6), Broadford (1862-5), Allen (1866-8), tower at entrance of old Ss. Peter and Paul's Portlaoise (1872). The tower of St. Joseph's is strikingly similar to the 1810 tower of the earlier Catholic Church, which had to be detatched from the Church building because of the English Penal Regime.

The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage describes the Church as "Detached multiple-bay single-storey Roman Catholic church, built c.1860 in Early English Gothic style to designs by John Bourke. The building is constructed in mainly ashlar granite and is articulated with reducing buttresses and recessed bays. The plan is cruciform with gabled transepts and various porch and vestry projections. A five-stage clock and bell tower advances on the front symmetrical elevation. Front entrance doors are set to the side of the tower and are timber sheeted and set within Gothic-arched openings. Window openings are generally Gothic-arched lancet and often arranged in pairs. The pitched roof is finished with natural slate with cast-iron rainwater goods. Although reordered following the Second Vatican Council, the interior is well preserved and has retained the high altar and reredos along with stations of the cross and the gallery. The roof trusses are exposed. The building is set back behind a curved gate screen with paired square gate pillars with pyramidal caps and wrought-iron gates and matching railings. This is a well preserved example of a mid 19th-century church. It is a somewhat unusual choice of style for church of the period. It adds a bearing and dignity to the general area. The interior is particularly well preserved and has an impressive exposed trussed roof." I agree!


















It's our Catholic heritage and we want it preserved!

The ones that got away - Kilquiggin

In researching a series of articles on the physical Catholic heritage of Kildare and Leighlin for CHRISTVS REGNAT, I have come across a number of Churches in the Diocese untouched - or almost untouched - at least for the moment, by the hand of architectural modernist iconoclasm. This is particularly odd in a Diocese where great zeal has gone into dismantling sanctuaries in the name the liturgical requirements of the Second Vatican Council, despite the words of a certain Cardinal directly addressed to the most zealous Bishop of the Diocese in a letter he was required to produce by the Irish Courts in a case to save the High Altar of his Cathedral from oblivion: "...I could not but acknowledge that in this legislation there exists no mandate, in the primary sense of the term as a command or order, to move the tabernacle from the high altar to another position in the church..."

That zeal seems unquenched but these Churches are the ones that got away - at least for now. This is an account of one, the Church of St. Finian, Kilquiggin (or Kilquiggan), Co. Wicklow, in the Parish of Clonmore.

Kilquiggin was one of those areas devastated by the Great Irish Famine (1845-'49) and the memory of those events is still recalled by the Union Road, a works project of the local Poor Law Union, and spot called the Gate of Tears, where those who could leave took a last look upon their home place.

Cill Chomhgáin in Irish, the nearby ruin of 6th Cent. Aghowle Church, reputed to have been built by St. Finian of Clonard on his way back from missionary work in Wales, gives the title to the Church. The present Church sits on a prominance of land, an early gothic granite structure with small belfrey over a gable containing three lancets and single entrance that leads to a flight of stone steps down to the road.

It is too fine a structure not to have been professionally designed but the only reference I can find is in the Irish Builder for 1st November, 1887, referring to Walter Glynn Doolin, a Dublin-based architect whose practice included many ecclesiastical commissions. His work is found mostly in Waterford and Tipperary and Kilquiggin Church is roughly between the two. Kilquiggan is very similar to some of Doolin's smaller churches, the Church of the Sacred Heart, Killusty, Co. Tipperary (1881-2), and the Church of the Sacred Heart, Dunhill, Co. Waterford (1883-4). It also shares much with his Church of St. Brigid, Templebraden, Co. Limerick (1882), his Church of St. Brigid, Clonakenny, Co. Tipperay (1899), and his Church of St. Brendan, Cloghane, Co. Kerry (1900)

By the time he was working on larger commissions such as Castlebar (1890-1901) and Borrisoleigh (1892), Nenagh (1893-1906), New Ross (1894-1902), his gothic is decorated, using tracery and quatrefoil lights.

The interior is lit by five single lancets on each side of the nave and a further two on the gospel side of the square-ended Sanctuary, with three lancets over the High Altar. The roof of the nave is in white with the rafters left exposed. The projecting stone supports or 'springers' for the wallposts are of the simplest form of 'cyma reversa'. They are at two heights, bewteen and just above the arches of the window spaces, giving an added layer of richness to the design. There is trefoil piercing right across the wooden trace-board along the bottom of the nave roof's interior.

The white marble Altar Rails run the width of the Church mid-way between the last two windows. They are just short of the wall at each side. The Sanctuary gates are missing. Each side of the Altar Rails consists of three solid pillasters with blind lancets between which are four pierced lancets. Half-way into the final bay of the nave, the sanctuary space is raised by two steps. A low, five sided, octagonal marble pulpit sits low upon a pillared base on the gospel side of the Sanctuary, an octagonal baptismal font on the epistle side.

The Novus Ordo Altar rests on this level in the centre. It isn't clear if this is was once part of the High Altar of this Church - which retains a mensa - but the twin pairs of green marble pillars on either side of the front face reflect the green marble panels in the reredos of the High Altar, which the pink marble pillars supporting the present sepulchre under the mensa do not. If it is a coincidence it is a very happy one. The central panel of the modern Altar is a fine white interlaced 'IHS' upon a red marble ground. Beneath is a plaque stating: "Altare Privilegiatum Quotidianum Perpetuum" indicating that this Altar is not new, even if it is not original to this location.

The Sanctuary Arch is simply moulded. The ceiling of the Sanctuary is panelled in diagonal 'criss-cross' panels painted with what appear to be monograms of 'IHS' and Our Lady. A massive Crucifix, about half life-size, hangs from the centre of the Sanctuary roof, requiring the Sanctuary Lamp to hang from the epistle-side wall.

On either side of the High Altar are fine antique statues of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady crowned. The High Altar itself is of a familiar neo-Gothic pattern with three pinnacles, a floreated rather than crocketed pinnacle at either end, and a more slender one topped with a cross over the throne over the Tabernacle with two attendant finials at either side. Between these are panels topped with trefoils consisting of green marble panels recessed into cusped arches in plain white marble with carved white marble spandrels between. The Throne is flanked by red marble pillars with a central collar or 'astragal' in white marble. The Tabernacle has the Holy Ghost in the pediment and two dark red marble pillars on either side of the door. Beneath the mensa is a sepulchre containging a recumbent figure of the dead Christ bracketed by grey marble pillars.

The windows are all in diamond or square lights in clear glass or light yellows and pinks, with a thin border of red glass. They allow light to flood into the interior without dazzling.

Overall, this Church is a gem. It sits discreetly in its surroundings, a well-appointed building well suited to its surroundings. The interior has been sensitively and imaginatively modified in a way that retains the beauty and reverence of the space.






















It's our Catholic heritage and we want it preserved!

Our Catholic Heritage - Kildare and Leighlin (Part 1)

Reference to The Fold in a forthcoming postmade me look up the Diocesan Year Book of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. Over a relatively short period of the 50s and 60s it is a remarkably repetitious publication but it also gives us some side-lights upon the Catholic heritage of the Diocese.

The Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin is the successor to the two Dioceses of that name. The Diocese of Kildare being erected about 490, is the more ancient of the two by about 600 years, and is just past its fifteenth centenary.


The Diocese of Kildare once claimed the Primacy of Leinster and, as the seat of the Patroness of Ireland, St. Brigid, might claim a moral prominence over at least three of the four Arciepiscopal Sees.


The two sees were united in 1678 and is a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Dublin, together with the Dioceses of Ferns and Ossory. The Archdiocese of Dublin has three regular locations where the Gregorian Rite is celebrated, one being St. Kevin's Church, Harrington Street, where a Chaplaincy of three Diocesan Priests offers Mass at least daily. The Diocese of Ossory provides Mass in the Gregorian Rite every Sunday in Kilkenny. The Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin provides Mass in the Gregorian Rite on the second Sunday of the month (usually).


The Diocese of Kildare includes the northern half of that county, part of Offaly east of Tullamore and the northern part of Laois. It contains the ancient territories of Offaly, Carbury, and Hy Faelain. The Diocese of Leighlin lies north and south, including one half of Laois, all of County Carlow, together with portions of Counties Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow. It encompasses ancient Leix, which connects it with Kildare and a portion of Ui Ceinnsealaigh.


Among the Saints and scholars of the Diocese can be numbered St. Fiacc of Sletty, author of a poem in Irish on the life of St. Patrick, a poem in Latin on St. Brigid; St. Eimhin of Monasterevan, author of the "Tripartite Life" of St. Patrick, the "Life of St. Comgall," "Emin's Tribute (or Rule)," the "Lay of the Bell of St. Emin,"; St. Moling, who wrote a poem on Clonmore-Maedoc, one on the Borumha tribute of which he obtained the remission; St. Brogan of Clonsast, who composed a litany in Irish to Our Lady, indulgenced by Pius IX, a poem foretelling the Danish invasion, and the lost "Book of Clonsast"; St. Aedh, Bishop of Sletty, writer of a life of St. Patrick; Aengus the Culdee, joint author of the "Feilire," the "Martyrology of Tallaght," "Litany of the Saints," "De sanctis Hiberniae lib. V," a history of the Old Testament in metre, and the "Saltair-na-rann"; Siadhal, Abbot of Kildare, who compiled notes on the Epistles of St. Paul; Anmchadh, Bishop of Kildare, who wrote the fourth life of St. Brigid; Finn Mac Gorman, Bishop of Kildare, under whom the "Book of Leinster" was compiled; Dr. Maguire, Bishop of Leighlin, to whom the "Yellow Book of Leighlin" is attributed.


In more modern times we can recall, Dr. Gallagher, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, whose Irish sermons are a model; Dr. Doyle, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin and famous essayist; and Dr. Comerford, Co-adjutor Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, whose historical and devotional works are still valued.


The united diocese is one of the largest in Ireland, having an area 1,029,829 acres. The Annuario Pontificio for 2007 records that the Diocese has a population of 220,427, of whom 93.1% or 205,185 souls are Catholics, compared with 1901, when, out of a total population of 149,168, 87.4% or 130,377 were Catholics. In 2006, the Annuario reports that the Diocese had 114 secular Priests and 98 religious Priests (although that is obviously an error). In 1908, the Diocese had 133 secular Priests and 18 regular Priests. Thus, in 2006, there was one Priest for every 1,068 Catholics in the Diocese, compared with one Priest for every 863 Catholics in the first decade of the last Century. Put into the context of a fall in practice from around 97% to 50% or less, that isn't a bad average.


The images that are included in this post are from the 1959 Year Book of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. Each year, a colour supplement was included, e.g., the Marian Year and the Canonization of St. Pius X in 1954-55, the Scapulars of the Church in 1956. In 1959, the colour supplement records a sight that would not be seen in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin for another 40 years...


It's our Catholic heritage and we want it back, please!

Titulars of Churches in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin

Interior of Carlow Cathedral c. 1910

In the Irish Ecclesiastical Calendar, today is the feast of the Dedication of the consecrated churches of Ireland except cathedrals, which have their own individual feasts. In any Diocese, the numbers of consecrated churches would have been relatively low. In Kildare and Leighlin, it appears that, certainly until the 1950s, only four churches in the Diocese had been consecrated: Carlow Cathedral, Edenderry, Naas and Newbridge. However, I propose to look at the whole range of dedications throughout the Diocese. Those churches listed with an asterisk have a secondary dedication. Parishes are listed in brackets.

Blessed Virgin Mary
Of the 137 churches in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, it is unsurprising that more are dedicated to the Blessed Virgin under various titles than to anyone else, in fact, 37 Churches.

St. Mary is the most popular dedication with nine churches: Askinagap (Hacketstown), Ballyconnell (Clonmore), Bennykerry (Bennykerry), Broadford (Balyna), Clonaghadoo (Mountmellick), Edenderry (Edenderry), Raheen (Killeigh), Stratford (Baltinglass), Wolfhill (Ballyadams).

Next is the Assumption with six churches: Cathedral (Carlow), Paulstown (Paulstown), Rathangan* (Rathangan), The Heath, (Portlaoise), Tynock (Rathvilly), Vicarstown (Stradbally).

Then the Immaculate Conception with five churches: Allenwood (Allen), Ardattin (Tullow), Cappinan (Daingean) Knockananna (Hacketstown), Walsh Island (Clonbullogue).

There are five churches of Our Lady: Caragh* (Caragh), Killamote (Hacketstown), Naas* (Naas), Prosperous* (Caragh), Sallins* (Sallins).

There are three churches dedicated to the Holy Rosary: Abbeyleix (Abbeyliex), Lugacurren (Ballyadams), Tullow (Tullow).

There are two churches dedicated to the Holy Family: Askea (Askea), Kilshanroe (Carbury).

There are also churches dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mayo (Doonane); to Our Lady of the Wayside, Clonmore (Clonmore); Our Lady of Lourdes, Skeoghvosteen (Graiguenamanagh); the Nativity of Our Lady, Newtown (Kilcock); Our Lady of Victories, Kildangan (Monasterevin); Mary, Mother of God, Daingean (Daingean) and Duiske Abbey (Graiguenamanagh), being a former Cistercian Abbey, was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. An icon of Our Lady of Duiske hangs in the Church there, which may well be the present dedication.

God
Of all the dedications to God, the Sacred Heart is the most popular with eight churches: Arles (Arles), Borris (Borris), Clonbullogue (Clonbullogue), Rath (Emo), Stradbally (Stradbally), The Hollow (Mountrath).

The Holy Trinity and the Holy Cross have both three dedications.

Holy Trinity: Allen (Allen), Derrinturren (Carbury), Goresbridge (Paulstown).

Holy Cross: Killeshin (Graiguecullen), Myshall (Myshall), Ratheniska (Portlaoise).

Christ the King: Cooleragh (Cooleragh)

Saints
Once again, it is no surprise that, in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, that St. Brigid of Kildare, Muire na nGael, tops the list of dedications to saints.

Fifteen churches are dedicated to St. Brigid: Ballinakill (Ballinakill), Ballycomman (Daingean), Clane* (Clane), Clogherinkoe (Balyna), Clonegal (Clonegal), Croghan (Rhode), Curragh (Curragh Camp), Hacketstown (Hacketstown), Kildare (Kildare), Kill (Kill), Milltown (Allen), Rosenallis (Rosenallis), Shanahoe (Raheen), Suncroft (Suncroft), Talbotstown (Rathvilly).

The next most popular saint is St. Patrick with ten dedications: Ballymurphy (Borris) Ballyroan (Abbeyleix), Clane* (Clane), Johnstownbridge (Balyna), Killeigh (Killeigh), Mountmellick (Mountmellick), Newtown (Bagenalstown), Rathangan* (Rathangan), Rathoe (Ballon), Rathvilly (Rathvilly).

After that, St. Joseph, with six, narrowly beats two local saints, Laserian and Fintan, with five each.

St. Joseph: Ballinagar (Killeigh), Ballyadams (Ballyadams), Baltinglass (Baltinglass), Caragh* (Caragh), Prosperous* (Caragh), Tinryland (Tinryland).

St. Laserian: Ballinakellen (Bagenalstown), Drumphea (Myshall), Kildavin (Clonegal), Knock (Ballinakill), Leighlin (Leighlin).

St. Fintan: Ballinabranna (Leighlin), Ballyfin (ballyfin), Mountrath (Mountrath), Raheen (Raheen).

Saints Peter and Paul, either together or apart, have three, two and one dedication respectively.

Ss. Peter and Paul: Ballon (Ballon), Monasterevin (Monasterevin), Portlaoise (Portlaoise).

St. Peter: Rhode (Rhode), Two-Mile-House (Two-Mile-House).

St. Paul: Emo (Emo).

St. Michael has two dedications: Portarlington (Portarlington), Timahoe (Stradbally).

St. Anne has two dedications: Ardclough (Kill), Ballylinan (Arles).

The rest of the Saints (and Angels) have one didication each: Guardian Angels*, Sallins (Sallins); St. Conleth, Newbridge (Newbridge); St. Coca, Kilcock (Kilcock); St. Abban, Doonane (Doonane); St. Finian, Kilquiggan (Clonmore); St. Andrew, Bagenalstown (Bagenalstown); St. Benignus, Staplestown (Cooleragh); St. Brendan, Drummond (St. Mullins); St. Brochan, Bracknagh (Clonbullogue); St. Clare, Graiguecullen (Graiguecullen); St. Coleman, Kilclonfert (Daingean); St. David*, Naas (Naas); St. Fortchern, Rathanna (Borris); St. John the Baptist, Grange (Tullow); St. John the Evangelist, Killenard (Portarlington); St. Manman, Clonaslee (Clonaslee); St. Moling, Glynn (St. Mullins); St. Oliver, Grangecon (Baltinglass); The Irish Martyrs, Ballycane (Naas).

May the Saints of the Diocese and the Angels of the Churches of the Diocese pray for us!