but the faithful dog bade him take courage, as he was sure, if he could only get something to throw down the bird's throat, he should kill him. Ossian accordingly provided him with a large ball, which, during the struggle that ensued, Bran managed to plant right in the bird's throat, killing him at once. The neighbourhood was greatly relieved, and since this memorable contest the hill on which it took place has been known as that of the white bird." Another account states that Bran killed a notorious blackbird on Moon-a-lu, the bog of the blackbird,' on the margin of which Birdhill station now stands. In the story, as related by Mr. Dunne, Ossian blew a trumpet, when the sky became darkened by flights of birds of blackest plumage; Bran attacked and killed one enormous bird, the virus of whose blood infused poison into his veins. The dog becoming maddened, Ossian, in selfdefence, ordered the boy who accompanied him to hurl a ball of brass into his mouth, as he rushed towards them. The boy was too frightened, and in the end, Ossian himself killed his hound with the ball. Ossian's bronze trumpet is said to lie buried beneath the rock known as Carrigeen, on the townland of Birdhill, which forms a prominent and striking object in the landscape, and from the summit of which a most extensive view, embracing portions of five counties, is to be obtained. NOTES ON ASKEATON, COUNTY LIMERICK. PART IV. THE CHURCH AND THE CASTLE (WITH APPENDICES). BY THOMAS J. WESTROPP, M.A., M.R.I.A., VICE-PRESIDENT. (Continued from Vol. XXXIII., page 254.) THE HE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY.-The Church of Askeaton (like several others in the ancient district of Connello) is attributed to the Knights Templars, and stated to have been built in 1291. The first ST. MARY'S CHURCH, ASKEATON-THE BELFRY. legend can be shown in other cases to have originated in the prefix 'Temple." What truth lay behind it is hard to discover; as in the Lewis's "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i., p. 81. 2 Such as Temple Athlea (Athea), Temple Glantan, Templeinniwebaoith (Strand), 1 records relating to the suppression of the Templars, I only find a small preceptory, perhaps even a mere plot of land, in Limerick; no mention even of the reputed house of Newcastle, none of Askeaton. Of course, as the Templars were not priests, they must have sought the ministry of the parochial clergy. It is, therefore, quite possible that some of the Knights of the Temple may have stayed in Askeaton Castle, and worshipped in the church.3 As regards the alleged date, if intended to mark the first foundation, it is demonstrably false. If "Iuriasc" or "Inniase" be Inisc(efty)* or Askeaton in the inquisition of Meyler Fitz Henry and Bishop Donat O'Brien (1200, 1201), as its position next to Tomdeely would seem to imply, we might conjecture that the foundation of its church took place along with that of the castle in 1198-1199. However, the church of the Blessed Virgin at Iniskefty is mentioned in 1237 and 1268, so if the old writers had any valid authority for the date 1291, it may represent a mere restoration under the de Clares. The rectory, as already noted, had been granted before 1237 to the Abbey of Keynsham, in Somersetshire. Many details of its history, and of the litigation and quarrels of the Bishops of Limerick with the representatives of the English house, have been given. Its advowson was held by the de Clares at any rate down to 1322. In 1318 the church was robbed by a certain Roger Crompe. A custom had grown up in those uncertain times of storing not only valuables, but even provisions (such as corn), in the churches, as the peasants in Iceland store goods and even dried fish in the sacred edifices to this day. The aegis of the church was, however, often powerless to protect the holy place from desperate men, who feared neither God nor human laws; and the Plea Rolls show that an unusual outburst of sacrilegious theft had taken place in the weakened state of law and society after the invasion of the Bruces. For example, at the assizes of 1318 and 1327, in the County of Limerick alone, we find mention of a chest full of silver belonging to Felicia the Tanner, stolen from the church of the Friars Preachers at Kilmallock, and taken to Grene by Thomas the Chaplain. Goods were Templenamona (Monagay), and Temple beinid (Ballyallinan) all to the south and east of Newcastle. The legends of the Templars of Newcastle are mentioned in Fitzgerald's History, 1826. See also Memorials of Adare," pp. 151-152. 1 See MSS., T.C.D., 1060, and Exchequer Rolls, London, i. Ed. II. “De bonis templariorum, Lymer.' 2 As Froude remarks, this selection of confessors, unattached to their order, goes far to acquit the Knights of consciousness of the abominable beliefs and actions of which they were accused to their ruin. The only shadow of corroboration-the hospital lands in Askeaton town-has been already noted. But the resultant proof is very slight. See p. 31, supra. See Appendix A, infra, p. 126. 5 Black Book of Limerick," No. xx1, p. 14. 6 See vol. xxxiii., p. 29. 7 Plea Roll, 124 of xi. Ed. II., m. 34. 8 William, Bishop of Emly, was believed to have been involved in the Kilmallock case, so it may have been not a robbery but some mistake leading to illegal removal. Ibid, also No. 123. Term S. Trin. xi. Ed. II., m. 30, m. 34, m. 35, dorso, m. 37; No. 124, m. 34; and No. 126, xiii. Ed. II., m. 3. also taken from the churches of Athnedes (Ath na deisi or Atheneasy), Kilfrosse, Balisiward, Ardpatrick, and Iniskefty, while soon afterwards (1329) the prior of the House of the Holy Trinity of Adare, with two friars, John Leys and Gilbert de Clare, was accused of stealing goods worth 100 shillings from the new house of the Augustinians in that place. The jury found as to the Askeaton robbery, "that Roger Crompe had put himself into the church of Iniskefty," and "committed divers robberies in the said church." Meanwhile, as the law "dragged its slow length along," the criminal seized his opportunity, "escaped from justice, and fled out of the villate." I found no record of his subsequent capture, unless he was one of the sixteen thieves, of whom eight were executed at Limerick by John Wogan, the Chief Justice, while the rest abjured the realm. Little else but lawsuits about the rectory, and questions about the vicarage and advowson, with valuations in the episcopal visitations, remain. We get a glimpse of the church and its English owners in 1381, 1395.1 William de Neweton, "proctor of Kenesham Abbey, near Bristol in England," undertook in the former year to satisfy the Crown as to the fines of Garth and Inskyfty rectories in County Limerick, according He asked to have to the survey of the extent of the same newly made. his expenses allowed in the matter, and promised to pay the balance into the Exchequer. In 1395 the royal letters of Richard II., confirming the Abbot and convent of Kenesham in two parts of the rectories of Garth and Iniskefty, in order that they should keep the lands against the Irish rebels, were produced at a court, held at Kilmallock by the Justices, Roger l'enfaunt and Odo de Lees, in Hilary Term. From the ruins, it is evident that some repairs took place in the church late in the following century; but the skilled hands that left their mark on the castle and abbey were not employed. On the dissolution of Keynesham, the Irish rectories became impropriate to the Crown, Askeaton was granted to Nicholas Fanning in 1542,3 and possibly was administered by the Earls of Desmond. After the fall of this noble house, we find, in the surveys of 1583 and 1586, that in the parish of Askeaton "is no temple except an old chapel, of which the walls alone are left, and which belongs to the parish of Ballingarrie. The rectory is impropriate, and pertains to our Lady the Queen, in right of the late abbey of Kensam in England." Vicarage was held by Maurice oge mac Person, and had to supply coyne and liverie to the Earl of Desmond, and to support 2 horses and 4 horse boys."5 "The 1 R. Mem. Scac. iv. Ric. II. (Ireland), m. 66, dorso. Ibid., xviii. and xix. Ric. II., m. 27. 2 Ballingarry, County Limerick. 3 Fiant, 311, Henry VIII., Ap. Seventh Ann. Report D. K. R. I. 4 Desmond Roll, 1583, Public Record Office, Dublin. This, the Rental of O'Conyll, 1452, and the Inquisition of May, 1581, identify Iniskefty with Askeaton. 5 Peyton's Survey Book, 1586. In the view of the church in "Pacata Hibernia," which from the roofed condition of the abbey and church we incline to date before 1586, we see a two-aisled building, the north aisle abutting on a square belfry, the upper part not being octagonal, but evidently much broken. No windows are shown in it, but large ones appear in each of the west gables, and a door near the same end of the north wall. The advowson was granted by James I. to Sir R. Boyle in 1603, and appears in the Regal Visitation of 16151 as in the deanery of Rochell,-"Askeaton, the rectory impropriate to Richard Boyle, Knight, Edmond Holcom is its vicar, Rect. min. et predicator, valor £10. Church and chancel in good repair." The church stands on a gentle slope to the east of the village, in a churchyard far larger and more regular than in Elizabethan times. When we examine the remains, it becomes evident that the "Pacata" view errs (at least) in making the north aisle abut against the belfry tower, for the older windows, both in the tower and church, the batter of the base, and the absence of any trace of such junction equally preclude its existence, and the present church is in line with the old chancel. Lewis' states that in 1834 the "south transept still existed, and was separated from the nave by two lofty arches rudely closed up." He adds that ▾ the remains were precisely in the state in which they are described in "Pacata Hibernia "; but this statement is as inaccurate in fact as in language. Some six years 23' 8" 5 10 FEET 1903 ST. MARY'S CHURCH, ASKEATON-PLAN. later, O'Donovan and O'Curry visited the place, and found the south wing demolished and the new church in existence. 3 The belfry and chancel are still standing, their eastern faces being in line, but not bonded. The curious tower adjoins the chancel on the north. It is three stories in height; the two lower being square, about 15 feet each way inside, and 22 feet outside over the abrupt batter of the base; the walls are about 4 feet thick. The building is of very rude and early appearance; but the features give no clue as to the date. The lower floor was lit by lintelled slits (with splays outward and inward 1 P. R. O. I., Dublin. 2.66 Topographical Dictionary of Ireland,” vol. i., p. 81. (Journal, vol. xxvi., p. 370). |