Monasteries of Limerick (TO BE COPIED FROM)

Abbey Feal in the barony of Connillo An abbey of Cistercians erected AD 1188 made a cell to Monasternenagh which see





Carrigo gonill on the river Shannon six miles west of Limerick A house for knights Templar was erected in this village AD 1350 it was the seat of Donogh O Brien lord of Poble O Brien AD 1691 it was a place of strength Castletown Maceneiry in the barony of Conillo and the seat of Mac Enery Here are the ruins of a very large monastery and other buildings which sufficiently evince the piety dignity and splendor ot this ancient family

Cluain creadhuil or Kilita St Ita styled the Brigid of Munster was of the princely house of Decics now in the county of Waterford her father's name was Keenfoelad her mother's Necta both Christians as it appears St Ita was baptized in her childhood The year of her birth is not known but it is supposed she was born about 480 From her earliest years she appeared to be animated with the Holy Spirit observing besides her other religious duties even the fasts which the church prescribed and displaying an extraordinary degree of modesty sedateness and sweetness of temper It is related that while she was still very young a room in which she was asleep seemed to be all in a blaze and that some persons who hastened to extinguish what they considered to have been material fire found it uninjured and on her awaking observed Ita to exhibit an angelical form of exquisite beauty Having reached an age which rendered her competent to choose a permanent state of life she applied to her mother and having dilated on the divine commandments requested of her to procure her father's permission to consecrate herself to the service of her Redeemer the true spouse of the soul The mother in accordance with the pious wish of her daughter sought the father's permission hut he obstinately refused particularly as a powerful and noble young man had made proposals for obtaining Ita in marriage The holy virgin said calmly to some persons who were near Let my father have his own way for a while I tell you that he will soon not only permit but order me to give myself up to Christ and will allow me to go whithersoever I please for the purpose of serving God Not long after she fasted for three days and nights during which time she was constantly assailed with the attacks of the enemy of mankind which she resisted with invincible firmness On the third night her father was admonished in a vision not to oppose the inclination of his daughter any longer and without loss of time having informed her of what occurred he advised her to go and take the veil immediately Affairs being thus arranged she repaired to the church and was in due form clad with the veil and enrolled in the list of consecrated virgins by the holy prelate St Declan of Ardmore Soon after she prayed to God to direct her to that place where she might best serve him and was instructed in a vision to proceed to the territory of Hy Conaill and to remain in the western part thereof at the foot of the mountain Luachra Thither she went and fixed her residence in a secluded spot called Cluaincredhuil where she was soon visited by a number of pious ladies who flocked from all parts of Hy Conaill to place themselves under the direction of St Ita This saint is by some called Ida as later Irish writers often use d instead of t which the ancient ones preferred she is also called Mida which signifies My Ida The princes of Hy Conaill on being informed of the extraordinary sanctity of this holy virgin waited upon her and offered a large tract of land adjacent for the purpose of maintaining her establishment she however accepted of no more than a small garden which she deemed sufficient As another instance of her disinterestedness it is related that an opulent individual laid before her as an offering a considerable sum of money which he could not induce her to take she happened to touch it and then called for water to wash the hand which had been as if defiled by the contact of corruptible silver She carried abstinence and fasting to such a degree that it is said she was admonished by an angel to be less abstemious for the future and not exhaust her frame by an austerity so excessive Several miracles some of which are of an extraordinary kind have been attributed to her one of them is said to have been performed on a man named Feargus whom she delivered by her prayers from excruciating pains in his eyes and whole body by which he was brought to the last extremity She was favored with the gift of prophecy and with the knowledge of persons whom she had never seen and of distant and secret occurrences When Columbanus a Leinster bishop was on his way to visit her without giving any previous notice she ordered an entertainment to De prepared and on his arrival sent to ask his benediction before she could have known in an ordinary manner that he was a bishop and mentioned other circuru stauces which she could not have learned except by supernatural means A theft had been committed in a nunnery which was established at Doire Chuisgribh and which must have belonged to her own institution one of the nuns was unjustly accused and the affair being involved in obscurity the abbess and the whole community waited on St Ita to consult her she immediately declared that the nun who was charged with the offence was innocent and told them at the same time who was the guilty person one of her own maidens had misbehaved and having left the nunnery rambled up and down until she was reduced to the necessity of becoming a servant somewhere in the province of Connaught St Ita knowing by inspiration how she was situated and that she would do penance if an opportunity was afforded her sent to her friend St Brendan of Clonfort to request that he would procure liberty for this distressed creature Brendan attended to the message and sent her back to the nunnery where she was received with great joy by St Ita and everything turned out as she had foreseen She had a knowledge of some transactions even of the other world an instance of which is related an uncle of hers having died she sent for his eight sons who lived in the country of the Nandesi and upon their waiting on the saint she said to them Your father who was my uncle is alas now suffering in the lower regions for his offences such was the term by which the state of purgation was then expressed and still used in the liturgy Libera me &c de psenis inferni et de profundo lacu and the manner in which he is tormented has been related to me Let us do something for the good of his soul that he may be delivered I therefore desire that each of you do give every day during this whole year food and lamps to the poor for the benefit of his soul and then at the end of the year return to me They being wealthy acted according to her instructions and on their returning she said your father is half raised from his first situation through your alms and my prayers now go and repeat your donations during this year and come to me again They did so and then she told them that their father was quite out of the lower world but that he was still without clothing not fit for that heavenly clothing of which St Paul speaks 2 Cor ch v v 2 because in his lifetime he had not given clothes to any one in the name of Christ Now said the saint Let your alms consist of clothes during this year that he may be clothed Having obeyed her orders they returned at the end of the year and were informed that through the great mercy of God their alms and her prayers had been attended to and that their father was then in the enjoyment of eternal rest Saint Ita had been once as far as Clonmacnoise and there received the body and blood of Christ from the hand of a worthy priest without its being known who she was When discovered that she had been there the priest who had given her the Eucharist set out with some others of the clerical order for Cluain credhuil for the purpose of receiving her blessing One of them having lost his sight on the way recovered it immediately through the intercession of St Ita She asked the same priest to sing mass in her presence which done she ordered the vestments in which he had sacrificed to be given him He said that he could not take them as the abbot Aeneas had enjoined them not to accept of anything from her but her prayers She replied that he would not be displeased mentioning a circumstance which she desired them to communicate and adding that the abbot on hearing it would receive her present with joy This induced the priest and his companions to take the vestments and the affair ended as St Ita had assured them Other holy abbots of those times held her in great veneration St Comgan abbot of Glen ussen finding his end approach sent for St Ita and in the persuasion that her attendance would be conducive to his eternal happiness prevailed upon her to lay her hands upon his lips and close his mouth at the moment of his death which is supposed to have taken place at Cean indis on the banks of the Shannon She was often visited by St Luctigherna abbot of Ennistymon who brought with him the abbot of Drumliag See Ennistimon The great St Brendan was wont to consult her on the nature of Christian duties and the answers which she gave were full of wisdom and discretion This extraordinary virgin having reached a great age called together her nuns and told them that her decease was near at hand soon after she was taken ill and having given her blessing to them to the clergy and people of Hy Conaill departed this life on the 15th of January AD 570 A crowd of people from the whole country assembled around her remains and several miracles took place on that occasion They were then deposited in her own monastery The clergy and people adopted St Ita as their patron saint The veneration in which she has been held extended far beyond that territory Alcuin in one of his poems joins her with St Brigid Cluain claideach in Hy Conaill St Maidoc of Ferns erected this monastery See Ferns Galbally in the barony of Coshlea A member of the O Brien family founded this monastery which was a considerable one for gray friars Its ruins shew it along with those of several other religious foundations to have been a place of magnificence January 20th and 35th of King Henry VIII this monastery with three gardens six messuages and six acres of arable land was granted to John of Desmond for ever at the yearly rent of 4d Irish money Hospital in the barony of Small county It is always called the hospital of Any though situated a mile north of that village A commandery for knights hospitallers under the invocation of St John the Baptist was founded in the reign of king John by Geoffry de Marescis who was chief governor of Ireland in the year 1215 AD 1326 John le Mareschal was preceptor AD 1543 Aeneas O Heffernan the last master of Any was made bishop of Emly Queen Elizabeth granted this hospital and its possessions to Sir Valentine Browne who erected a magnificent castle on the site of the same which is now in ruins The walls of the ancient church still remain and in a niche on the north side of the high altar is the tomb of a knight in alto relievo which is said to be the tomb of the founder Kildimma A St Diuma is said to have been the preceptor of St Ailbe of Emly St Diuma is supposed to have been an Irish priest who accompanied St Aidan on his mission to Northumbria St Finan the successor of this illustrious apostle having preached with great success to the Middle Angles and the number of converts becoming so large that it was deemed expedient to appoint a bishop for them Diuma was chosen for this purpose and being consecrated by St Finan was placed over not only the province of the Middle Angles but likewise the kingdom of Mercia which had fallen under the dominion of Oswin During the short time that he lived St Diuma acquired a still more numerous flock for the Lord and was succeeded by Kellagh an Irishman who soon returned to Hy Lingard in his history of the Anglo Saxon church does not mention those Missionaries as Irish he merely calls the companions of Finan four Northrumbian priests three of whom were English and the fourth Diuma an Irishman though Bede expressly states that the latter ter was not of English descent He does not even mention Finan or his Irish missionaries who have been of such signal service to that country He studiously passes over the great obligations that England is under in this respect to Ireland It seems as if English priests as well as English rulers are not disposed to do justice to Ireland Catholic England has robbed Catholic Ireland of her property and eventually England become Protestant would fain plunder Ireland of her religion as she has left nothing else to extirpate Diuma has given his name to this church

Kill fiachna in the barony of Conillo and adjoining the mountain Luachra The cell of St Fiachna was near Coningnibh in this district of Conillo Fiachna was the disciple of St Carthag Aidan another disciple of St Carthag had another cell called after him and in which it appears that Fiachna was buried both cells having been in Conillo Fiachna is in all probability the saint whose memory was revered at Inispict on the 30th of March From the fact of the burial Killaidan got the name of Kill fiachna

Killmallock St Mochellock is said to have been the relative of St Finan of Kinnity He was the disciple of the priest Dimma and is said to have been a bishop He is usually called Mochelloc of Cathuir mac Conchuibh once a town in the county of Waterford Beside some establishment at this place the foundation of the church of Killmallock supposed a contraction of Killmochelloc is usually attributed to him The St Mochelloc died very old some year between 639 and 656 His acts are mentioned at the 26th of March Killmallock was formerly a town of great repute being walled and its houses beautifully and elegantly built of hewn stone and even in its ruins it has been called The Balbec of Ireland Lamartine in his eastern tour describes the ruins of Balbec Dominican Friary This order was established at Killmallock AD 1291 by Gilbert the second son of John lord Offaley according to tradition AD 1340 a general chapter of the order was held here April 24th thirty sixth of Elizabeth a grant of this abbey was made to the sovereign and corporation of Killmallock to hold the same for ever in free soccage at the annual rent of 53s 8d Irish money The ruins of this monastery which was within the town still convince the observer that it was an elegant edifice

Killratha The foundation of which St Patrick is said to have foretold Archdall makes a St Coeman founder of it whom he also calls a disciple of St Patrick but without sufficient authority It cannot be ascertained at present where this monastery stood

Killshane in the barony of Conillo A friary of conventual Franciscans was established here by FitzGerald lord of the territory of Clenlis and bordering on the county of Cork Cistercian abbey founded in the year 1198 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary It was subject to the abbey of Corcumroe and afterwards became a cell to it Florence OTigernach abbot of this house was made bishop of Kil fenora in the year 1273 Kilteel in the barony of Coonagh The knights Templar had a church here which was erected on an eminence

Kill teidhil in the territory of Ara cliach St Patrick foretold the erection of this church It is supposed the same as Killteel Seven bishops are said to have been here interred Kynnethin In Michaelmas term 1300 a writ issued to the sheriff to distrain the abbot of Kynnethin at the suit of Robert de Bland for the sum of thirteen marcs an arrear due of the annual rent of forty shillings No other mention is made of this house

Limerick is the capital of the county and the seat of a bishop was taken by the English in 1174 and has been famous for withstanding the arms of William III in 1690 and 1691 Nunnery Donald O Brien king of Limerick founded this nunnery for black nuns of St Augustine and was dedicated to St Peter Priory of canons regular In the reign of king John this house was founded under the invocation of St Mary and St Edward king and confessor by Simon Minor a citizen of Limerick for this order The prior of this house had the first voice in the election of mayor according to Sir James Ware In the inquisition taken with regard to the monasteries it is mentioned that this privilege belonged to the Eremites of St Augustine AD 1319 Nicholas le Bloand was prior AD 1413 John Fleming was prior This priory which was situated near Ball's bridge was granted at the suppression to Edmund Sexton Dominican friary Donagh Carbreagh O Brien founded this monastery under the invocation of our holy Saviour Seven bishops are interred in the cemetery of this abbey The founder was buried here in 1241 AD 1279 a general chapter of the order was held here AD 1504 This monastery was reformed by Vincentio de Blan dello of Newcastle master of the order by authority of Pope Julius II At the suppression of religious houses Edmond was prior and then was found to be seized of the site church steeple and dormitory three chambers a cemetery and sundry closes containing an acre and a half within the precincts a garden of four acres without the walls of the monastery and thirty acres of arable and pasture land within the liberties of the city its possessions in and about the city of Limerick In the thirty fifth of king Henry VLLT this sumptuous monastery with its appurtenances was granted to James earl of Desmond In 1623 James Gould who died in 1600 was seized of its possessions Part of the monastery has been converted into a tan yard A large barrack has been erected on another portion Gray friary O Brien a lineal descendant of the kings of Thomond and Desmond founded this monastery in the reign of Henry HI AD 1376 the bishop of Limerick treated those friars with much indignity AD 1534 this monastery received the reform of the strict observants Donogh was the last guardian Its possessions were seized and granted for ever to Edmond Sexton This monastery stood without the town wall On the site of which the county court house is erected The old church has been converted into a county hospital Wadding affirms that another Franciscan monastery was founded in the year 1293 in the King's island near Limerick Augustine friary called the house of the blessed Virgin Mary and of the Holy Cross It was founded in the 13th century by O Brien the lineal descendant of the kings of Limerick and Thomond AD 1472 Aquila general of the order gave command that regular discipline should be observed in this house Stephen Sexton who had the first voice in the election of mayor of Limerick as prior of this house died in the year 1594 A vestige of this house does not remain It is supposed that it was situated near Quay lane Knights Templar had a commandery near this house of the Augus tinians which has also disappeared Milltown in the barony of Coonagh Nellan O Mulloy erected this house for Carmelite friars Nothing more is recorded of it Monasternenagh in the barony of Poble O Brien This abbey was founded in honour of the Virgin Mary AD 1151 by Donald O Brien who furnished it with Cistercians from the abbey of Mellifont AD 1174 Donatus was abbot AD 1304 Isaac was abbot AJ 1307 William was abbot AD 1365 Henry was abbot AD 1579 Marshal Malby at the head of 100 horse and 500 foot defeated 2000 of the Irish though the later fought valiantly at first 260 were slain among whom was Dr Allen the famous legate from the See of Rome so state the English accounts O Sullivan Bearre does not mention Dr Allen in his history The abbot of Monasternenagh was a baron of parliament This monastery with its appurtenances was granted to Sir Henry Wallop knight the patentee of Adaire Monasterna galliagh in the barony of Small county near Lough Gir A house formerly of canonesses of St Augustine which was dedicated to St Catharine The rectories of the parishes of Drishaue Cullen Nohavel Kilmeen and Drumtariff in the barony of Duhallow and county of Cork belonged to this nunnery It was with its possessions given to Sir Henry Wallop knight



Rathkeale in the barony of Conillo A priory under the invocation of the blessed Virgin was founded at this place by a person of the name of Harvey for Augustin canons of Aroasia Before 1280 John was prior In this year Eleonora Purcell granted to this priory the tenth loaf of every baking and tenth flagon of every brewing the tenth pork and tenth mutton and a considerable portion of every ox or cow killed in her manor of Mayer to the due performance of which she bound herself and her heirs for ever In default of this obligation the prior sued her son Hugh who replied that his mother made the same grant to the prior posterior to the settlement she had made upon him of this manor upon which the prior rejoined that after the death of Eleonora the prior John was put into the possession of the said charity by the said Hugh who ratified his mother's deed The affair was compromised in a friendly manner between both parties Some of the ruins of this house still remain Saint Michael's An inquisition taken in the thirty second of Elizabeth finds that certain lands in the barony of Clan William containing three acres of the great Irish measure granted in mort main to the church of St Michael in the said barony were of the annual value besides reprises of 3s

Timolynne Of this monastery there is no account except what is supplied by the royal commission which the government instituted with a view to its being suppressed In the twentieth of Elizabeth it was found that the rectory of Urgire in the diocese of Limerick annual value 20s was appropriated to the abbot of this monastery who was also patron of the vicarage