NEWTOWNSANDES
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Weekly Newsletter
12th Sunday after Pentecost
11th August 2024
Dear Friends of Sacred Heart Church,
On this Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, and we are honoured to welcome Canon Heppelle as a celebrant and homilist.
Canon Heppelle is the Prior of the Institute apostolate in Belfast, the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Thank you for coming today dear Canon!
In today’s Gospel, we are reminded: “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!” How often do we overlook the subtle yet powerful signs of God’s love and grace in our daily lives? Amid the business and noise, we may become blind and deaf to these divine moments.
Summer often provides unique opportunities to discover new aspects of God’s creation.
Recognising God’s hand in our lives is a true blessing. Every act of kindness, every gesture of compassion and every moment of forgiveness is a testament to God’s presence among us. Are you attentive to these moments?
We are even more blessed as we live the mysteries of our faith through the sacraments.
In the Holy Eucharist, Jesus Himself is truly present under the appearances of bread and wine. In Confession, we encounter His mercy and forgiveness. Do you approach these sacraments frequently enough and with the reverence and gratitude they deserve?
The Crescent area outside the church has been blocked off for the month of August to encourage people to enjoy the city centre at the height of the summer.
Today, why not let us enjoy our cup of tea out there after Mass? Seating is provided and if the sun shines it will be a bonus! And next week why not bring your sandwich along and enjoy the camaraderie of other church goers along with your little picnic?
We will provide the boiling water for your tea! It is a moment to enjoy and we will be truly blessed.
This week, we will unite in prayer with the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Belfast. A Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary will commence this Wednesday, 14th August, with daily devotions following the 6 pm Mass.
The highlight of this week for us in Limerick is the Feast of the Assumption, a holy day of obligation in Ireland. We will celebrate with an 8 am Low Mass and a 6 pm High Mass on Thursday, 15th August.
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!”
May we strive to see with eyes of faith!
May the Immaculate Heart of Mary guide us through this month! Canon Lebocq
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OLD IRELAND: A must read to find out why Tony Robinson (Channel 4) thinks that the finding of Dronehenge is “One of the most important discoveries in decades.”
In July 2018, Anthony Murphy and Ken Williams discovered a giant, previously unknown monument close to Newgrange while flying their drones over the Boyne Valley.
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The Loughcrew cairns are located 40 kilometres from Newgrange, situated on three hill summits near the town of Oldcastle, Co. Meath. The hills, known collectively as Sliabh na Calliagh, or the Mountain of the Witch, are individually called Carnbane West, Carrigbrack (or Slieve Rua) Carnbane East (or Slieve na Calliagh) and Patrickstown. The highest of these peaks reaches over 900ft above sea level. The cairns are probably older than Newgrange, dating to between 3500 and 3300 BC, and many contain megalithic art and astronomical symbolism like that at Brú na Bóinne.
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ROSE of Tralee 2024
http://traleetoday.ie/photos-meet-the-rose-of-tralee-2024-contestants-part-2/
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A virtual retreat is a wonderful way to spend time with God, adaptable to your own schedule and allowing you to journey at your own pace. You don’t have to show up at a particular time or day. You just view each video and allow them to bring you to God.
This year we’re offering two retreats: a summer retreat for July, August, and September, and a fall retreat for September, October, and November. We hope this responds to people’s desire to make a virtual retreat and have time to plan for it.
https://www.danschuttemusic.com/summer-fall-retreats-2024/
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The Question for the Future
Ambiguous as their example may be, the St. Patrick’s Battalion gives us an example of faithfulness to remember on this St. Patrick’s Day, and one we should use to measure our own faithfulness in facing a state and society in some ways hostile to Catholicism.
When men discover themselves to be serving in an unjust cause, a war brutally prosecuted and with hatred of the Catholic faith, the experience makes stark the fact that their commitment to God is higher than their commitment to their nation.
Dorothy Day raises the same questions in her own way, as a pacifist and anarchist who had as little to do with the state as possible, especially its war-making. She didn’t leave like the St. Patricks did, but she did check out. Day and her colleagues lived in extreme vulnerability to avoid paying income tax that would go to the military. She happily protested in ways that landed her in jail
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Much of Dicuil’s astronomical knowledge was gained in calculating dates for religious festivals. Completed in 825, his De mensura orbis terrae (“Concerning the Measurement of the World”) contains the earliest mention of Irish hermits having visited Iceland (795), where they marveled at the midnight sun. The work also contains the most definite Western reference to the old freshwater canal between the Nile River and the Red Sea, which was blocked up in 767. Dicuil learned of the canal from one “Brother Fidelis,” probably another Irish monk, who sailed along the “Nile” into the Red Sea, passing the “Barns of Joseph”—the Pyramids of Giza, which are well described. Dicuil quotes from, or refers to, 30 Greek and Latin writers as well as to the poet Sedulius, an Irish contemporary. The best edition of De mensura, edited by J.J. Tierney with contributions from L. Bieler, was published in 1967.
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Australia; From the Papers and What’s On
https://tintean.org.au/category/whats-on/
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St. Brigids Cross
The story is told that, one night, Brigid went to sit with a dying man. He was a Chieftain, and members of his household hoped Brigid would speak to him of Christ, and perhaps convert him before he died. However the man was very ill and couldn’t listen to such talk. So Brigid prayed for him instead. As she sat by his bedside, she picked up some of the rushes scattered on the floor. (This was typical of the time; rushes were warm and kept the floor clean). She began to weave rushes into a Cross, and as she did the Chieftain asked her about it. She wove and spoke of Jesus and prayed for the Chieftain. He came to know Christ that night was baptised and died in peace. St. Brigids Crosses are traditionally made by Irish people around her feast day. Many homes place them over a door lintel or in the thatch of a house.
The Cross of St. Brigid is a sign of simplicity and of faithful presence. May we be generous with our time, our presence and our love this year.
We celebrate the Feast of St.Brigid on 1 st day of February.
St. Blaise
St. Blaise, died 315. Bishop of Sebaste, martyred in Armenia. Patron for sore throats and sick cattle. Tradition states that he was a physician before becoming bishop. Since the eighth century he has been venerated as the partron of those who suffer from disease of the throat.
The blessing of St. Blaise is a sign of our faith in God’s protection and love for us and for the sick. Using two crossed and unlighted candles, blessed on the memorial of St. Blaise or on the feast of the Presentation of the lord, the minister touches the throat of each person, saying: “Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from all ailments of the throat and from every other evil (or from every disease of the throat and from every other illness). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
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New post on West Cork History
3rd June 1905 Early Potatoes Clonakilty, Buyers from Scotland Motoring via Larne, Growers Listed
by durrushistory
The Late Father Coombes wrote of the importance of the early potato crop in the Clonakilty district and of the trade in potatoes going to Cork by boat.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qEWcoQlOMUYoodZ7rDhGa15aznhanSpKfGddsjiiOiU/edit
1843-1844. Alexander O'Driscoll Landlord, Magistrate, Skibbereen, In trouble Again before the Lord Chancellor, He Had 40 Men Dig the Potatoes Of a Defaulting Tenant, while there cattle from a neighbouring farm strayed and were seized by his Drivers, Another Incident of Whipping a Boy on the Hunt. Maintains a Local Vendetta Against Him. Charges Concocted by a certain class of Individuals named 'The Arbitration Committee of the Repeal Association' consisting of A Dealer of Tapes and Small Cottons, A Village Schoolmaster, A Ci-Devant Village Saddler, A former Maker of Felt Hats and A Bankrupt Corn Dealer.
https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=36225&action=edit
At Bawnlahan, (Bán Leathan/Broad Lea), Skibbereen, West Cork, House of 'The O'Donovan', Lieutenant General Richard O'Donovan (1768-1829), Potatoes, Using Grufán 4th February, Planting Earlies 'American' 19th February, Main Crop after St. Patrick's Day, Kidney Potatoes, Brown Fancy, Beldrums, White Eyed Potatoes, 1823' Apple Potatoes'. Using Sea Sand as Fertilizer
.\https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=34710&action=edit
Justice for Sale, Skibbereen Area, West Cork Evidence of Father Collins, parish Priest,' I have known Magistrates who had no other visible means of support but the trade they carried on as Magistrates, Receiving Presents to a large amount, having their work done, presents of potatoes, corn and cattle and presents of money too'. Alexander O'Driscoll, 'Several in That part of the County Called Trading Magistrates, Who are Understood to Sell Justice to the Party Who Pays them Best' Perjury at Elections Mr. McCarthy, Magistrate. From the Westminster Review.
https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=32226&action=edit
1801 Potatoes in Drill
https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=30882&action=edit
January 1739, Loss of Potato Crop due to Severe Frost, Plea from Cork Corporation to Stop Export of Oats, Chief Support of Poor. 1766. Ordered, that a Memorial be sent to thee Lords Justices, in the name of the Mayor, &c., praying an order of Government to prevent the exportation of all sorts of grain, meal, and potatoes for a limited time,as corn in general has failed this season and a great scarcity dreaded next winter and spring.
https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=30215&action=edit
From Tom Aherne 4 Sept 2019
Saint Kieran’s Heritage Association members, and friends had three outings to mark Heritage Week. Twelve members visited Glenville House courtyard and gardens on Monday, August 19. Located on the road to Kilcolman the house is surrounded by almost twenty acres of classic parkland with mature trees and bounded on the south by a stream (Slewnaun) winding through a small deciduous wood, represents an undisturbed picture of the home of a member of the smaller landed gentry of pre-Famine Ireland.
We were welcomed by our hosts Owen and Margaret O’Neill, who are the owners since 1994. It was previously owned by the Massey’s who purchased it in 1763. They were a very influential family in the city and county and regarded as kind and supportive landlords. We were given a tour/talk of the walled garden and courtyard and two rooms of the house. We also did the river walk and saw the old original bridge, which was in use before the road was realigned to take it away from the house. We also passed by the ruin of what was an old icehouse, and lovely stone archways, plus a great selection of trees, and plants to view and enjoy along the way, truly a paradise of nature.
Secretary Mary Kury gave a detailed talk on the Massy family as part of the visit, with additional history pieces from Owen, Margaret and John Hough. It was a very enjoyable visit and thanks very much to Owen and Margaret for their hospitality. The house and garden are open to visitors for a few more weeks. Some of the members afterwards went to Shanagolden where John Hough gave a talk on the Creamery and Shanid Castle which they visited.
On Sunday, August 25 four members participated in the bog walk in Carrigkerry which took in the townlands of Knocknagun, Carrigkerry and Glensharrold and paid a visit to Scotland bog. A good crowd including visitors turned out and it was an ideal day for walking. Scotland bog is an upland raised bog and is now protected as a Natural Heritage Area. It is a haven for wildlife and butterflies, and moths were flying about, and in the bog pools dragonflies and beetles were swimming along the surface. The pink flowers of Lousewort were very numerous growing on the acid soil, and the Mountain Ash tree laden with red berries. The bog is a very popular place for walkers who enjoy the peace and quiet and being very close to nature. Refreshments were served in Carrigkerry Community Centre after the walk and enjoyed by all.
On Monday, August 26 ten members visited Ardagh Railway House to recall its past history and its importance to Ardagh village and surrounding area. The Limerick to Tralee railway line, was 53 miles long and it opened in 1867/1880 and closed in 1975/1977. During its years of operation as part of the Great Southern and Western Railway it was a very busy station, with passengers, goods, and livestock arriving and departing daily. Its importance led to the late Paddy Faley composing a recitation The Railway Line to Ardagh, which is still recited at local events.
The former Railway station was a detached two-bay two-storey building built around 1867. Having gable-fronted south bay to west (front) elevation and gabled block to east (rear). Pitched slate roofs with rusticated limestone chimneystacks and decorative timber bargeboards. Dormer window to west elevation. Rusticated limestone walls. Square-headed openings with limestone sills and six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Its stone construction and gabled form are characteristic features of railway structures of its time in Ireland. It incorporated a number of decorative features, including decorative bargeboards, which contrast and add interest to the rusticated limestone walls.
The house is now a derelict site, and overgrown, but the original stonework shines through, and remains as a monument to the workmen who built it. The greenway will be a great asset to rural county Limerick in future years, and several people passed by while we were there. The surface is due to be upgraded and tar macadam laid in future months. Toilet facilities and water points are also to be placed along the route, and a ramp put in place at the creamery bridge which will be a great addition for users of the trail. It was another enjoyable visit to a local site as part of Heritage Week, and thanks to all who participated in the three outings. The next meeting will be on Thursday September 5, at 8.30pm in Ardagh Community Centre and all are welcome.
The beautiful prayer of St. Patrick, popularly known as "St. Patrick's Breast-Plate", is supposed to have been composed by him in preparation for this victory over Paganism. The following is a literal translation from the old Irish text:
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.
I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.
I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.
I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.
I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.
Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop [deck],
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.
Early Irish
Early Irish
The Story Of
COMBER
by
Norman Nevin
See more of this fine Parish History at
http://www.sixgolds.com/comber.pdf
THE FIRST PEOPLE
Until some months ago, it was generally believe that the earliest evidence of men in Ireland dated
back to around 5,500 B.C. that is about 7,500 years ago and. strangely enough that the north-east
of the island, today the least Irish part of it, has the longest archaeological record.. A new method
of dating pollen, charcoal and wood etc. by radio-carbon dating is much more accurate and Dr.
Peter Woodman, excavating at Mount Sandal on the river Bann, just south of Coleraine, has
shown just recently that here is the earliest record of men in Ireland, dated by radio-carbon to
between 8,700 and 8,600 years ago. Dr. Woodman, excavating at Newferry, which is at the N.W.
corner of' Lough Neagh, where the Bann makes its exit towards the sea, has found charcoal
which is 8,150 years old. Charcoal and wood col1ected from the raised beach at Cushendun,
which had been considered the place of the earliest evidence of man, has now been dated. 7,500
years old.
The basalt cliffs of Antrim show that the basalts have preserved beneath them a band of chalk
exposed on the cliff face - which is loaded with flints that were so precious to early man. Along
the Antrim coast, humanly worked flints are to be found in vast numbers, particularly in the
raised beach gravels at Larne, where they have long been collected and studied, and hence the
people who made and used them are known as Larnians. Who were these Larnians and where did
they come from? They came from Europe and reached Northern Ireland via Wales, England, Isle
of Man and Scotland. They lived entirely by hunting and fishing and were ever on the move,
especially along rivers and. along the shores of lakes. They had axe-like implements of chipped
stone, but they did not use these for forest clearing as their successors did. They do appear to have
made small clearings as seasonal camp-sites and these may have been fenced to keep out wolves
and foxes and. the occasional wandering bear. Most implements were made by a flaking process.
Suitable rounded pebbles of flint would be collected; one end would be struck off and a flat
surface produced; by striking blows at the perimeter of this surface, elongated flakes would be
detached and. the two types most sought for were parallel sided blades or knives and. leaf-shaped
flakes, to be used as pointed knives or mounted on a shaft to serve as an arrow or spear-head,
These people learned that a thin edge could be strengthened by removing small flakes at right
angles to the edge. Flakes were thus turned into scrapers and borers. In the same way one edge of
a flake could be blunted, so producing a ‘backed.' knife. Core-axes were occasionally made by
chipping off flakes from a chosen pebble until it was reduced to the desired shape.
It is believed that these people, who were nomadic, travelled slowly down the Dundonald valley
to make their settlements around Strangford Lough where fish and fowl were plentiful. They left
their evidence in the rubbish heaps and collections of fish spears, knives, axes, scrapers etc which
are found here and. there all along the valley. In 1958 some boys were sent to clear the new
playing fields at Comber Secondary School of stones to allow the new grass to be cut. Neil
Witham and. Jim Swindle each picked up a curiously shaped stone, which later were identified as
flint axe heads. They are now in the Museum in Belfast. Eventually these wanderers reached
Strangford Lough, where food was plentiful and encamped on a safe place, an island, later called
Slesny and later still Rough Island., at Island Hill. Here they caught any little animals that they
could and. gathered berries, roots and nuts, while from the sea they caught fish, seabirds and
gathered all kinds of shellfish. These were consumed at a communal eating place on the island,
the shells being thrown on to one big heap, seven or eight feet high, to be found thousands of
years later in 1936 by Americans from Harvard University excavating on the island for flints and.
other traces of their habitation. Later these wandering people spread round all the shores of the
Lough, which provided them with all their needs. Strangely enough not a single trace of these
people has been found on the shore-line from Donaghadee to Ballyhalbert, They were river folk.
This period lasted roughly until 3,000 B.C. These Mesolithic or Mid-Stone Age men were tall,
strong and hairy with broad noses and. large foreheads. They were wanderers clothed in the skins
of animals and carried heavy wooden clubs, wooden spears or flint hand-axes. They were quite
satisfied to do no more than get enough food.
THE NEOLITHIC AGE - The First Farmers
We now come to the Neolithic Age (New Stone Age), which was very roughly around. 3,000
B.C. until 2,000 B.C. - that is four or five thousand years ago. The sea-level had come to stand
approximately where it is today though there were some later fluctuations. It was from this time
onwards that the Atlantic coasts of Europe were settled by small groups of colonists from the
South - the Mediterranean -seeking land for their crops (wheat and. barley), fodder for their
livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and dogs), and flint and. other hard stones for their tools. They
came to this district from the Iberian Peninsula and Brittany, the light soils attracting them. These
were the first farmers and in choosing the land which best suited their purpose, the farmers had to
clear the mixed oak forests and for felling or ring barking the most serviceable tool was the axe of
hard, fine grained stone which could be ground and polished into shape. Ideal stone for this
purpose was found in the north-east of Ireland and a trade in axes developed with other parts of
Ireland and with England.
Farming meant that they had to stay near their growing crops, so life was more settled and. they
learned among other things to build. better houses and to spin and. weave The homes, at first,
were crude shelters made from branches and. leaves, later they were probably huts in the form of
a cone of logs, held firm by a double ring of stones at the base. Very much later they were houses
made of wood and thatch surmounting stone walls.
We still do not know a great deal about these people, but we are slowly adding to our knowledge.
We do know however that they left very impressive monuments behind them - great stone tombs
- which indicate their interest in magic rites of food production and hopes of future reward. The
term MEGALITHIC is applied to these tombs, because in many cases they were constructed of
large stones -from the Greek - Megas - great and. Lithos - a stone. These are sometimes locally
called "Giant's Gravel", "Giant's Ring", "Druid's Altar", etc but they are all chambered graves,
some containing many burials. We should remember that when we are looking at a Megalith that
we are often looking at the skeleton of the tomb only, the covering mound or cairn of small stones
and soil and subsidiary features having been removed. Outside this, further standing stones were
often placed surrounding or leading into the mound. Thus we see the chamber, consisting of
supporting stones and the roof, when the cairn of stones and soil, which once hid it has gone, or
the uprights only may remain after cairn and roofing material have vanished.
The grave goods such as the leaf-shaped arrowheads are the product of high craftsmanship and
long practised skills and their pottery vessels are of very high quality. One of these arrowheads,
of great beauty, was found by Mr. William Steele, when digging the garden of his new home on
the Glen Road, in 1975. We have several examples of these Megaliths in the Comber district and.
they are well worth a visit. The best example is at Greengraves where we have the Kempe Stones.
This is a portal grave, that is, a single chamber grave with tall entrance pillars. The chamber
measures about five feet square and is entered over a sill, rising to half the height of the wellmatched
portal stones. The back of the over sailing capstone - 8½ ft. x 7½ ft. - rests on a smaller
horizontal roofing slab. All the stones are basalt. Traces of the cairn survive - apparently a long
cairn. The height of the Megalith is ten feet and, the weight of the capstone is 17 tons.
Other examples in the district are the locally known "Giant's Grave" on the left hand side of the
Killinchy Road, in Ballygraffan, another on the right hand side of the Ballynicholl Road, known
locally as "The Five Sisters" and yet another on the right hand side of the Ballygraffan Road near
the old Windmill Stump. In a Year Book of 1887 it was stated that beside the "Five Sisters" was a
capstone measuring 18 feet long, five feet broad and four feet thick. This has now disappeared. In
all these cases the stones were probably dragged on rollers (tree trunks) from the shore of nearby
Strangford Lough. This huge capstone, known as "The Druids' Altar" was used by Roman
Catholics as a place of worship, when they were not allowed to worship anywhere, as it was off
the beaten track.
THE BRONZE AGE - The Metal Workers
The Bronze Age was roughly from 2,000 B.C. until 500 B.C. The New Stone Age people
discovered that the earth contained such materials as gold, copper, tin, silver and iron. They
looked on them as unusual sorts of stone. They could not be chipped but could be hammered or
beaten into shape and would last a long time. Much later and more slowly it was discovered that
the metals could be melted by great heat and poured into shapes to harden again. Then moulds
were invented and. it was found that many well-shaped weapons and tools could be made easily.
Again it was found eventually, that a mixture of two metals sometimes gave a harder and better
weapon. Copper and tin were the first metals to be used in such a way and eventually it was found
that the proportion of one part tin to nine parts copper was the best. This was bronze.
This was the Age of the "Beaker Folk" known for their distinctive type of pottery, (Beakers). In
Southern Ireland these people most likely came from Iberia and in Northern Ireland from Central
Europe. Early in the second millennium they began to exploit their native sources of copper and
copper axes and other small tools and weapons were being made in Ireland. About 1750 B.C. a
bronze industry was established. The need to import tin to add to the native copper stimulated
contacts already established with Spain and Central Europe as well as with Cornwall and the
Early Irish Bronze Age was a time of brilliant achievements with, not only copper and bronze, but
with silver and gold. Ireland at this tine, had some of the finest goldsmiths, silversmiths and
coppersmiths in Europe, and supplied much of Britain with bronze implements as well as silver
and gold ornaments.
These new people brought with them new customs and new ideas, but the places where they lived
are not known with any certainty except for the many artificial islands (Crannogs - from crann
meaning a tree) built in lakes and marshes. Hunting was still important for food, but farming did
improve slowly. Wheat, oats, rye and barley were grown and wooden spades, graips and yokes as
well as flint and bronze sickles were in use, flax was probably first grown in this age and the
horse was first brought into Ireland. Clothing also improved with long, loose dresses for the
women and short kilts for the men, made of cloth woven from wool and goat's hair. Many
ornaments of stone, shells, bone and metal were worn by both men and women, but they were
often charms against evil. This improvement in clothing became important because around. 500
B.C. the weather became wetter and stormier and as a result peat began to cover large areas and
probably hid traces of the earlier inhabitants. Characteristic of this period are the ceremonial
circles of earth or standing stones or a combination of the two. These had some magic - religious
significance to Bronze Age man, probably connected with sun and fertility worship. Examples of
these are to be found at "The Giant's Ring" not far from Purdysburn and at Ballynoe, south of
Downpatrick. These are the most mysterious relics of antiquity as they are places of ritual and not
burial or habitation and. therefore their excavation produces little to serve as evidence of date.
The "Cock and Hens" stones at the ‘hairpin' bend in Dundonald are also an example of this.
There are also many single ‘standing stones' in the countryside like those at Dundonald (The
Long Stone), Ballyhalbert and outside Dundrum on the road to Maghera, which are also of this
era, from these stones evolved the stone gate posts of later years, the belief still clinging that if
one drove one's animals between these posts, they would prosper and be more abundantly fertile.
Also associated with this period are the box-like graves of stone slabs, called ‘cists' - containing
cremated remains, in an earthenware urn and often with a food vessel beside it. Some of these
were found west of the Primary School in Comber, beside the river in 1858, at the entrance to
Andrews' Bleach Green in 1850, by a farmer in Ballyloughan in 1885 and on the site of the
Primary School when it was built in 1937. These are now in the Museum in Belfast.
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Christian
The Early Christian Era runs roughly from 450 A.D. until 1200 A.D. In Europe this period was
"The Dark Ages", when Christianity and Learning almost died out, following the collapse of the
Roman Empire. It was also the period, when Ireland earned the name - "A Land of Saints and
Scholars". The story of St. Patrick and the numerous legends concerning him are well known, but
the truth of some details is weaker than often supposed. His birthplace is by no means a certainty,
but the general opinion is that it was somewhere along the estuary of either the Severn or the
Clyde, and that he was born late in the fourth century.
The Britonic Picts of Galloway had their St. Ninian and "Candida Casa", 398 A.D.in
Wigtonshire, long before Ireland had St. Patrick. This was just across the Channel from
Strangford Lough (Loch Cuan), and had become a celebrated Monastery and College. The Mull
of Galloway is quite close to Down and no doubt there was trade and social contacts between the
two places and possibly resulting in some Down people becoming Christians, before the arrival of
St. Patrick. However, his success as a missionary was so great that he has become the Patron
Saint of Ireland. His original name was Sucatus or Sochet and he later adopted the Roman name
of Patricius. He most likely did land on the shore of Loch Cuan at the mouth of the river Slaney
and met the local Chieftain, Dichu, who was converted and who gave him a barn, in Irish -
Sabhall - which became his first Church - Saul.
Mochaoi (pronounced Maughee, or by the English - Mahee), founder of Nendrum (the island of
the nine ridges) Monastery and its first Abbot, was converted by Patrick on a journey from Saul
to Bright. Mochaoi's mother, Bronach, was the daughter of Milchu, the farmer of Slemish, where
Patrick had been a slave for six years. (From the Triparte Life;) - "In 433 A.D. as Patrick was
going along the way he saw a tender youth herding swine, Mochaoi was his name. Patrick
preached to him and baptised him and tonsured him and gave him a gospel and a Menistir (a
sacred vessel). The meeting place was at Ballynoe or Legamaddy (site of a circle of standing
stones)" Mochaoi was educated at Templepatrick and later had a cell at what is now called
Kilmakee in Co. Antrim, i.e. the Church of Mochaoi. Mochaoi founded Nendrum in 445 A.D., St.
Colman, a pupil of Mochaoi, founded Dromore around 500 A.D., St. Finnian, a pupil of St.
Colman and of Whithorn, founded Movilla in 540 A.D. and St Comgall founded Bangor in 555
A.D. He, like St Finnian, graduated in the schools of Co. Down and finished in the older
established "Magnum Monasterium" of Galloway and then went to the Continent. At first these
places were devoted to the ascetic life, simple, frugal and industrious but became in turn the
centres of material culture and were a powerful influence in founding the tradition of Irish
Learning which was to spread over Europe.
Tradition has it that Christianity came to Comber about 1500 years ago. Apparently Patrick
having visited his favourite convert, Mochaoi, travelled north on his way to Donaghadee and
hence to Scotland and the famous monastery at Whithorn, where he was always welcome. When
passing through the Comber district, Patrick was abused badly by Saran, one of the sons of
Caelbadh, the local Chieftain of the area. Conla, brother of Saran, hearing with great sorrow, how
uncivilly Patrick had been treated, went to apologise for his brother' a behaviour and to venerate
Patrick. He consecrated himself and all his property to his service, offering to him a remarkable
field called the Plain of Elom, for the purpose of erecting a church thereon. Conla built the church
and Patrick blessed him and. told him that his family and descendants would be great and.
powerful. This came to pass as Conla was the ancestor of the great Magennis family of South
Down, who later became the Earls of Roden. The widow of the fourth Marquis of Londonderry
was the daughter of the third Earl of Roden. She became a Roman Catholic in 1855, being largely
influenced by Cardinals Manning and Newman. She built at her own great expense the beautiful
Chapel and Schools in Newtownards and provided a set of Communion Plate in pure gold. She
also gave a very large subscription for the building of the Roman Catholic Chapel in Comber. She
is buried in a vault; beside her husband in the Old Priory in Court Street, Newtownards.
Conla's Church flourished and in the course of time became an Irish Monastery with many
buildings for its many activities. Its situation was most likely on the plain across the river from
the present Cricket Green. This would be "The most remarkable Plain of Elom."
The lane leading down to the site of the old Andrews' Flour Mill and Bleach Green, past The Old
House" (built in l744 and site of the present Cinema), is known to the older generation of
Comber, as "The Monks' Walk", possibly as it leads to the site of the Monastery.
THE IRISH MONASTERY
St. Columbanus, a monk of Bangor, who did outstanding work in Europe, saw the monastic life
as contemplating and. practising the presence of God. For him, Jesus is "the joy of Man's
desiring" and "to long for God is greater bliss than any worldly pleasure or any earthly
fulfilment." This is the idea we still have of life in a Monastery, but some Irish saints were not
meek and mild; indeed some were depicted as violent, vengeful and mighty cursers.
The head of the monastery was the Ab or Abbot, who might be in Holy Orders and yet again he
might not. He directed all the activities in the monastery and. his word was law. Under him was
the Bishop, who attended to the religious services and who ordained, consecrated and performed
other sacramental duties. There was the head of the monastic school, where the sons of the
wealthy were educated, together with the eldest sons of the lay monks, They were taught Latin
from a Latin Psalter, which they loved and constantly recited; (I wonder was it from this that
children in National Schools learned everything by rhyming aloud in class, including spelling,
tables, geography, history, grammar, and. Euclid. A method that was not always successful).
They also learned to read, to write, to draw and to illuminate letters with beautiful designs. So
they produced copies of beautiful and famous books, which took a long tine to complete and
which became part of the monastery treasure. This work would be supervised by the Scribe, who
would order the work to be done again, if it was not perfect, and they believed strongly in
corporal punishment for carelessness.
Other Officers were the Lector or Reader, the anchorite, the butler, baker, cook, carpenter and. the
most lowly - the janitor, who had his hone in the outside wall and. who rang the bell for the
services, of which there were six daily.
The monks went to bed when the sun went down, slept and then rose for Nocturnes round the
middle of the night. At dawn they attended Lauds then Terce at 9.00 a.m., because Christ was
given to Pontius Pilate at that hour. Sext or mid-day was the next service as Jesus was put upon
the Cross at that hour, then None or 3.00 p.m., because at that hour Jesus died on the Cross and
finally Vespers was said in the evening. In the monastery, the smith included all branches of
metal working in his craft. Not only did he work with iron, but he was a goldsmith, silversmith
and coppersmith as well and produced many beautiful articles in gold and silver that became
treasures of the monastery. He was the "gowan", one of the most important members of the
community and was held in the highest esteem. The name is preserved in hereditary surnames,
and place names like Gowan, Macgowan, Magowan, Ballygowan (the town land of the smith)
and. Lisnagowan.
Some of the monasteries, with their bishops and priests, had frequent lapses from grace as in the
case of Columkille or Columba. While studying with Finnian at Movilla, he, without permission,
in the dead of night copied the Psalter from St. Martin's manuscript of the Gospels, brought by St.
Finnian from Whithorn. He was found out and Finnian claimed the copy and. when Columba
refused to give it up the case was taken before the Ard-ri, who pronounced his famous judgement,
"as every calf belonged to its mother cow, so every copy belonged to its mother book". Columba
refused to accept the judgement and. war resulted with the slaughter of 3,000 men.
St. Colomba's condemnation by a Synod, his anathema by book, bell and candle, and his
banishment to the Celtic colony just formed at Iona, is a chapter of history forgotten and more
frequently replaced by the garbled tales of self-banishment on the part of this fiery churchman,
whose early title was "The Wolf" and the name Columba, the Dove, only bestowed on him as a
term of' sarcasm, The evening of his life spent amongst the savage people of North west Scotland
made some atonement for the bloodshed of his early years.
THE AGUSTINIAN MONASTRY
The first Monastery in Comber was part of the ancient Celtic Church, which was organised, not
on a diocesan basis but rather on a tribal one. It continued to flourish and grow wealthy, owning
several townlands and considerable treasure. In the Annals of Loch-Ce it is recorded that in A.D,
1031 the Vikings burned Kill (or Cill) Combuir with its oratory, killed four clerics and carried off
thirty captives. In the Annals of the Four Masters it is recorded that in 1121 A.D. Cormac, Abbot
of Comar was killed. At the Synod of Cashel in 1101 A.D. Cellach, Bishop of Armagh began the
reform of the ancient Celtic Church and by 1110 A.D. at the Synod of Bresail, the Roman
Diocesan Episcopal system was adopted, with Cellach, as High Bishop or Archbishop of Armagh.
It was at this time that continental Orders were being introduced to Ireland.
The Benedictines were never popular in Ireland, though they did settle at Down and Nendrum.
The Augustinian Canons were popular and though leading a celibate life under religious rule, they
wanted to be near people to whom they might minister, so they often set up their establishments
in old monastic centres like Comber, where the Augustinian Rule was adopted by the existing
community. It was known locally as the Black Abbey, because of the black habit worn by the
monks. The Abbey became obscured in later years by the fame of the Cistercian Abbey sited near
the present Square, and it completely disappeared from history, the Cistercians taking over its
townlands. Portions of the buildings remained until 1644.
THE NORMAN ENGLISH. - John de Courcy 1177 A.D.
Pope Adrian 1V "for the purpose of extending the limits of the Church, checking the torrent of
wickedness, reforming evil manners, sowing the seeds of virtue and increasing the Christian
religion and in consideration of a payment of one penny per house per annum" gave Ireland to
Henry 2nd of England. Leinster and the South and West quickly became the spoil of the King's
Knights, but Ulster, the difficult, remained untouched until 1177 A.D. when John de Courcy, with
twenty-two Knights and about 300 followers invaded Down, defeated the Irish at Downpatrick
and paid his followers with large estates in the land of the rolling hills, Geoffrey do Marisoo
(Morris) got Dundonald and his neighbour de Hanwood has left his name in Ballyhanwood;
Ralph do Rossal (Russell) Ballyrussel got the Comber district, where he erected two and possibly
three "Mottes". We have the remains of one near Maxwell Court, one at Ballyalloly and one at
Ballyrickard - a mound at the Moate Corner on the Newtownards Road. On the opposite side of
the road leading to Scrabo was a small church - a ruin in 1622 and all trace of it has since
disappeared. Ballyrickard or White Richard was a Parish containing six townlands - Ballyrickard,
Ringcreevy, Baliyneganeme, (Glass moss and Longlands), Ballyhenry, Castleavery and
Carnemuck. Carnennuck was near the island of Slesny (Rough Island) and seems to be the
townland of Cherryvalley which in 1679 was called Chirivally also Carrowcrossnemukley.
The Normans resettled existing religious foundations as at Nendrum in 1178, which de Courcy
repaired for Benedictine monks from St. Bee's in Cumberland. In 1183 he repaired Downpatrick
and established monks from Chester. In 1187 he founded a Cistercian Abbey at Inch, outside
Downpatrick. This was on the site of an older Abbey called Erinagh, which he had destroyed.
Another Cistercian Abbey was built by Affreca, wife of de Courcy, at Greyabbey in 1193.
Affreca was the daughter of the King of Man, and on a journey from there to Co. Down, she was
caught in a fierce storm at sea and vowed that if she reached land safely, there she would build a
church.
CAPTAIN GEORGE JAMES BRUCE D.S .0. M.C
13th BATTALI0N, THE ROYAL IRISH RIFLES. ( 1st CO. DOWN VOLUNTEERS)
GENERAL STAFF OFFICER ON THE HEADQUARTER STAFF ULSTER DIVISIQN.
George James Bruce was the eldest son of Mr. Samuel Bruce, of Norton Hall Campden,
Gloucestershire.
His mother was Louise Mary Julie Colthurst of Blarney Castle, County Cork. He was of Scottish
descent, an ancestor having been killed at Flodden in 1513. Another ancestor was the Rev. Michael
Bruce, Minister of Killinchy, who suffered much persecution on religious grounds.
George Bruce was born in 1880, was educated at Winchester and in 1907 married Hilda, daughter of
Mr. John Blakiston-Houston, D.L. of Orangefield, Belfast. Before the 1914 - 18 War he resided at
CUAN, Killinchy Road, Comber and was Managing Director of the Comber Distilleries Company
Ltd., of which his father was Chairman. He was a most versatile sportsman. He played cricket for
North Down and for The North of Ireland Club, was a Plus Two handicap player in the Golfing world,
was a magnificent shot and a fine tennis and billiards player.
There is a tablet to his memory in Comber Parish Church.
"LEST WE FORGET"
COMBER :- 426 men answered the call to arms in 1914.
79 made the SUPREME SACRIFICE.
The War Memorial was unveiled on 14th April, 1923.
TRADES
http://www.limerickcity.ie/media/1886,%20Guy.pdf
Books Limerick
Athea, archaeology; Went, Arthur E. J. 1956 102-103 "Two Irish Salmon Spears" - one of which came from Gortnagross near Athea
Newcastle West
Westropp, Thomas 1909 42-58, 350-368 "The Desmonds' Castle at Newcastle Oconyll, Co. Limerick"
Johnson (plates).
Glin castle
Dinely, Thomas 1867 188-189
Fitzgerald, Walter 1923 143 ref to Patrick Crosbie's effort to take over Glin Castle.
Hewetson, or Hewson family
Garstin, J. R. 1906 428-429 "The Hewetsons or Hewsons in Ireland"
Hewetson, John 1909 155 reference to Limerick Hewsons in article "The Hewetsons of
the County Kildare"
Hewson, George James
1905 83 notice of death of this Adare resident, frequent contributor to
the IAJ
Lacy, Francis Maurice, Field Marshal
Cavanagh, 1926 97 biographical note of Lacy, son of Count Peter Lacy of the
Lieut-Col. family of Ballingarry in article "Irish Knights of the Imperial
Military Order of Maria Theresa"
Cavanagh, 1927 121, 125 2 mentions of Lacy in article "Irish Colonels Proprietors of
Lieut-Col. Imperial Regiments"
Lacy, William, Count
Cavanagh, 1926 100 biographical note of Lacy of Ballingarry in article "Irish
Lieut-Col. Knights of the Imperial Military Order of Maria Theresa"
Wells
O Danachair, 1955 193-217 "The Holy Wells of County Limerick"
Caoimhin