Tuesday 26 March 2019
Saturday 23 March 2019
See of Ardmore
Walsh Appendix II p. 840
See of Ardmore county of Watcrford St Declan was bishop and founder of this see Declan was descended of Ercus prince of the Desii and by his exalted virtues obtained universal respect and veneration Declan flourished in the fifth century and became eminently distinguished during a considerable portion of the sixth The precise period in which he founded the see of Ardmore is not exactly known but it must have been some years after the death of St Patrick This saint is mentioned as one of the four prelates who were officiating in Ireland prior to the arrival of St Patrick the year of his death AD 527 which took place shortly after that of St Ailbe of Emly is quite sufficient to refute such an assertion Of his missionary labors in the territory over which he presided and of his exalted virtues and sanctity there is abun dant evidence in the martyrologies of Dungall and Aengus
The ruins of the once celebrated cathedral of Ardmore with its round tower hanging on an eminence over the ocean still exist as a monument of the piety and religion of former times and still remind the traveller of those days of her splendor and independence in which Ireland adorned her domestic altars and erected others in the lands of the stranger
See of Ardmore county of Watcrford St Declan was bishop and founder of this see Declan was descended of Ercus prince of the Desii and by his exalted virtues obtained universal respect and veneration Declan flourished in the fifth century and became eminently distinguished during a considerable portion of the sixth The precise period in which he founded the see of Ardmore is not exactly known but it must have been some years after the death of St Patrick This saint is mentioned as one of the four prelates who were officiating in Ireland prior to the arrival of St Patrick the year of his death AD 527 which took place shortly after that of St Ailbe of Emly is quite sufficient to refute such an assertion Of his missionary labors in the territory over which he presided and of his exalted virtues and sanctity there is abun dant evidence in the martyrologies of Dungall and Aengus
The ruins of the once celebrated cathedral of Ardmore with its round tower hanging on an eminence over the ocean still exist as a monument of the piety and religion of former times and still remind the traveller of those days of her splendor and independence in which Ireland adorned her domestic altars and erected others in the lands of the stranger
Abbeys of Waterford
Walsh c. lxii., p. 679
Acnaddagain St Dagan the brother of St Libba of Glendaloch and of St Menoc usually called Dagan of Inverdaoile in Wexford where he governed that monastery is said to have been the disciple of St Pulcherius of Leathmore who took his pupil under his care when but a small boy He remained for many years at Liathmore until becoming duly qualified and approved by his holy preceptor he formed the establishment of Inverdaoile Dagan is said to have made excursions to other countries and to have visited Rome He was promoted to the episcopacy before the death of St Molua probably about the year 600 His see was called Achad Dagan which seems to have been another name for Inverdaoile or a part of it St Dagan was an ardent supporter of the Irish practices relative to the paschal question His zeal on this point was so great that on the occasion of a visit to Britain and meeting with Lawrence archbishop of Canterbury and other Roman missionaries he refused not only to eat in their company but even under the same roof with them Notwithstanding his warmth of temper in this respect he is represented as a man of a very mild disposition and was greatly esteemed for his sanctity as appears from his having been consulted by St Molua on the choice of a successor and from it is said his having performed many miracles St Dagan died on the 13th of September AD 610 and was buried at Inverdaoile Ardmore See diocese of The holy bishop St Declan the founder died AD 527 St Ultan son of Ere succeeded it seems only as abbot He was the disciple of Declan and had been before he was called to Ardmore at the monastery of Coning a place near Clonmel Concerning his transactions little or nothing else is known AD 1174 the abbot Eugene was a subscribing witness to the charter granted to the monastery of Finbhar in Cork
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AD 1203 died Moel ettrim O Duibhe rathra who having erected and finished the church became bishop of Ardmore The remains of two ancient churches are still to be seen here one on a cliff near the sea in ruins the other about a mile north west of the former and is very ancient A handsome gothic arch separating the body of the church from the chancel yet remains and the pillars supporting it denote the antiquity of the building On the west end of this church are figures in alto relievo done in free stone venerable through their antiquity viz Adam and Eve with the tree and serpent the Judgment of Solomon There is also a fine round tower upwards of one hundred feet in height and forty five in circumference In the churchyard is a small low building called the dormitory of St Declan Ballivony in the barony of Decies without Drum and in the parish of Stradbally It is supposed that the knights Hospitallers possessed this building which measures one hundred and fifty feet in length by ninety broad There are the remains of several large out offices the ground plan of which resembles that of a religious edifice Bewley in the barony of Decies without Drum and in the parish of Killmolash and two miles south east of Lismore The ruins of a monastic building are here which it is said belonged to the knights of 6t John of Jerusalem Baillendesert in the barony of Upperthird and parish of Desart St M aidoc of Ferns built an abbey here of which there is no account See diocese of Ferns Cappagh in the barony of Decies without Drum parish of White church and about three miles west of Dungarvan Here are the remains of an ancient building said to have belonged to the knights Hospitallers Carrickbeg in the barony of Upperthird and parish of Desart A monastery was founded here for conventual Franciscans in the year 1336 by James earl of Ormond and the first friar was admitted on Saturday the festival of SS Peter and Paul Stephen de Barry was appointed minister William Naisse keeper and friar John Clynne who was the annalist of Kilkenny its first warden AD 1347 a charter was granted to the founder permitting him to alienate a messuage and ten acres of land with their appurtenances to these friars for the purpose of erecting thereon a monastic house and by the assistance of various charities they built a church dormitory and cloisters all of which were small having left the other offices unfinished AD 1385 the king seized into his hands two carucates of land
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which James late earl of Ormond had granted to this monastery without obtaining the royal license William Cormack the last prior surrendered in the thirty first of King Henry VIII being then seized of a church and steeple a chapterhouse dormitory hall three chambers a kitchen stable two gardens and sundry closes containing four acres also twelve messuages ten gardens one hundred and twenty acres of arable land twenty of pasture and six of meadow with their appurtenances annual value 53s 4d besides reprises This friary with appurtenances and twenty acres of land in the town of Carrick was granted to Thomas earl of Ormond This monastery was dedicated to St Michael The steeple still remains and is a curious structure about sixty feet in height rising from a single stone like an inverted coue the point beginning several feet from the ground towards the middle of the side wall of the church Cathuir Mac Conchaigh a town in the Munster Decies St Mochel loc was honored here See Killmallock county Limerick Clashmore in the barony of Decies within Drum See Clonrane county Westmeath St Pulcherius of Lcathmore ordered Cuanchear whom he had raised from the dead to erect this monastery This celebrated abbey existed to the time of the general suppression when its property was granted to Sir Walter Haleigh Crooke in the barony of Gualtiere and four miles east of Water ford Here is a ruined castle which belonged to the knights of St John of Jerusalem and which was founded in the thirteenth century by the Baron of Curraghmore See Kilbarry in this county AD 1348 Friar William de Fyncham was commendator In the twenty seventh of Elizabeth a lease of this commandery was granted to Anthony Power for the term of sixty years at the annual rent of 12 lis 10d Irish money Domnachmore This place is now unknown A St Ere a disciple of St Senan's of Iniscathy presided here as bishop Dungarvan in the barony of Decies without Drum is pleasantly situated the sea flows as far as its walls is a sea port market town and parliamentary borough Abbey of regular canons Archdall so calls them but they did not exist in Ireland until they were introduced by Imar and St Mala chy of Armagh They were known by the name of canons of St Augustine previously to this time This place was anciently known as Achad Garbhan This St Garbhan it is supposed gave his name to this city he is called the disciple of St Finbhar of Cork but it does not sufficiently
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appear that he was the founder of a religions establishment in this place Dun means a fortress and Achad signifies a field so that it may have gotten its name from a chieftain There were many saints of this name one of whom a hermit dissuaded St Coemgen of Glendaloch from entering on a long journey The Augustiniau friary was founded by Thomas Lord Offalay who was justiciary of Ireland in 1295 The family of Magrath endowed it with a castle and some lands contiguous and the O Briens of Cumme ragh who held the rectorial tithes of the parish were great benefactors to it AD 1312 Roger was prior In the thirty seventh of the good Queen Elizabeth a lease of this friary with sixty two acres in the vicinity of Dungarvan and various other property was granted to Roger Dalton The cells of this abbey occupied considerable space The remaining walls of the church and steeple shew it to have been a neat edifice The steeple is about sixty feet high supported by a curious vault with ogives passing diagonally from one angle to another and forming a cross with four other arches which constitute the sides of the square of the building An hospital for lepers was built here and endowed under the invocation of St Brigid No other account is extant of this building Inisdamhle an island in the Suir and in the country of the Desii and Hy Kinsellagh St Findbhar who is distinct from the saint of Cork and who was the fellow student of St Pulcherius probably founded or governed the monastery of this island The memory of this St Findbhar was celebrated on the 4th of July AD 821 the Scandinavians or Danes plundered Inisdamhle AD 824 they again ravaged its monastery AD 952 the Danes again plundered Inisdamhle Killbarry in the barony of Middlethird and within the liberties of the city of Waterford The knights Templars were established here in the twelfth century Their possessions when the order was suppressed were given to the Hospitallers AD 1327 30 and 37 Friar William de Fynchin was commendator AD 1348 the grand prior of Killmainham granted to the said Friar William the commanderies of Killbarry Killure and Crooke with every emolument thereunto belonging for the space and term of seven years the said William annually paying thereout twenty four marcs of silver and all dues visitations and other burdens also keeping those houses in thorough repair and properly supporting the brethren AD 1368 Richard Walsh the master together with the mayor of
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Waterford and many others were slain in battle with the Poera and the O Driscols Killunkart in the barony of Decies within Drum The ruins of a building which is said to have belonged to the knights of St John of Jerusalem are still to be seen here Killure in the barony of Gualtiere and two miles east of Water ford In the twelfth century the Templars had this preceptory AD 1327 to 1337 William de Finchin was preceptor or commen dator AD 1339 William le Brun was commendator AD 1348 William de Fynchin was again in office The thirty second of Elizabeth this commandery was seized of the rectory of Kilbride with all its tithes valued annually at 15s Irish money and containing the two townlands of Quillen and the town lands of Kilbride and Monewee the glebe land of the rectory also the townland of Kill St Lawrence containing sixty acres and a water mill annual value besides reprises 15s Irish money parcels of the possessions of this commandery &c In the thirty fifth of the good queen a lease of this commandery was granted to Nicholas Aylmer for the term of fifty years at the annual rent of 13 6s 8d Irish money Killmboynan In the nineteenth of Elizabeth an inquisition found that a stone house adjacent to the Guild hall and bounded on the west by Milk street on the east and south by St Peter's street on the north by the ground of Patrick Morgan was of old parcel of the possessions of this priory which James Keating the prior with the consent of his brethren gave and granted to the mayor and commonalty of the city of Waterford when incorporated AD 1413 and was of the annual value of 6s 8d besides reprises There is no further account of this priory Lismore in the barony of Coshmore and Ooshbride A traveller says Smyth would scarcely suppose this town to have been an university an Episcopal seat and much less a city with its cathedral and twenty other churches This city of Lismore was graced with a castle on the verge of a hill upwards of sixty feet perpendicular from the river which king John built in 1185 In the office of St Cataldus the Irish bishop of Tarontum who once enriched the halls of Lismore with the treasures of his eruflition the following words are repeated Adolescens Cataldus liberalibus disci plinis eruditus ad eam brevi doctrinae excellentiam pervenit ut ad ipsum audiendum Galli Angli Scoti Theutones aliique finitimarum aliarum regionum quamplurimi Lismoriam convenient
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Bonaventure Moroni has described this conflux of students in the following verses Undiquo conveniunt proceres quos duce trabebat discendi studium major num cognita virtus an laudata forct Celeres vastissima Rheni jam vada Teutonici jam deservere Sicambria Mittit ab extreme gelidos Aquilone Boemos albis ct Arverni coeunt Batavique frequentes et quicunquc cojunt alta sub rupe Gebcnnas Non omnes prospectat Arar Rhodani que fluenta Helvetios multos desidcrat ultima Thule Certatim bi properant divcrso tramite ad urbem Lesmoriam juvenis primos ubi transigit anuos Alas 1 the glory of Lismore has faded under the sway of British misrule Its twenty churches have disappeared known only to the historian by their fame Its castle is sometimes tenanted by the absentee duke of Devonshire who occasionally visits those estates that have been plundered from the ancient inheritors St Carthag was the founder of Lismore See diocese of Having been driven from Rathenin St Carthag established himself at Lismore In the Acta Sanctorum by the Bollandists the following passage is found relative to his proceedings at Lismore Cunctis ergo Deum in Sanctis laudantibus ad locum eis conces sum scilicet Lismorum nomine pervenerunt ac cellulas contemplationi aptas sibi construxerunt A description of similar cells has been given when treating of High island county Galway and of Innismurry county Sligo Such it appears were the cells of St Columba at Hy and of St Gall at Brigents which afterwards became so celebrated for its wealth and Bplendor as appears from the life of this sainted Irishman by Wallifrid Strabo which has been published by Messingham Tempore subsequent caepit virtutum cultor eximius Gallus Ora torium construere mansiunculis pergyrum dispositis ad fcommanendum fratribus quorum jam duodecim Monastici sanctitate propositi roboratos doctrina et exemplis ad aeternorum desideria concitavit Doctor Lanigan seems to have forgotten when unwilling to attribute to some Irish saints the number of monasteries which they founded that the simple construction of those cells enabled the holy founders to build them without delay or expense hence it is that so few of those ancient structures remain and are only to be found in the western isles of Ireland Such too has been the Laura of the Egyptian monks which was
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composed of many cells divided from each other every monk providing for himself thus differing from the Ceenobium in which the inmates lived in society and possessed all things in common St Cornelli a virgin whose cell was situated in this place foretold to St Carthag the future importance of his establishment at Lismore AD 702 the school of Lismore was in the zenith of its reputation AD 703 died the abbot Ronain AD 755 died the abbot Condath In 778 died the anchorite Suar leeh AD 812 the town was plundered AD 831 the Danes plundered and sacked Lismore AD 833 they renewed their ravages AD 903 Cormack Mac Cullenan king of Munster bequeathed to this abbey a gold and silver chalice and a vestment of silk AD 913 the Danes plundered the abbey AD 936 died the abbot Ciaran AD 1040 died Corcran Cleireach the celebrated anchorite he was a famous divine and so greatly excelled all western Europe in religion and learning that every contest throughout the kingdom was referred to his decision AD 1095 died the anchorite Scanlan O Cnaimsighe A cell for an anchorite belonged to the church of Lismore and was endowed with the lands of Ballyhausy a burgage in Lismore six stangs of land a field and two small gardens the whole of the value of 10 AD 1135 Domnhal O Brien king of Dublin died a professed monk in this abbey AD 1154 Teige Gille died in this abbey Was a man held in general esteem for purity of manners AD 1173 This year Raymond and Earl Richard Strongbow wasted and plundered the Decies Lismore suffered considerably and the spoilers admirable reformers indeed extorted a large sum from the bishop to prevent the church from being burned Strongbow sent the spoils by sea to Waterford under the convoy of Adam de Hereford whom Gilbert son of Turgesius the Danish king of Cork with a fleet of thirty five sail pursued The Danes were defeated and Gilbert himself slain AD 1174 the son of Strongbow plundered Lismore AD 1178 the English forces plundered and burned Lismore AD 1207 Lismore with its churches was wholly consumed by an accidental fire Hospital The lands of this hospital were unknown at the time of the suppression It was founded for lepers under the invocation of St Brigid
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AD 1467 the master of this hospital usually styled prior was in his 120th year Molana a small island in the river Blackwater anciently called Darinis St Molanfide founded this monastery in the 6th century St Finnian of Clonard when thirty years old visited the venerable St Caiman of Darinis Here also the founder of Ross lived for some time See Fachtnan diocese of Ross Breccan is said to have been abbot of Darinis in the seventh century St Gobbhan was abbot of Darmis either here or in Darinis in the county Wexford Raymond le Gros who with Strongbow plundered Lismore is said to have been interred in this island AD 1287 Peter the abbot having died Philip O Fartyr was elected AD 1309 John was abbot AD 1350 Dionysius was abbot AD 1397 the abbot sued Thomas de Mandeville for three carucates of land On the suppression queen Elizabeth granted this abbey and its possessions to Sir Walter Raleigh who assigned them to the earl of Cork The nave and choir of this abbey still remain Adjacent thereto are several walls in a ruinous state and the structure itself built m the pointed style appears to be very ancient Mothell in the barony of Upper Third St Brogan founded the abbey of Mothell See Rostuirc Queen's county Some assert that this house was subsequently possessed by Cistercians but it is more probable that it belonged to the canons regular of St Augustin AD 1296 Adam was abbot AD 1343 died the abbot Thomas AD 1350 on the death of abbot David of happy memory Patrick succeeded AD 1359 Patrick having resigned Maurice O Calith succeeded AD 1491 Rory O Rhoman was abbot Edward Power the last abbot surrendered in the thirty first of Henry VTQ The possessions of this abbey were 889 acres thirty two messuages three rectories value 11 6s 8d with other appurtenances all of which were granted to Butler and Peter Power at the annual rent of 6 4s Irish money A parcel of these possessions form a part of the estate of Simon Digby Esq Rhincrew in the barony of Coshmore and Coshbride and in the parish of Temple Michael A castle here is said to have belonged to the knights of St John of Jerusalem
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At Ihe suppression it was granted to Sir Walter Raleigh Walter was a favorite for some time but having incurred the displeasure of the queen he was sent to the tower of London where he lay seventeen years His apartment there is shewn by one of the attendants or wardens Waterford the seat of a bishop the capital of the county a parliamentary borough is indebted for its origin to the Danes who walled and fortified the town with towers and a castle Priory of St Catharine was founded by the Danes when their conversion took place for Augustine canons of the congregation of St Victor AD 1111 Waterford was destroyed by fire AD 1210 Pope Innocent III confirmed the possessions of this house AD 1378 David was prior AD 1456 Thomas the prior was appointed bishop of Down and Connor AD 1491 Thomas Cor was made prior Edward Power was the last prior Its property consisted of 670 acres besides other lands nof enumerated twelve messuages rectories annual value 33 8s all of which with tithes &c were granted to Elizabeth Butler alias Sherlock for the term of twenty one years at the annual rent of 117 5s 8d These possessions subsequently became part of the estate of Simon Bigby Esq Hospital of St Stephen This house was founded for lepers which the family of Power endowed John earl of Morton confirmed this edifice to the poor of the city Priory of St John the Evangelist John earl of Morton arrived at Waterford in the year 1185 when he founded this priory for Benedictines confirmed to them certain lands in the charter which he gave it is called his alms house and it was made a cell to the abbey of SS Peter and Paul in the city of Bath Somersetshire Peter de Fonte was a munificent benefactor to this house AD 1202 King John granted letters of protection to the monks of this house AD 1260 Thomas was prior AD 1315 King Edward H granted a charter to this priory Sir Nicholas Bath was the last prior The possessions of this house were extensive consisting of sixteen carucates of land value one marc $25 each 212 other acres seventy two messuages with a reversion of forty other ones parcels of which were granted to the heirs and assigns of William Lincoln and James
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Rice The others were given by Elizabeth to William Wyse knight Henry and James Wysc Monastery of St Saviour The Dominicans were introduced into Waterford AD 1226 Their house was built on the site of an ancient tower then waste The steeple was a very strong building Their monastery was called Elack Friars The present county court house has been erected on its site AD 1277 a general chapter of the order was held here AD 1309 another chapter was held here AD 1334 a liberate issued bearing date January 13th for the payment of thirty five marcs as one year's pension to the Dominican friars of Waterford Dublin Drogheda Cork and Limerick AD 1335 59 liberates also were issued AD 1400 Henry IV granted an annual pension for ever of thirty marcs to these houses William Martin was the last prior The possessions of his priory were granted for ever to James White at the annual rent of 4s Irish money AD 1756 the fathers of this house were James Sexton prior Patrick Bray and James Shesty Dominican nunnery In compliance with the wishes of the citizens of Waterford this nunnery was founded and was dedicated to St Catharine of Sienna AD 1742 Benedict XIV of illustrious memory issued a brief approving or remedial by which the original proceeding was rendered legitimate the erection of the convent and the profession of Catharine as well as the novitiate of Maria Pilkinton being thereby ratified and liberty given to the prioress to admit novices to the habit of the order and have them professed AD 1756 the sisters were Maria Anastasia Wyse prioress Char lotto Wise Maria Mean Katharine Ayeres Margaret O Dunne and Jane O Flaherty In 1758 through the reduction of their revenues they were obliged to disperse The following year Maria Anastasia Wyse departed this life at Dublin in a house of her own order Franciscan friary Lord Hugh Purcel in 1240 founded this monastery and having died the same year was interred on the right of the high altar AD 1244 October 15th king Henry HI granted the sum of 20 annually payable on the feast of all saints to buy tunics for the friars minor of Waterford Dublin Cork Athlone and Limerick Franciscans AD 1293 Edward I granted a further sum of thirty five marcs to be paid annually to the said friars AD 1317 a provincial chapter of the order was held here AD 1469 another chapter held here
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John Lynche was the last prior In the thirty first of Henry VIII he surrendered the friary containing a church and steeple cemetery hall six chambers a kitchen two stables a bakehouse four cellars and sundry other buildings within the precincts and of the annual value besides reprises of 5 6s 10d In the thirty third of Henry it was with an acre of meadow and a yearly rent of 10 payable out of the city of Waterford and 20s yearly issuing out of the said lands granted for ever to Patrick Walsh the master of the hospital of the Holy Ghost at the annual rent of 8s and a fine of 151 13s 4d Irish money
Acnaddagain St Dagan the brother of St Libba of Glendaloch and of St Menoc usually called Dagan of Inverdaoile in Wexford where he governed that monastery is said to have been the disciple of St Pulcherius of Leathmore who took his pupil under his care when but a small boy He remained for many years at Liathmore until becoming duly qualified and approved by his holy preceptor he formed the establishment of Inverdaoile Dagan is said to have made excursions to other countries and to have visited Rome He was promoted to the episcopacy before the death of St Molua probably about the year 600 His see was called Achad Dagan which seems to have been another name for Inverdaoile or a part of it St Dagan was an ardent supporter of the Irish practices relative to the paschal question His zeal on this point was so great that on the occasion of a visit to Britain and meeting with Lawrence archbishop of Canterbury and other Roman missionaries he refused not only to eat in their company but even under the same roof with them Notwithstanding his warmth of temper in this respect he is represented as a man of a very mild disposition and was greatly esteemed for his sanctity as appears from his having been consulted by St Molua on the choice of a successor and from it is said his having performed many miracles St Dagan died on the 13th of September AD 610 and was buried at Inverdaoile Ardmore See diocese of The holy bishop St Declan the founder died AD 527 St Ultan son of Ere succeeded it seems only as abbot He was the disciple of Declan and had been before he was called to Ardmore at the monastery of Coning a place near Clonmel Concerning his transactions little or nothing else is known AD 1174 the abbot Eugene was a subscribing witness to the charter granted to the monastery of Finbhar in Cork
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AD 1203 died Moel ettrim O Duibhe rathra who having erected and finished the church became bishop of Ardmore The remains of two ancient churches are still to be seen here one on a cliff near the sea in ruins the other about a mile north west of the former and is very ancient A handsome gothic arch separating the body of the church from the chancel yet remains and the pillars supporting it denote the antiquity of the building On the west end of this church are figures in alto relievo done in free stone venerable through their antiquity viz Adam and Eve with the tree and serpent the Judgment of Solomon There is also a fine round tower upwards of one hundred feet in height and forty five in circumference In the churchyard is a small low building called the dormitory of St Declan Ballivony in the barony of Decies without Drum and in the parish of Stradbally It is supposed that the knights Hospitallers possessed this building which measures one hundred and fifty feet in length by ninety broad There are the remains of several large out offices the ground plan of which resembles that of a religious edifice Bewley in the barony of Decies without Drum and in the parish of Killmolash and two miles south east of Lismore The ruins of a monastic building are here which it is said belonged to the knights of 6t John of Jerusalem Baillendesert in the barony of Upperthird and parish of Desart St M aidoc of Ferns built an abbey here of which there is no account See diocese of Ferns Cappagh in the barony of Decies without Drum parish of White church and about three miles west of Dungarvan Here are the remains of an ancient building said to have belonged to the knights Hospitallers Carrickbeg in the barony of Upperthird and parish of Desart A monastery was founded here for conventual Franciscans in the year 1336 by James earl of Ormond and the first friar was admitted on Saturday the festival of SS Peter and Paul Stephen de Barry was appointed minister William Naisse keeper and friar John Clynne who was the annalist of Kilkenny its first warden AD 1347 a charter was granted to the founder permitting him to alienate a messuage and ten acres of land with their appurtenances to these friars for the purpose of erecting thereon a monastic house and by the assistance of various charities they built a church dormitory and cloisters all of which were small having left the other offices unfinished AD 1385 the king seized into his hands two carucates of land
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which James late earl of Ormond had granted to this monastery without obtaining the royal license William Cormack the last prior surrendered in the thirty first of King Henry VIII being then seized of a church and steeple a chapterhouse dormitory hall three chambers a kitchen stable two gardens and sundry closes containing four acres also twelve messuages ten gardens one hundred and twenty acres of arable land twenty of pasture and six of meadow with their appurtenances annual value 53s 4d besides reprises This friary with appurtenances and twenty acres of land in the town of Carrick was granted to Thomas earl of Ormond This monastery was dedicated to St Michael The steeple still remains and is a curious structure about sixty feet in height rising from a single stone like an inverted coue the point beginning several feet from the ground towards the middle of the side wall of the church Cathuir Mac Conchaigh a town in the Munster Decies St Mochel loc was honored here See Killmallock county Limerick Clashmore in the barony of Decies within Drum See Clonrane county Westmeath St Pulcherius of Lcathmore ordered Cuanchear whom he had raised from the dead to erect this monastery This celebrated abbey existed to the time of the general suppression when its property was granted to Sir Walter Haleigh Crooke in the barony of Gualtiere and four miles east of Water ford Here is a ruined castle which belonged to the knights of St John of Jerusalem and which was founded in the thirteenth century by the Baron of Curraghmore See Kilbarry in this county AD 1348 Friar William de Fyncham was commendator In the twenty seventh of Elizabeth a lease of this commandery was granted to Anthony Power for the term of sixty years at the annual rent of 12 lis 10d Irish money Domnachmore This place is now unknown A St Ere a disciple of St Senan's of Iniscathy presided here as bishop Dungarvan in the barony of Decies without Drum is pleasantly situated the sea flows as far as its walls is a sea port market town and parliamentary borough Abbey of regular canons Archdall so calls them but they did not exist in Ireland until they were introduced by Imar and St Mala chy of Armagh They were known by the name of canons of St Augustine previously to this time This place was anciently known as Achad Garbhan This St Garbhan it is supposed gave his name to this city he is called the disciple of St Finbhar of Cork but it does not sufficiently
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appear that he was the founder of a religions establishment in this place Dun means a fortress and Achad signifies a field so that it may have gotten its name from a chieftain There were many saints of this name one of whom a hermit dissuaded St Coemgen of Glendaloch from entering on a long journey The Augustiniau friary was founded by Thomas Lord Offalay who was justiciary of Ireland in 1295 The family of Magrath endowed it with a castle and some lands contiguous and the O Briens of Cumme ragh who held the rectorial tithes of the parish were great benefactors to it AD 1312 Roger was prior In the thirty seventh of the good Queen Elizabeth a lease of this friary with sixty two acres in the vicinity of Dungarvan and various other property was granted to Roger Dalton The cells of this abbey occupied considerable space The remaining walls of the church and steeple shew it to have been a neat edifice The steeple is about sixty feet high supported by a curious vault with ogives passing diagonally from one angle to another and forming a cross with four other arches which constitute the sides of the square of the building An hospital for lepers was built here and endowed under the invocation of St Brigid No other account is extant of this building Inisdamhle an island in the Suir and in the country of the Desii and Hy Kinsellagh St Findbhar who is distinct from the saint of Cork and who was the fellow student of St Pulcherius probably founded or governed the monastery of this island The memory of this St Findbhar was celebrated on the 4th of July AD 821 the Scandinavians or Danes plundered Inisdamhle AD 824 they again ravaged its monastery AD 952 the Danes again plundered Inisdamhle Killbarry in the barony of Middlethird and within the liberties of the city of Waterford The knights Templars were established here in the twelfth century Their possessions when the order was suppressed were given to the Hospitallers AD 1327 30 and 37 Friar William de Fynchin was commendator AD 1348 the grand prior of Killmainham granted to the said Friar William the commanderies of Killbarry Killure and Crooke with every emolument thereunto belonging for the space and term of seven years the said William annually paying thereout twenty four marcs of silver and all dues visitations and other burdens also keeping those houses in thorough repair and properly supporting the brethren AD 1368 Richard Walsh the master together with the mayor of
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Waterford and many others were slain in battle with the Poera and the O Driscols Killunkart in the barony of Decies within Drum The ruins of a building which is said to have belonged to the knights of St John of Jerusalem are still to be seen here Killure in the barony of Gualtiere and two miles east of Water ford In the twelfth century the Templars had this preceptory AD 1327 to 1337 William de Finchin was preceptor or commen dator AD 1339 William le Brun was commendator AD 1348 William de Fynchin was again in office The thirty second of Elizabeth this commandery was seized of the rectory of Kilbride with all its tithes valued annually at 15s Irish money and containing the two townlands of Quillen and the town lands of Kilbride and Monewee the glebe land of the rectory also the townland of Kill St Lawrence containing sixty acres and a water mill annual value besides reprises 15s Irish money parcels of the possessions of this commandery &c In the thirty fifth of the good queen a lease of this commandery was granted to Nicholas Aylmer for the term of fifty years at the annual rent of 13 6s 8d Irish money Killmboynan In the nineteenth of Elizabeth an inquisition found that a stone house adjacent to the Guild hall and bounded on the west by Milk street on the east and south by St Peter's street on the north by the ground of Patrick Morgan was of old parcel of the possessions of this priory which James Keating the prior with the consent of his brethren gave and granted to the mayor and commonalty of the city of Waterford when incorporated AD 1413 and was of the annual value of 6s 8d besides reprises There is no further account of this priory Lismore in the barony of Coshmore and Ooshbride A traveller says Smyth would scarcely suppose this town to have been an university an Episcopal seat and much less a city with its cathedral and twenty other churches This city of Lismore was graced with a castle on the verge of a hill upwards of sixty feet perpendicular from the river which king John built in 1185 In the office of St Cataldus the Irish bishop of Tarontum who once enriched the halls of Lismore with the treasures of his eruflition the following words are repeated Adolescens Cataldus liberalibus disci plinis eruditus ad eam brevi doctrinae excellentiam pervenit ut ad ipsum audiendum Galli Angli Scoti Theutones aliique finitimarum aliarum regionum quamplurimi Lismoriam convenient
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Bonaventure Moroni has described this conflux of students in the following verses Undiquo conveniunt proceres quos duce trabebat discendi studium major num cognita virtus an laudata forct Celeres vastissima Rheni jam vada Teutonici jam deservere Sicambria Mittit ab extreme gelidos Aquilone Boemos albis ct Arverni coeunt Batavique frequentes et quicunquc cojunt alta sub rupe Gebcnnas Non omnes prospectat Arar Rhodani que fluenta Helvetios multos desidcrat ultima Thule Certatim bi properant divcrso tramite ad urbem Lesmoriam juvenis primos ubi transigit anuos Alas 1 the glory of Lismore has faded under the sway of British misrule Its twenty churches have disappeared known only to the historian by their fame Its castle is sometimes tenanted by the absentee duke of Devonshire who occasionally visits those estates that have been plundered from the ancient inheritors St Carthag was the founder of Lismore See diocese of Having been driven from Rathenin St Carthag established himself at Lismore In the Acta Sanctorum by the Bollandists the following passage is found relative to his proceedings at Lismore Cunctis ergo Deum in Sanctis laudantibus ad locum eis conces sum scilicet Lismorum nomine pervenerunt ac cellulas contemplationi aptas sibi construxerunt A description of similar cells has been given when treating of High island county Galway and of Innismurry county Sligo Such it appears were the cells of St Columba at Hy and of St Gall at Brigents which afterwards became so celebrated for its wealth and Bplendor as appears from the life of this sainted Irishman by Wallifrid Strabo which has been published by Messingham Tempore subsequent caepit virtutum cultor eximius Gallus Ora torium construere mansiunculis pergyrum dispositis ad fcommanendum fratribus quorum jam duodecim Monastici sanctitate propositi roboratos doctrina et exemplis ad aeternorum desideria concitavit Doctor Lanigan seems to have forgotten when unwilling to attribute to some Irish saints the number of monasteries which they founded that the simple construction of those cells enabled the holy founders to build them without delay or expense hence it is that so few of those ancient structures remain and are only to be found in the western isles of Ireland Such too has been the Laura of the Egyptian monks which was
685
composed of many cells divided from each other every monk providing for himself thus differing from the Ceenobium in which the inmates lived in society and possessed all things in common St Cornelli a virgin whose cell was situated in this place foretold to St Carthag the future importance of his establishment at Lismore AD 702 the school of Lismore was in the zenith of its reputation AD 703 died the abbot Ronain AD 755 died the abbot Condath In 778 died the anchorite Suar leeh AD 812 the town was plundered AD 831 the Danes plundered and sacked Lismore AD 833 they renewed their ravages AD 903 Cormack Mac Cullenan king of Munster bequeathed to this abbey a gold and silver chalice and a vestment of silk AD 913 the Danes plundered the abbey AD 936 died the abbot Ciaran AD 1040 died Corcran Cleireach the celebrated anchorite he was a famous divine and so greatly excelled all western Europe in religion and learning that every contest throughout the kingdom was referred to his decision AD 1095 died the anchorite Scanlan O Cnaimsighe A cell for an anchorite belonged to the church of Lismore and was endowed with the lands of Ballyhausy a burgage in Lismore six stangs of land a field and two small gardens the whole of the value of 10 AD 1135 Domnhal O Brien king of Dublin died a professed monk in this abbey AD 1154 Teige Gille died in this abbey Was a man held in general esteem for purity of manners AD 1173 This year Raymond and Earl Richard Strongbow wasted and plundered the Decies Lismore suffered considerably and the spoilers admirable reformers indeed extorted a large sum from the bishop to prevent the church from being burned Strongbow sent the spoils by sea to Waterford under the convoy of Adam de Hereford whom Gilbert son of Turgesius the Danish king of Cork with a fleet of thirty five sail pursued The Danes were defeated and Gilbert himself slain AD 1174 the son of Strongbow plundered Lismore AD 1178 the English forces plundered and burned Lismore AD 1207 Lismore with its churches was wholly consumed by an accidental fire Hospital The lands of this hospital were unknown at the time of the suppression It was founded for lepers under the invocation of St Brigid
686
AD 1467 the master of this hospital usually styled prior was in his 120th year Molana a small island in the river Blackwater anciently called Darinis St Molanfide founded this monastery in the 6th century St Finnian of Clonard when thirty years old visited the venerable St Caiman of Darinis Here also the founder of Ross lived for some time See Fachtnan diocese of Ross Breccan is said to have been abbot of Darinis in the seventh century St Gobbhan was abbot of Darmis either here or in Darinis in the county Wexford Raymond le Gros who with Strongbow plundered Lismore is said to have been interred in this island AD 1287 Peter the abbot having died Philip O Fartyr was elected AD 1309 John was abbot AD 1350 Dionysius was abbot AD 1397 the abbot sued Thomas de Mandeville for three carucates of land On the suppression queen Elizabeth granted this abbey and its possessions to Sir Walter Raleigh who assigned them to the earl of Cork The nave and choir of this abbey still remain Adjacent thereto are several walls in a ruinous state and the structure itself built m the pointed style appears to be very ancient Mothell in the barony of Upper Third St Brogan founded the abbey of Mothell See Rostuirc Queen's county Some assert that this house was subsequently possessed by Cistercians but it is more probable that it belonged to the canons regular of St Augustin AD 1296 Adam was abbot AD 1343 died the abbot Thomas AD 1350 on the death of abbot David of happy memory Patrick succeeded AD 1359 Patrick having resigned Maurice O Calith succeeded AD 1491 Rory O Rhoman was abbot Edward Power the last abbot surrendered in the thirty first of Henry VTQ The possessions of this abbey were 889 acres thirty two messuages three rectories value 11 6s 8d with other appurtenances all of which were granted to Butler and Peter Power at the annual rent of 6 4s Irish money A parcel of these possessions form a part of the estate of Simon Digby Esq Rhincrew in the barony of Coshmore and Coshbride and in the parish of Temple Michael A castle here is said to have belonged to the knights of St John of Jerusalem
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At Ihe suppression it was granted to Sir Walter Raleigh Walter was a favorite for some time but having incurred the displeasure of the queen he was sent to the tower of London where he lay seventeen years His apartment there is shewn by one of the attendants or wardens Waterford the seat of a bishop the capital of the county a parliamentary borough is indebted for its origin to the Danes who walled and fortified the town with towers and a castle Priory of St Catharine was founded by the Danes when their conversion took place for Augustine canons of the congregation of St Victor AD 1111 Waterford was destroyed by fire AD 1210 Pope Innocent III confirmed the possessions of this house AD 1378 David was prior AD 1456 Thomas the prior was appointed bishop of Down and Connor AD 1491 Thomas Cor was made prior Edward Power was the last prior Its property consisted of 670 acres besides other lands nof enumerated twelve messuages rectories annual value 33 8s all of which with tithes &c were granted to Elizabeth Butler alias Sherlock for the term of twenty one years at the annual rent of 117 5s 8d These possessions subsequently became part of the estate of Simon Bigby Esq Hospital of St Stephen This house was founded for lepers which the family of Power endowed John earl of Morton confirmed this edifice to the poor of the city Priory of St John the Evangelist John earl of Morton arrived at Waterford in the year 1185 when he founded this priory for Benedictines confirmed to them certain lands in the charter which he gave it is called his alms house and it was made a cell to the abbey of SS Peter and Paul in the city of Bath Somersetshire Peter de Fonte was a munificent benefactor to this house AD 1202 King John granted letters of protection to the monks of this house AD 1260 Thomas was prior AD 1315 King Edward H granted a charter to this priory Sir Nicholas Bath was the last prior The possessions of this house were extensive consisting of sixteen carucates of land value one marc $25 each 212 other acres seventy two messuages with a reversion of forty other ones parcels of which were granted to the heirs and assigns of William Lincoln and James
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Rice The others were given by Elizabeth to William Wyse knight Henry and James Wysc Monastery of St Saviour The Dominicans were introduced into Waterford AD 1226 Their house was built on the site of an ancient tower then waste The steeple was a very strong building Their monastery was called Elack Friars The present county court house has been erected on its site AD 1277 a general chapter of the order was held here AD 1309 another chapter was held here AD 1334 a liberate issued bearing date January 13th for the payment of thirty five marcs as one year's pension to the Dominican friars of Waterford Dublin Drogheda Cork and Limerick AD 1335 59 liberates also were issued AD 1400 Henry IV granted an annual pension for ever of thirty marcs to these houses William Martin was the last prior The possessions of his priory were granted for ever to James White at the annual rent of 4s Irish money AD 1756 the fathers of this house were James Sexton prior Patrick Bray and James Shesty Dominican nunnery In compliance with the wishes of the citizens of Waterford this nunnery was founded and was dedicated to St Catharine of Sienna AD 1742 Benedict XIV of illustrious memory issued a brief approving or remedial by which the original proceeding was rendered legitimate the erection of the convent and the profession of Catharine as well as the novitiate of Maria Pilkinton being thereby ratified and liberty given to the prioress to admit novices to the habit of the order and have them professed AD 1756 the sisters were Maria Anastasia Wyse prioress Char lotto Wise Maria Mean Katharine Ayeres Margaret O Dunne and Jane O Flaherty In 1758 through the reduction of their revenues they were obliged to disperse The following year Maria Anastasia Wyse departed this life at Dublin in a house of her own order Franciscan friary Lord Hugh Purcel in 1240 founded this monastery and having died the same year was interred on the right of the high altar AD 1244 October 15th king Henry HI granted the sum of 20 annually payable on the feast of all saints to buy tunics for the friars minor of Waterford Dublin Cork Athlone and Limerick Franciscans AD 1293 Edward I granted a further sum of thirty five marcs to be paid annually to the said friars AD 1317 a provincial chapter of the order was held here AD 1469 another chapter held here
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John Lynche was the last prior In the thirty first of Henry VIII he surrendered the friary containing a church and steeple cemetery hall six chambers a kitchen two stables a bakehouse four cellars and sundry other buildings within the precincts and of the annual value besides reprises of 5 6s 10d In the thirty third of Henry it was with an acre of meadow and a yearly rent of 10 payable out of the city of Waterford and 20s yearly issuing out of the said lands granted for ever to Patrick Walsh the master of the hospital of the Holy Ghost at the annual rent of 8s and a fine of 151 13s 4d Irish money
Diocese of Lismore
Walsh c. xxv., p. 239
LISMORE ITS FOUNDATION Saint Carthag founded the see of Lismore in the year 633 This saint sometimes called Mochuda was horn in Kerry about the middle of the sixth century Having studied several years under Saint Comgall of Bangor he removed to Clonfert Molua with a view of practising greater austerity and of becoming acquainted with monastic discipline The first establishment of St Carthag was at Ratheny in the present county of Westmeath In this retreat he drew up a rule for his disciples and remaining here forty years was at length consecrated bishop Though his great sanctity and that of his monks should secure them protection against cruelty they were compelled to relinquish their monastery at Ratheny by Blathmac prince of the country but on being after their expulsion kindly received by Moelochtride prince of Nan desi and obtaining the tract of land in which Lismore is situated they settled there and founded the celebrated monastery of that place It soon became an episcopal see and was governed by a regular succession of prelates until it became united with Waterford in the year 1363 Its holy founder having retired to a solitary valley at the east end of the town spent the last years of his life in prayer and contemplation He died on the 14th of May AD 637 and was buried at Lismore Hitherto a wild and dreary spot Lismore soon became a considerable city and the fame of the school which St Carthag founded in connection with his monastery spreading not only over Ireland and England but also over the most distant parts of the continent of Europe numbers flocked from Gaul Germany Italy the regions of the Danube and from Scotland and Britain and those students who came in the days of Ireland's splendor and in those of the glory and renown of Lismore returned to their respective homes full of gratitude to the country that afforded them education and hospitality Ages have passed over revolutions have succeeded scarcely does tradition point out the site of this ancient asylum in which the genius of literature was once supreme After the death of the holy founder St Carthag the schools of Lismore became still more celebrated under the learned Cathaldus in the middle of the seventh century who afterwards succeeded to the bishopric of Tarentum in Italy and who it is said foretold the destruction of Naples Into the religious establishments of Lismore women were prevented from entering a ruJe that was observed in other monasteries until it was generally adopted over all the religious foundations of Ireland
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Some of the superiors of Irish communities would not even allow women to enter the chapels or churches belonging to them nor could ladies complain of this incivility as such churches were not intended for their use A similar observance is enforced in all the monasteries and convents of men episcopal seminaries and some colleges on the continent of Europe St Carthag the first bishop and the founder of the see of Lismore about the year 633 This venerable servant of God died as was already noted on the 14th day of May 637 Hierologus or Theologus abbot and bishop of Lismore died on the 16th of January 698 Colman or Mocholmoc son of Finbarr succeeded Hierlog in the government of the abbey and bishopric While Colman presided Lismore stood in a higher degree of reputation both for learning and virtue than any other seminary in Ireland Colman died on the 22d of January 702 Saint Cronan a learned man and called the wise was descended of a noble stock and of the same family with St Ailbe of Emly died on the 9th of February 717 Colman O Liathain a learned doctor and bishop of Lismore died about 725 Macoge died in 746 Ronan died in 763 but his consecration is doubtful Cormac Culenan prince of Desies in Munster and bishop of Lismore is said to have died in the year 918 is not to be confounded with Cormac of Cashel who was slain either in 903 or 908 O Mail Sluaig bishop of Lismore died AD 1025 Moriertach O Selbac died in 1034 Mac Airthir died in 1064 Mael Dun O Rebacain died in 1091 Mac Mic Aeducan died in 1113 Gilla Mocudu O Rebacain who it is supposed was only abbot died in 1129 as Malchus according to St Bernard was bishop of Lismore in 1123 when St Malachy repaired hither Malchus lived in 1123 He was says St Bernard a man full of days and virtues and the wisdom of God was in him Bishop Malchus was an Irishman educated in England and embraced a monastic life in the abbey of Winchester whence he was removed to the see of Lismore It is not decided whether different from the Malchus of Waterford who was promoted in 1096 to that see In the see of Lismore Malchus became eminenV by his great learning exemplary life and also by miracle as St Bernard testifies
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Maol or Malchus was preceptor to St Malachy O Moore of Armagh who was induced by the solicitations of Gilbert bishop of Limerick and legate of Ireland and the holy prelate of Lismore to accept the primatial chair Malchus according to Harris was living in 1134 but the year of his death is not on record Christian O Conarchy born near Bangor in Ulster a disciple of St Malachy and at last his archdeacon either in Armagh or Down succeeded in 1150 St Malachy sent Christian to tho abbey of St Bernard at Clairvaux to be instructed in the Cistercian institute where he became a monk and havingYeturned to Ireland in 1142 was appointed the first abbot of Mellifont Soon after consecrated bishop of Lismore he was constituted legate of Ireland While he sat in the chair of Lismore the synod of Kells was held at which he and Cardinal Paparo presided In the year 1157 Christian presided at a synod held in the abbey of Mellifont seventeen bishops together with Gelasius archbishop of Armagh assisting in its celebration While this synod sat the church of this beautiful abbey the most splendid in Ireland was consecrated According to Keating Christian was superior of all the monks of Ireland his own order Christian died very far advanced in years AD 1186 and was buried in the abbey of O Dorney or Kyrie eleisoH county of Kerry Tired of worldly pomp and choosing a life of retirement which was more genial with his earlier habits of prayer and contemplation this holy prelate resigned the see of Lismore in the year 1175 Felix bishop of Lismore was sitting in 1179 assisted at the council of Lateran held in that year He gave the church of St John at Lismore to tho abbey of Thomas court near Dublin The time of his consecration is to be inferred from the resignation of Christian and that of his death from the appointment of his successor Harris thinks his death ought to be placed in 1206 and considers this prelate of Lismore the one who was so grievously injured by Robert bishop of Waterford The contest began in the year 1209 when David Walsh was slain and renewed by his successor Robert If the prelate Felix was tho person thus injured he could not be put down as hors de combat in 1206 Odanus Or O Hcda a Cistercian monk and a disciple of St Malachy while that holy prelate sat in the chair of Down a man of great esteem for his learning sanctity and knowledge is said to have succeeded Christian O Conarchy in the see of Lismore If Felix and O Heda be one and the same his incumbency must have continued long after the year 1206 Robert of Bedford so called from the place of his birth in England was elected without the king's licence on the 12th day of December 16
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1218 His election on that account was voided by the king's council The proctors of the chapter Macrobius and David at once renouncing the first election produced authority from the canons of Lismore enabling them to elect whereupon licence being given they reelected Robert of Bedford whom the king confirmed giving him also the temporals the same year he was consecrated in London Robert of Waterford who claimed the see of Lismore as united to his own suggested a fraud in the proceedings of the canons at Lismore and supported his pretensions by exhibiting the letters of John cardinal priest of St Stephen on thd Coolian Mount the Pope's legate for the ordering and uniting of those bishoprics Upon this petition the king annulled the election of Robert de Bedford and directed that restitution of the temporals should be made in favor of Robert bishop of Waterford but Robert de Bedford appealed from the king's order to the Pope who referred the investigation of the cause to his legate Pandulph de Masca bishop elect of Norwich Stephen Langton archbishop of Canterbury and Benedict bishop of Rochester Having enquired into the matter a definitive sentence was given against the bishop of Waterford and it was declared that the union made by the former legate was void and the election of de Bedford good and valid The bishop of Waterford was moreover condemned in the sum of three hundred marks to the bishop of Lismore for past profits and costs of suit Robert de Bedford died soon after the termination of the contest with the bishop of Waterford AD 1222 Griffin Christopher chancellor of Lismore was elected to this see in the year 1223 but was not consecrated until 1227 as it appears he had not received the confirmation of his metropolitan This prelate was the first who instituted vicars choral in the cathedral of Lismore Before his death he granted away eighty acres of land two of mea dow eighty of wood belonging to this see to Philip Fitz Adam Christopher senior without the consent of his chapter Griffin died m 1246 Alan O Sullivan a Dominican friar was translated to the see of Lismore from the diocese of Cloyne in 1248 and died in 1252 Thomas Treasurer of Lismore was elected by the dean and chapter of Lismore in April 1253 was confirmed by the king in July following Two years before his death some trouble arosO between this prelate and Mathew le Poer who arrested the prelate and kept him in prison for some time This affair took place in 1268 Thomas having died was buried in his own church John Roche or de Rupe descended of a noble family and chantor
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of Lismore was elected and confirmed AD 1270 He sat almost nine years and died about Whitsuntide 1279 Richard Cor chancellor of Lismore was elected and obtained the temporals on the 24h of October 1279 A great contest arose between this prelate and Stephen Fulburn bishop of Waterford about some lands the affair remaining undecided through the translation of Stephen to the see of Tuam it was again revived between him and Walter Fulburn Stephen's successor in the see of Waterford It was at last composed in the year 1288 In 1297 Richard brought a writ of entry in the post against Philip Fitz Adam Christopher jun for possessions which GrifBn Christopher granted without the consent of his chapter Richard was successful in his suit He died a little before the feast of All Saints in 1303 and was buried in his own church William of Flanders or Fleming was elected in the end of 1303 or the beginning of the following year bishop of Lismore William was archdeacon of Lismore before his election to the see He died about November 1321 John Leynagh a secular priest was consecrated on Palm Sunday 1323 bishop of Lismore In 1347 he was indicted for opposing the subsidy which the parliament granted to the king and was found guilty John died a little before Christmas 1354 and deserved well of his successors for recovering the possessions of his see After the death of this prelate the see was kept vacant some years Thomas le Reve was promoted to the see of Lismore at Avignon in 1358 and during his incumbency the sees of Waterford and Lismore were united AD 1363 by Pope Urban V an act which the King Edward HI confirmed on the 7th of October following Thomas le Reve died a very old man AD 1393 and had been in 1367 chancellor of Ireland for some time It appears that the union of thoso sees had been in contemplation a long time before the act of Pope Urban and must have been the cause of the disputes between the prelates of those sees disputes that were disastrous to life and to the interest of religion It is lamentable to have to record such quarrels between those who are constituted to inculcate and enforce virtue and forbearance in others while avarice or a vile propensity to acquire wealth and territory which would be criminal even in the laic stimulates them to acts of spoliation and of rapine It is worthy of remark that no such disgraceful conduct took place in the Irish church until her so called reformers thronged the precincts of her sanctuary and disgraced the very name of religion by their crimes and excesses
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Robert Kead a Dominican friar succeeded in 1394 In two years after he was translated to the see of Carlisle in England Thomas Sparkford a secular priest of the diocese of Bath and Wells succeeded to those united sees in 1396 Thomas died intestate in 1397 John Deping a Dominican friar was consecrated in 1397 A prelate of the name of Colby is said to have enjoyed the bishopric a very short time between the death of Jofin Deping and the appointment of Thomas Sncll in 1399 the year in which Deping died Thomas Snell archdeacon of Glendaloch having renounced all clauses in the Pope's provision prejudicial to the king and having sworn fealty obtained the temporals in 1399 he sat about six years and was translated to the see of Ossory in 1405 Roger succeeded in 1405 sat three years and some months John Geese a Carmelite friar succeeded in August 1409 by provision of Pope Alexander V John died in December 1425 He was a doctor of divinity in the university of Oxford and a prelate greatly celebrated for his piety and learning Whatever may be said of hia learning the impeachment of Richard O Hedian archbishop of Cashol before the parliament does little credit to his piety Richard archdeacon of Lismore succeeded by the provision of the Pope Martin V in 1426 He died on the 7th day of May 1446 and was buried at Waterford in a monument fixed in the wall of his cathedral A report of his death having been circulated Thomas Bird a Dominican friar was consecrated in 1436 to preside over the sees of Waterford and Lismore who died in 1446 Robert Poer dean of Limerick succeeded in 1446 He obtained a licence from King Edward IV to purchase lands in mortmain for himself and his successors to the yearly value of forty pounds Robert died about the year 1471 greatly esteemed for his charity and hospitality Richard Martin a Franciscan friar and professor of divinity was appointed by the Pope to succeed in March 1472 John Bolcomp succeeded in 1475 was consecrated in this or the following year and died in 1479 Nicholas O Henisa a Cistercian monk and abbot of St Mary's of Fermoy succeeded in 1480 by provision of Pope Sixtus IV He sat but a short time John rector of Baudrip in the diocese of Bath and Wells was bishop of Waterford in 1482 Thomas Purcell succeeded in 1486 The same year Thomas took care to have the ancient charters of the church of Lismore among its other antiquities transcribed into a registry by his amanuensis John
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Russel economist of that church it was afterwards destroyed by an accidental fire in 1617 Thomas Purcell died AD 1517 Nicholas Comyn a native of Limerick bishop of Ferns was translated to the sees of Waterfowl and Lismore in 1519 Nicholas resignod AD 1551 Nicholas Fagan abbot of Inislannacht was provided by the Pope Died and was buried in this abbey AD 1617 Patrick Comerford of the order of St Augustin succeeded Died an exile at Nantz in France Was living in 1649 John Brennan was translated to Cashel in 1676 Edward Connery was bishop of Waterford and Lismore in 1685 Richard Pierce succeeded in 1701 Was in exile AD 1735 Stretch bishop of Waterford and Lismore succeeded in 1736 Patrick Creagh or Crowe succeeded in 1770 died in 1775 William Egan elected in 1772 coadjutor succeeded in 1775 Thomas Hussey elected in 1796 died in 1803 John Power elected in 1804 died in 1816 Robert Walsh deposed died in Rome 1822 Patrick Kelly translated from Richmond South America to Waterford and Lismore died on the 8th of October 1829 William Abraham consecrated in 1830 died in the beginning of 1847 Nicholas Foran the present bishop consecrated on the 24th of August 1847
LISMORE ITS FOUNDATION Saint Carthag founded the see of Lismore in the year 633 This saint sometimes called Mochuda was horn in Kerry about the middle of the sixth century Having studied several years under Saint Comgall of Bangor he removed to Clonfert Molua with a view of practising greater austerity and of becoming acquainted with monastic discipline The first establishment of St Carthag was at Ratheny in the present county of Westmeath In this retreat he drew up a rule for his disciples and remaining here forty years was at length consecrated bishop Though his great sanctity and that of his monks should secure them protection against cruelty they were compelled to relinquish their monastery at Ratheny by Blathmac prince of the country but on being after their expulsion kindly received by Moelochtride prince of Nan desi and obtaining the tract of land in which Lismore is situated they settled there and founded the celebrated monastery of that place It soon became an episcopal see and was governed by a regular succession of prelates until it became united with Waterford in the year 1363 Its holy founder having retired to a solitary valley at the east end of the town spent the last years of his life in prayer and contemplation He died on the 14th of May AD 637 and was buried at Lismore Hitherto a wild and dreary spot Lismore soon became a considerable city and the fame of the school which St Carthag founded in connection with his monastery spreading not only over Ireland and England but also over the most distant parts of the continent of Europe numbers flocked from Gaul Germany Italy the regions of the Danube and from Scotland and Britain and those students who came in the days of Ireland's splendor and in those of the glory and renown of Lismore returned to their respective homes full of gratitude to the country that afforded them education and hospitality Ages have passed over revolutions have succeeded scarcely does tradition point out the site of this ancient asylum in which the genius of literature was once supreme After the death of the holy founder St Carthag the schools of Lismore became still more celebrated under the learned Cathaldus in the middle of the seventh century who afterwards succeeded to the bishopric of Tarentum in Italy and who it is said foretold the destruction of Naples Into the religious establishments of Lismore women were prevented from entering a ruJe that was observed in other monasteries until it was generally adopted over all the religious foundations of Ireland
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Some of the superiors of Irish communities would not even allow women to enter the chapels or churches belonging to them nor could ladies complain of this incivility as such churches were not intended for their use A similar observance is enforced in all the monasteries and convents of men episcopal seminaries and some colleges on the continent of Europe St Carthag the first bishop and the founder of the see of Lismore about the year 633 This venerable servant of God died as was already noted on the 14th day of May 637 Hierologus or Theologus abbot and bishop of Lismore died on the 16th of January 698 Colman or Mocholmoc son of Finbarr succeeded Hierlog in the government of the abbey and bishopric While Colman presided Lismore stood in a higher degree of reputation both for learning and virtue than any other seminary in Ireland Colman died on the 22d of January 702 Saint Cronan a learned man and called the wise was descended of a noble stock and of the same family with St Ailbe of Emly died on the 9th of February 717 Colman O Liathain a learned doctor and bishop of Lismore died about 725 Macoge died in 746 Ronan died in 763 but his consecration is doubtful Cormac Culenan prince of Desies in Munster and bishop of Lismore is said to have died in the year 918 is not to be confounded with Cormac of Cashel who was slain either in 903 or 908 O Mail Sluaig bishop of Lismore died AD 1025 Moriertach O Selbac died in 1034 Mac Airthir died in 1064 Mael Dun O Rebacain died in 1091 Mac Mic Aeducan died in 1113 Gilla Mocudu O Rebacain who it is supposed was only abbot died in 1129 as Malchus according to St Bernard was bishop of Lismore in 1123 when St Malachy repaired hither Malchus lived in 1123 He was says St Bernard a man full of days and virtues and the wisdom of God was in him Bishop Malchus was an Irishman educated in England and embraced a monastic life in the abbey of Winchester whence he was removed to the see of Lismore It is not decided whether different from the Malchus of Waterford who was promoted in 1096 to that see In the see of Lismore Malchus became eminenV by his great learning exemplary life and also by miracle as St Bernard testifies
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Maol or Malchus was preceptor to St Malachy O Moore of Armagh who was induced by the solicitations of Gilbert bishop of Limerick and legate of Ireland and the holy prelate of Lismore to accept the primatial chair Malchus according to Harris was living in 1134 but the year of his death is not on record Christian O Conarchy born near Bangor in Ulster a disciple of St Malachy and at last his archdeacon either in Armagh or Down succeeded in 1150 St Malachy sent Christian to tho abbey of St Bernard at Clairvaux to be instructed in the Cistercian institute where he became a monk and havingYeturned to Ireland in 1142 was appointed the first abbot of Mellifont Soon after consecrated bishop of Lismore he was constituted legate of Ireland While he sat in the chair of Lismore the synod of Kells was held at which he and Cardinal Paparo presided In the year 1157 Christian presided at a synod held in the abbey of Mellifont seventeen bishops together with Gelasius archbishop of Armagh assisting in its celebration While this synod sat the church of this beautiful abbey the most splendid in Ireland was consecrated According to Keating Christian was superior of all the monks of Ireland his own order Christian died very far advanced in years AD 1186 and was buried in the abbey of O Dorney or Kyrie eleisoH county of Kerry Tired of worldly pomp and choosing a life of retirement which was more genial with his earlier habits of prayer and contemplation this holy prelate resigned the see of Lismore in the year 1175 Felix bishop of Lismore was sitting in 1179 assisted at the council of Lateran held in that year He gave the church of St John at Lismore to tho abbey of Thomas court near Dublin The time of his consecration is to be inferred from the resignation of Christian and that of his death from the appointment of his successor Harris thinks his death ought to be placed in 1206 and considers this prelate of Lismore the one who was so grievously injured by Robert bishop of Waterford The contest began in the year 1209 when David Walsh was slain and renewed by his successor Robert If the prelate Felix was tho person thus injured he could not be put down as hors de combat in 1206 Odanus Or O Hcda a Cistercian monk and a disciple of St Malachy while that holy prelate sat in the chair of Down a man of great esteem for his learning sanctity and knowledge is said to have succeeded Christian O Conarchy in the see of Lismore If Felix and O Heda be one and the same his incumbency must have continued long after the year 1206 Robert of Bedford so called from the place of his birth in England was elected without the king's licence on the 12th day of December 16
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1218 His election on that account was voided by the king's council The proctors of the chapter Macrobius and David at once renouncing the first election produced authority from the canons of Lismore enabling them to elect whereupon licence being given they reelected Robert of Bedford whom the king confirmed giving him also the temporals the same year he was consecrated in London Robert of Waterford who claimed the see of Lismore as united to his own suggested a fraud in the proceedings of the canons at Lismore and supported his pretensions by exhibiting the letters of John cardinal priest of St Stephen on thd Coolian Mount the Pope's legate for the ordering and uniting of those bishoprics Upon this petition the king annulled the election of Robert de Bedford and directed that restitution of the temporals should be made in favor of Robert bishop of Waterford but Robert de Bedford appealed from the king's order to the Pope who referred the investigation of the cause to his legate Pandulph de Masca bishop elect of Norwich Stephen Langton archbishop of Canterbury and Benedict bishop of Rochester Having enquired into the matter a definitive sentence was given against the bishop of Waterford and it was declared that the union made by the former legate was void and the election of de Bedford good and valid The bishop of Waterford was moreover condemned in the sum of three hundred marks to the bishop of Lismore for past profits and costs of suit Robert de Bedford died soon after the termination of the contest with the bishop of Waterford AD 1222 Griffin Christopher chancellor of Lismore was elected to this see in the year 1223 but was not consecrated until 1227 as it appears he had not received the confirmation of his metropolitan This prelate was the first who instituted vicars choral in the cathedral of Lismore Before his death he granted away eighty acres of land two of mea dow eighty of wood belonging to this see to Philip Fitz Adam Christopher senior without the consent of his chapter Griffin died m 1246 Alan O Sullivan a Dominican friar was translated to the see of Lismore from the diocese of Cloyne in 1248 and died in 1252 Thomas Treasurer of Lismore was elected by the dean and chapter of Lismore in April 1253 was confirmed by the king in July following Two years before his death some trouble arosO between this prelate and Mathew le Poer who arrested the prelate and kept him in prison for some time This affair took place in 1268 Thomas having died was buried in his own church John Roche or de Rupe descended of a noble family and chantor
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of Lismore was elected and confirmed AD 1270 He sat almost nine years and died about Whitsuntide 1279 Richard Cor chancellor of Lismore was elected and obtained the temporals on the 24h of October 1279 A great contest arose between this prelate and Stephen Fulburn bishop of Waterford about some lands the affair remaining undecided through the translation of Stephen to the see of Tuam it was again revived between him and Walter Fulburn Stephen's successor in the see of Waterford It was at last composed in the year 1288 In 1297 Richard brought a writ of entry in the post against Philip Fitz Adam Christopher jun for possessions which GrifBn Christopher granted without the consent of his chapter Richard was successful in his suit He died a little before the feast of All Saints in 1303 and was buried in his own church William of Flanders or Fleming was elected in the end of 1303 or the beginning of the following year bishop of Lismore William was archdeacon of Lismore before his election to the see He died about November 1321 John Leynagh a secular priest was consecrated on Palm Sunday 1323 bishop of Lismore In 1347 he was indicted for opposing the subsidy which the parliament granted to the king and was found guilty John died a little before Christmas 1354 and deserved well of his successors for recovering the possessions of his see After the death of this prelate the see was kept vacant some years Thomas le Reve was promoted to the see of Lismore at Avignon in 1358 and during his incumbency the sees of Waterford and Lismore were united AD 1363 by Pope Urban V an act which the King Edward HI confirmed on the 7th of October following Thomas le Reve died a very old man AD 1393 and had been in 1367 chancellor of Ireland for some time It appears that the union of thoso sees had been in contemplation a long time before the act of Pope Urban and must have been the cause of the disputes between the prelates of those sees disputes that were disastrous to life and to the interest of religion It is lamentable to have to record such quarrels between those who are constituted to inculcate and enforce virtue and forbearance in others while avarice or a vile propensity to acquire wealth and territory which would be criminal even in the laic stimulates them to acts of spoliation and of rapine It is worthy of remark that no such disgraceful conduct took place in the Irish church until her so called reformers thronged the precincts of her sanctuary and disgraced the very name of religion by their crimes and excesses
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Robert Kead a Dominican friar succeeded in 1394 In two years after he was translated to the see of Carlisle in England Thomas Sparkford a secular priest of the diocese of Bath and Wells succeeded to those united sees in 1396 Thomas died intestate in 1397 John Deping a Dominican friar was consecrated in 1397 A prelate of the name of Colby is said to have enjoyed the bishopric a very short time between the death of Jofin Deping and the appointment of Thomas Sncll in 1399 the year in which Deping died Thomas Snell archdeacon of Glendaloch having renounced all clauses in the Pope's provision prejudicial to the king and having sworn fealty obtained the temporals in 1399 he sat about six years and was translated to the see of Ossory in 1405 Roger succeeded in 1405 sat three years and some months John Geese a Carmelite friar succeeded in August 1409 by provision of Pope Alexander V John died in December 1425 He was a doctor of divinity in the university of Oxford and a prelate greatly celebrated for his piety and learning Whatever may be said of hia learning the impeachment of Richard O Hedian archbishop of Cashol before the parliament does little credit to his piety Richard archdeacon of Lismore succeeded by the provision of the Pope Martin V in 1426 He died on the 7th day of May 1446 and was buried at Waterford in a monument fixed in the wall of his cathedral A report of his death having been circulated Thomas Bird a Dominican friar was consecrated in 1436 to preside over the sees of Waterford and Lismore who died in 1446 Robert Poer dean of Limerick succeeded in 1446 He obtained a licence from King Edward IV to purchase lands in mortmain for himself and his successors to the yearly value of forty pounds Robert died about the year 1471 greatly esteemed for his charity and hospitality Richard Martin a Franciscan friar and professor of divinity was appointed by the Pope to succeed in March 1472 John Bolcomp succeeded in 1475 was consecrated in this or the following year and died in 1479 Nicholas O Henisa a Cistercian monk and abbot of St Mary's of Fermoy succeeded in 1480 by provision of Pope Sixtus IV He sat but a short time John rector of Baudrip in the diocese of Bath and Wells was bishop of Waterford in 1482 Thomas Purcell succeeded in 1486 The same year Thomas took care to have the ancient charters of the church of Lismore among its other antiquities transcribed into a registry by his amanuensis John
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Russel economist of that church it was afterwards destroyed by an accidental fire in 1617 Thomas Purcell died AD 1517 Nicholas Comyn a native of Limerick bishop of Ferns was translated to the sees of Waterfowl and Lismore in 1519 Nicholas resignod AD 1551 Nicholas Fagan abbot of Inislannacht was provided by the Pope Died and was buried in this abbey AD 1617 Patrick Comerford of the order of St Augustin succeeded Died an exile at Nantz in France Was living in 1649 John Brennan was translated to Cashel in 1676 Edward Connery was bishop of Waterford and Lismore in 1685 Richard Pierce succeeded in 1701 Was in exile AD 1735 Stretch bishop of Waterford and Lismore succeeded in 1736 Patrick Creagh or Crowe succeeded in 1770 died in 1775 William Egan elected in 1772 coadjutor succeeded in 1775 Thomas Hussey elected in 1796 died in 1803 John Power elected in 1804 died in 1816 Robert Walsh deposed died in Rome 1822 Patrick Kelly translated from Richmond South America to Waterford and Lismore died on the 8th of October 1829 William Abraham consecrated in 1830 died in the beginning of 1847 Nicholas Foran the present bishop consecrated on the 24th of August 1847
The Diocese of Waterford
Walsh c. xxv., p. 235
Waterford was raised to the dignity of a bishopric in the eleventh century by the clergy and people and the election of a prelate was approved by Murtogh O Brien then king of Ireland Domnald bishop of Cashel and other prelates of the kingdom The object of their choice was Malchus a native of Ireland and who had spent several years at Winchester as a Benedictine monk Though this city had been founded by the Danes and had been in the posses sion of those adventurers it seems that it was at this time subject to the king of Ireland Desirous of following the example of their countrymen in Dublin the inhabitants of Waterford proposed that their bishop elect should be consecrated at Canterbury they accordingly petitioned the king Murtogh to unite with them in a letter to that effect Murtogh having assented Malchus repaired to Canterbury in 1096 bringing with him a letter for Anselm archbishop of Canterbury to which the king and several bishops appended their signatures After stating in this letter the many disadvantages under which their city labored in not having a bishop residing amongst them they conclude Therefore we the clergy and people of Waterford together with our king Murtogh Domnald bishop of Cashel and Dermod our duke brother of the king have chosen this priest Malchus a monk of the bishop Walchelin of Winchester very well known to us of noble birth and morals versed in apostolical and ecclesiastical discipline and in faith a Catholic Accordingly Malchus was consecrated at Canterbury on the 28th of December 1096 Ralph bishop of Chichester and Gundulph of Rochester being the assistant prelates Malchus professed canonical obedience to the archbishop of Canterbury and to his successors Shortly after his consecration Malchus with the assistance of the Danes erected a magnificent cathedral in Waterford and dedicated it to the Holy Trinity King John endowed this cathedral in the
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beginning of the 13th century and its possessions were confirmed by Pope Innocent HL AD 1210 At this time also its chapter was instituted Malchus 1st bishop ordained at Canterbury in 1096 Malchus presided in 1110 as appears from a letter written to him by Anselm archbishop of Canterbury Maelisa O Hamire called bishop of Portlarge the Irish name of Waterford died in the year 1136 Tostius O Rostius a Dane or Ostman sat in 1152 and in this yeai attended the council of Kells under Cardinal Paparo Augustin King Henry II gave in a council held at Windsor in 1175 to Master Augustin an Irishman the see of Waterford then vacant and sent him into that country with Lawrence archbishop of Dublin to bo consecrated by Donat archbishop of Cashel In 1179 he assisted at the council of Lateran and when passing through England he and the other Irish prelates going also to tho council in order to obtain a licence to continue their journey took an oath not to act anything prejudicial to the king or his kingdom Robert was bishop of Waterford in 1200 David Walsh kinsman of Miler Fitz Henry justice of Ireland was consecrated in 1204 Between this prelate and the bishop of Lismore there arose a dispute concerning the possessions of that see which the former had usurped During the pending of the cause before the Pope's delegates the bishops of Killaloe and Cork and the archdeacon of Cashel David was cruelly murdered by O Felan prince of Decies in the year 1209 David was promoted to the see of Waterford contrary to the will of the Irish Robert who succeeded the murdered bishop was consecrated by Donatus archbishop of Cashel AD 1210 Robert also seized some of the possessions of the see of Lismore against which the bishop of Lismore protested A citation having issued from the apostolic delegates who were on this occasion the bishops of Norwich Clonfert and Enaghdune and a day fixed to answer the objections of the bishop of Lismore but neither Robert or his proctor appeared and therefore restitution was adjudged to the see of Lismore The bishop of Waterford was moreover condemned to pay a sum of one hundred and sixty marks as costs Enraged at this judgment Robert privately employed Robert Fitz Christopher his seneschal and others of his family to seize the bishop of Lismore Having found him in his church of Lismore they dragged off his episcopal robes robbed the church of its goods hurried O Heda bishop of Lismore from place to place until they brought him to the castle of Dungarvan where he was by order of Robert bishop
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of VVaterford bound in irons He lay seven weeks in prison and escaped at length worn out with hunger and thirst The delegates cited the Bishop Robert and his accomplices to make satisfaction for those injuries and having appeared he made threats loaded the delegates with reproaches and laid an ambush to surprise the bishop of Lismore by his clerk Thomas in the churchyard of Limerick who laid violent hands on him and drawing his sword attempted to cut off his head the bishop of Lismore escaped without being wounded The delegates because of the offence committed in their presence excommunicated the clerk and strictly prohibited the bishop of Waterford from having any communication with him The bishop of Waterford persisting in his frowardness he was by the Pope's authority excommunicated throughout the province of Cashel and interdicted from all spiritual care as long as he continued obstinate The archbishop of Cashel was commanded to induct O Heda into the actual possession of that bishopric The clergy and people of Waterford were inhibited under pain of anathema from obeying the bishop while under sentence of excommunication and were commanded to show all reverence to the metropolitan of Cashel to which injunction the clergy and people of Waterford paid no deference for which reason the archbishop of Cashel pronounced excommunication against them which was confirmed by the holy see In the year 1221 Robert again entered the lists with de Bedford bishop of Lismore and was equally unsuccessful in his usurpation In June 1210 the Pope Innocent III confirmed the possessions of the dean and canons of the cathedral of Waterford Robert sat in the see of Waterford twelve years twelve too many and died as is said of grief in 1222 William Wace dean of Waterford was elected and confirmed in the year 1223 Nothing more related of him Walter L a Benedictine monk and prior of the abbey of St John the Evangelist at Waterford was elected bishop of Waterford in August 1227 Stephen I sat in 1238 and in 1246 i Henry archdeacon of Waterford was elected in March 1249 It appears that he sat but a short time Philip dean of Waterford succeeded in 1252 and at the request of the Pope obtained the royal assent He also sat but a short time Walter II was elected by the dean and chapter of Waterford in 1254 and having sworn fealty before the justice of Ireland obtained the temporals the king enjoining a caution that no precedent should be
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established thereby on the part of the dean and chapter Walter was in consequence consecrated in 1255 This prelate died AD 1272 Stephen de Fulbnrn an hospitaller was consecrated bishop of Wa terford in 1273 and obtained the temporals in January 1274 While he was bishop of this see he made with the consent of his dean and chapter an exchange of the manor of Ballydermot for that of Money muntre with Henry Fitz John Fitz Philip In the year 1286 Stephen was translated to the see of Tuam and obtained its temporals in the September of that year Walter de Fulburn a Franciscan friar and chancellor of Ireland succeeded his brother Stephen in 1286 He died in 1307 and was the first Franciscan who sat in the see of Waterford Mathew chancellor of the cathedral of Waterford was elected on the 14th of December 1307 Mathew died in December 1322 and was buried in his own church Nicholas Welifed dean of Waterford was consecrated on Palm Sunday in 1323 He presided fourteen years having died in 1337 Richard Francis succeeded in the year 1338 and obtained the temporals in the April of that year He died AD 1348 Robert Elyot succeeded in 1349 and was deprived by the Pope in the following year The cause is not known Roger Cradock a Franciscan friar was advanced to the see of Waterford by Pope Clement VI in February 1350 While this prelate sat in the see of Waterford a contest arose between him and Ralph Kelley archbishop of Cashel The cause of this contest is related to have been Because two Irishmen of the Clankellans were convicted of heresy before the bishop at the castle of Bunratty in the diocese of Killaloe and were burned According to Wadding their crime was a contumely offered to the Virgin Mary It is also affirmed that the archbishop a little before midnight entered privately into the churchyard of the Blessed Trinity at Waterford by the little door of Saint Katharine and accompanied by a troop of armed men assaulted the bishop in his lodgings wounded him and many others who were in his company and robbed him of his goods And all this was done it is said by the advice of Walter Reve who pretended to be dean of Waterford and of William Sendall mayor of that city Roger was translated to the see of Landaff in Wales AD 1362 where he sat twenty years Luke Wadding asserts that in accordance with the petition of Ralph archbishop of Cashel the sees of Lismore and Waterford were united in the year 1363
Waterford was raised to the dignity of a bishopric in the eleventh century by the clergy and people and the election of a prelate was approved by Murtogh O Brien then king of Ireland Domnald bishop of Cashel and other prelates of the kingdom The object of their choice was Malchus a native of Ireland and who had spent several years at Winchester as a Benedictine monk Though this city had been founded by the Danes and had been in the posses sion of those adventurers it seems that it was at this time subject to the king of Ireland Desirous of following the example of their countrymen in Dublin the inhabitants of Waterford proposed that their bishop elect should be consecrated at Canterbury they accordingly petitioned the king Murtogh to unite with them in a letter to that effect Murtogh having assented Malchus repaired to Canterbury in 1096 bringing with him a letter for Anselm archbishop of Canterbury to which the king and several bishops appended their signatures After stating in this letter the many disadvantages under which their city labored in not having a bishop residing amongst them they conclude Therefore we the clergy and people of Waterford together with our king Murtogh Domnald bishop of Cashel and Dermod our duke brother of the king have chosen this priest Malchus a monk of the bishop Walchelin of Winchester very well known to us of noble birth and morals versed in apostolical and ecclesiastical discipline and in faith a Catholic Accordingly Malchus was consecrated at Canterbury on the 28th of December 1096 Ralph bishop of Chichester and Gundulph of Rochester being the assistant prelates Malchus professed canonical obedience to the archbishop of Canterbury and to his successors Shortly after his consecration Malchus with the assistance of the Danes erected a magnificent cathedral in Waterford and dedicated it to the Holy Trinity King John endowed this cathedral in the
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beginning of the 13th century and its possessions were confirmed by Pope Innocent HL AD 1210 At this time also its chapter was instituted Malchus 1st bishop ordained at Canterbury in 1096 Malchus presided in 1110 as appears from a letter written to him by Anselm archbishop of Canterbury Maelisa O Hamire called bishop of Portlarge the Irish name of Waterford died in the year 1136 Tostius O Rostius a Dane or Ostman sat in 1152 and in this yeai attended the council of Kells under Cardinal Paparo Augustin King Henry II gave in a council held at Windsor in 1175 to Master Augustin an Irishman the see of Waterford then vacant and sent him into that country with Lawrence archbishop of Dublin to bo consecrated by Donat archbishop of Cashel In 1179 he assisted at the council of Lateran and when passing through England he and the other Irish prelates going also to tho council in order to obtain a licence to continue their journey took an oath not to act anything prejudicial to the king or his kingdom Robert was bishop of Waterford in 1200 David Walsh kinsman of Miler Fitz Henry justice of Ireland was consecrated in 1204 Between this prelate and the bishop of Lismore there arose a dispute concerning the possessions of that see which the former had usurped During the pending of the cause before the Pope's delegates the bishops of Killaloe and Cork and the archdeacon of Cashel David was cruelly murdered by O Felan prince of Decies in the year 1209 David was promoted to the see of Waterford contrary to the will of the Irish Robert who succeeded the murdered bishop was consecrated by Donatus archbishop of Cashel AD 1210 Robert also seized some of the possessions of the see of Lismore against which the bishop of Lismore protested A citation having issued from the apostolic delegates who were on this occasion the bishops of Norwich Clonfert and Enaghdune and a day fixed to answer the objections of the bishop of Lismore but neither Robert or his proctor appeared and therefore restitution was adjudged to the see of Lismore The bishop of Waterford was moreover condemned to pay a sum of one hundred and sixty marks as costs Enraged at this judgment Robert privately employed Robert Fitz Christopher his seneschal and others of his family to seize the bishop of Lismore Having found him in his church of Lismore they dragged off his episcopal robes robbed the church of its goods hurried O Heda bishop of Lismore from place to place until they brought him to the castle of Dungarvan where he was by order of Robert bishop
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of VVaterford bound in irons He lay seven weeks in prison and escaped at length worn out with hunger and thirst The delegates cited the Bishop Robert and his accomplices to make satisfaction for those injuries and having appeared he made threats loaded the delegates with reproaches and laid an ambush to surprise the bishop of Lismore by his clerk Thomas in the churchyard of Limerick who laid violent hands on him and drawing his sword attempted to cut off his head the bishop of Lismore escaped without being wounded The delegates because of the offence committed in their presence excommunicated the clerk and strictly prohibited the bishop of Waterford from having any communication with him The bishop of Waterford persisting in his frowardness he was by the Pope's authority excommunicated throughout the province of Cashel and interdicted from all spiritual care as long as he continued obstinate The archbishop of Cashel was commanded to induct O Heda into the actual possession of that bishopric The clergy and people of Waterford were inhibited under pain of anathema from obeying the bishop while under sentence of excommunication and were commanded to show all reverence to the metropolitan of Cashel to which injunction the clergy and people of Waterford paid no deference for which reason the archbishop of Cashel pronounced excommunication against them which was confirmed by the holy see In the year 1221 Robert again entered the lists with de Bedford bishop of Lismore and was equally unsuccessful in his usurpation In June 1210 the Pope Innocent III confirmed the possessions of the dean and canons of the cathedral of Waterford Robert sat in the see of Waterford twelve years twelve too many and died as is said of grief in 1222 William Wace dean of Waterford was elected and confirmed in the year 1223 Nothing more related of him Walter L a Benedictine monk and prior of the abbey of St John the Evangelist at Waterford was elected bishop of Waterford in August 1227 Stephen I sat in 1238 and in 1246 i Henry archdeacon of Waterford was elected in March 1249 It appears that he sat but a short time Philip dean of Waterford succeeded in 1252 and at the request of the Pope obtained the royal assent He also sat but a short time Walter II was elected by the dean and chapter of Waterford in 1254 and having sworn fealty before the justice of Ireland obtained the temporals the king enjoining a caution that no precedent should be
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established thereby on the part of the dean and chapter Walter was in consequence consecrated in 1255 This prelate died AD 1272 Stephen de Fulbnrn an hospitaller was consecrated bishop of Wa terford in 1273 and obtained the temporals in January 1274 While he was bishop of this see he made with the consent of his dean and chapter an exchange of the manor of Ballydermot for that of Money muntre with Henry Fitz John Fitz Philip In the year 1286 Stephen was translated to the see of Tuam and obtained its temporals in the September of that year Walter de Fulburn a Franciscan friar and chancellor of Ireland succeeded his brother Stephen in 1286 He died in 1307 and was the first Franciscan who sat in the see of Waterford Mathew chancellor of the cathedral of Waterford was elected on the 14th of December 1307 Mathew died in December 1322 and was buried in his own church Nicholas Welifed dean of Waterford was consecrated on Palm Sunday in 1323 He presided fourteen years having died in 1337 Richard Francis succeeded in the year 1338 and obtained the temporals in the April of that year He died AD 1348 Robert Elyot succeeded in 1349 and was deprived by the Pope in the following year The cause is not known Roger Cradock a Franciscan friar was advanced to the see of Waterford by Pope Clement VI in February 1350 While this prelate sat in the see of Waterford a contest arose between him and Ralph Kelley archbishop of Cashel The cause of this contest is related to have been Because two Irishmen of the Clankellans were convicted of heresy before the bishop at the castle of Bunratty in the diocese of Killaloe and were burned According to Wadding their crime was a contumely offered to the Virgin Mary It is also affirmed that the archbishop a little before midnight entered privately into the churchyard of the Blessed Trinity at Waterford by the little door of Saint Katharine and accompanied by a troop of armed men assaulted the bishop in his lodgings wounded him and many others who were in his company and robbed him of his goods And all this was done it is said by the advice of Walter Reve who pretended to be dean of Waterford and of William Sendall mayor of that city Roger was translated to the see of Landaff in Wales AD 1362 where he sat twenty years Luke Wadding asserts that in accordance with the petition of Ralph archbishop of Cashel the sees of Lismore and Waterford were united in the year 1363
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