Religious house — Carmelite friars in Unknown Townland

The modern Carmelite friary on Whitefriar Street occupies the site of St. Mary's Carmelite Priory also known as the 'White Friars' with Whitefriars' Gate (DU018-020039-) 100m to N (FMD map (1978) H6). The Carmelite Priory was described in the Urban Survey of Dublin as follows; 'According to Ware this friary was founded in 1274 by Sir Robert Baggot, chief justice. The reality was a little more complex. In 1278, the friars were granted land in the city by Roger Oweyne, James de Birmingham and Nicholas Bacuir but the citizens refused permission to the friars to build. They then approached Baggot who obtained land for them in the southern suburbs of the city which he bought from the abbey of Baltinglass [WI027-024001-] (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 289). Licence to enclose land granted by de Birmingham and Bacuir was granted in 1280 and this presumably indicates that building works were by then in progress. The friary was surrendered in 1539 and two years later the property was granted to Nicholas Stanyhurst. When the site was examined by jurors on 18 August 1541, they found that the possessions consisted of 3 acres and that the church and other buildings had been demolished except for a small hall, a room, and a stable with two cellars (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 289). Later in the sixteenth century the land was granted to Francis Aungier, first baron Longford. The site is now occupied by the Carmelite friary in Whitefriar Street. In the modern Carmelite friary on Whitefriar Street is a medieval statue of the Blessed Virgin, known as Our Lady of Dublin, which appears to have belonged originally to the Cistercian house of St Mary (Stokes 1887; Donnelly 1905, iii,78-9). Standing madonna with Child in her left hand, and his feet resting in her right hand. The Child's extended arm is a replacement (MacLeod 1947, 55-7)' (Bradley and King 1987, 2, 139-40). In 1333 Murcadh Mac Nicol Ua Tuathail (O'Toole), of Imayle, was murdered in Dublin while a Parliament was being held in the Great Hall of the Monastery of the Carmelites in that city (Irish Builder 15 Sept. 1891, 210). In 1530 an inquisition taken on Friday next before the Feast of St. Philip and Jacobus, recorded that; 'it was found that this monastery contained a church, steeple, chapter-house, dormitory, two chambers, one hall, a small parcel of land, and one orchard (being half an acre of land), nine messuages, seven gardens, and two meadows, containing in the whole eleven acres lying in Dublin and the suburbs thereof' (Irish Builder 15 Sept. 1891, 210). After the suppression of the religious houses by the act of Henry VIII., the Carmelites, as well as all the other religious communities in or about the city of Dublin, seem to have settled in Cook-street, which street was from thence to about the middle of the eighteenth century a refugium for all outlawed Popish priests and friars, several of the former held their cures in the country. The Dominicans were also located in Cook street' (Irish Builder 15 Sept. 1891, 210). In 1542, Nicholas Stanyhurst was granted; 'the site, precinct, and possessions of the late priory or house of Friers Carmelites, commonly called the White Friers of Dublin; 8 messuages, 4 gardens, 2 orchards, 2 parks of pasture, and all other messuages and lands in the liberties, franchises, and suburbs of Dublin, reputed parcel of the late monastery' (Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Hen. VIII-Eliz., 89). Carmelite Priory depicted on Speed's map of 1610 where it is annotated in the index key to the city as 'White friers' (Gillespie 1973, 33; https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/PR-ATLAS-00002-00061-00001/38). An inquisition, taken 11th April 1633 recorded that; 'on the 29th Nov., 1616, Robert Ball, Alderman of Dublin, was seized of the monastery and its possessions of the White Friars, Dublin. These possessions are described as one great mansional house, two gardens, four messuages, and ten acres of land; and two messuages, and two gardens in Sheepe-Streate [Shipe Street]. Alderman Robert Ball and his wife, Jane Usher, assigned the above possessions to certain trustees, who on 21st November, 1628, granted them to new trustees for the term of 99 years," for the use of Francis Aungier, 1st Baron of Longford, and Margaret, his wife, during their lives, and to the heirs male of the said Baron" (Irish Builder 15 Sept. 1891, 210). In 1701 the List of Claims as they are entered with the Trustees at Chichester House, College Green, recorded that the Carmelite Monastery was occupied by Daniel Arthur, against which premises "Sir James Butler executor to his late wife, Dame Elizabeth Butler, and administrator de bonis non, &co., to Sir Anthony Morgan, put in a claim for the sum of £676, and i1nterest from February, 1681". The claim is made "by deed of Mortgage for £200, dated 8 Augt., 1661, from Francis, Earl of Longford, to Sir Anthony Morgan, who devised to Dame Elizabeth, claimant's said wife and intestate. And, by Bond from the said Earl to claimant (who lent him so much as made the £200 £676). Penalty £1,400, dated in Feb., 1681, for which the mortgaged premises were to be a security." The premises are thus described: 'The house, scite, and precinct of the late Priory of White Fryers, with the appurtenances, in the City of Dublin" (Irish Builder 15 Sept. 1891, 210). In 1752 the first Methodist chapel (DU018-020164-) in Ireland was opened at Whitefriar Street, partially on the site of the medieval Carmelite Priory (Smith 1830, 41; Warburton, Whitelaw and Walsh 1818, 825). This meeting house is depicted on Rocque's Map of 1756. The present Carmelite R.C. Church was built in 1825 on the site of the medieval foundation (McCready 1892, 142). In 1825; 'Rev. John Spratt, D.D., then Prior of the order purchased a narrow slip of ground in York Row (now Whitefriar-place), on which the foundation-stone of the present church was laid on the 25th Oct., 1825, by the Most Rev. Dr. Murray, R.C. Archbp. of Dublin. The new church, which was designed by George Papworth, Esq., architect, consecrated by the same archbishop on the 11th of Nov., 1827. The church (which since that time has been considerably enlarged) was 200 ft. in length by 84 ft. in width, having its principal front in Whitefriar-st. The southern side along Whitefriar-place, consists of sixteen circular-headed windows, placed at intervals of 5 ft., having ornamental architraves. Above these windows is a sunken tablet, bearing the following inscription :-" GLORIOSAE MATRI ET DECORI CARMELI D." Since 1825, the Carmelites have enlarged both their church and convent, so much so that their present premises cover all the ground on which the original monastery stood' (Irish Builder 1891, 210). In 1856 'The Carmelite church having been found to be too small to contain the numerous congregations attending it, a new aisle was added to its northern side, parallel to the original structure. There were several bays made in the north wall, for the purpose of uniting the two buildings. These bays were divided by heavy, unsightly pillars of solid masonry which greatly disfigured the appearance of the original building. In 1863, further addition was added by another chapel erected still northward, and was divided from the last mentioned aisle by beautiful chiselled limestone columns, which bore a very bad contrast with those which divided the nave and chancel from the new aisle first added. A few years since, the Fathers of the Carmelite Order purchased the old Methodist Meeting-house in Whitefriar-street, which they converted into a school-house. At the rere of this old building was the ancient cemetery of the Carmelite community, and in 1886, whilst excavating for additional buildings, there was found a stone, supposed to be a headstone, bearing in alto-relievo two figures-male and female. We were fortunate on our visit in meeting Mr. Milman, F.R.S.A.I., who was of opinion that the effigies are those of Sir Francis Aungier, Knt., and his Lady' (Irish Builder 15