Gallen Abbey
| Mainistir Ghailinne | |
  Location within Ireland | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Celtic Christianity |
| Established | 5th century AD |
| Diocese | Ardagh |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Inactive |
| Heritage designation | National Monument |
| Style | Irish monastic |
| Site | |
| Location | Gallen, County Offaly |
| Coordinates | 52°51′29″N 6°56′30″W / 52.858035°N 6.941791°W |
| Public access | yes |
Gallen Abbey is a medieval monastery and National Monument located in County Offaly, Ireland.
Location
Gallen Abbey is located on the south bank of the Brosna, about 1 km south of Ferbane.
History
Gallen Priory was established in AD 492. A good man named Saint Brecan and his wife Din, both of royal birth, were engaged in rearing a large family: 12 sons and 12 daughters. Saint Canoc or Mocanoc, the founder of Gallen, was the eldest of the sons, and one of the daughters, Gladufa, became the mother of Saint David of Wales. So says Colgan in his Acta Sanctorum. David’s mother is referred to elsewhere as St. Nun, who ruled over many virgins, which seems to imply that Gladufa afterwards forsook the world.
St Canoc later arrived in the vicinity of Ferbane, in 492, the territory being known as Delbhna Eathra. Saint Canoc, though older, was a contemporary of Finnian of Clonard, who in 530 founded a monastic school at Clonard in Meath. The latter’s sister Reynacia, was the foundress of a Church and Convent in Reynagh. Fimnian was educated in Britain and was an intimate friend of St. David, Canoc’s nephew.
The first attack on Gailinne, recorded in the annals of the Four Masters, was not by Danes but by a Munster King, Tnúthgal mac Donngaile, who ruled from 820-847 and who in 820 or 822 “thoroughly devastated Gailinne na mBrettan, houses, churches, and sanctuary.” This was the opening of a campaign by which he intended to secure the high kingship, and the fact that the first place he attacked was Gailinne shows its importance. Moreover, Delbhna, which owed allegiance to the Southern Uí Néill, rulers of Central Ireland and High Kings, was in the direct line of march northward from Cashel. We know that this attempt failed and that Felim was utterly defeated.
Strange to say, the monastery was restored, not by the native Irish, but by a party of Welsh monks, and it was after this time it became most celebrated as a school. It was on account of this association with Wales that we always find it referred to as Gailinne of the Britons. From this time -the 10th century -the district in which the Priory lay, formerly called Delbna Eathra, was called Delbna Mac Coughlan, after the ruling family who were in power till the 18th century.[1]
The antipathy or greed of the Munster kings was not, however, at an end, and according to the Four Masters, Cellachán Caisil and a brave opponent of the Danes attacked the territory of Delbna Eathra in 949, burned the Gallen Daimhliag or stone church, and nearly demolished the establishment. He must have been a thorough worker, for no trace of this or earlier churches remains, the two still to be seen dating from the 11th and 15th centuries.
The climax was reached when a certain Iarnan Mac Finn Mac Duibhgilla - seemingly a leader on the Gallen side - was treacherously slain by Corc Mac Aedh in the doorway of Gallen Oratory, Corc, who probably was also a Gallen vassal, must have been bribed. “Two of his own people slew this Corc immediately,” the chronicler continued and piously adds, “by which the name of God and Canoc was magnified,”as if St. Canoc had inspired and assisted this prompt piece of avenging justice. At this period a penitentiary, Deartagh, is mentioned as existing in Gallen.
A long period of peace ensues. The Irish Church was reformed. Uniformity of Liturgy and a proper episcopate were established and the Church was freed from lay domination. Yet, it is at this time that the Mac Coughlan family came into prominence in the history of Gallen. Members of the family usually combined the offices of ruler of the clan and Prior of the monastery. Yet they were good strong men, if not saints, and left creditable records behind them.
In 1519 a “Great war” broke out between various descendants of Donnell Mac Coughlan. The Prior, James (who was also the heir-apparent), took to the field but was killed by a ball shot from Clondowney Castle. Later, perhaps in 1531, when trouble broke out again, another Mac Coughlan, Murtagh, who was Prior of Gallen and Vicar of Lemanaghan, was treacherously slain by Turlough Og and Rory O Melaghlin (descen-dants of Malachy of 1014 fame).
Rory’s enmity was not satisfied. In 1548 he and his brother Cormac, having first secured the aid of the forces of Leinster under Edmund Faye and a gentleman called Thady the Red, attacked Gallen Priory by night as part of a general incursion on the Mac Coughlan territories. They plundered the church and got away safely. But this time the tables were to be turned. The Mac Coughlans hurriedly collected their forces and under Art (who could possibly have been the Prior), together with some of the Madden clan, they pursued the enemy, killed many, and drowned Cormac and 13 of his followers, pre- sumably in the Brosna. Let us hope that was the end of the Melaghlin trouble. They seem to have had scant respect for religion, for Clonmacnois also suffered at their hands.
The Mac Coughlans continued their patronage of the Priory and their good works for many years to come. Probably the least of their benefits was recorded in Sir John’s will, dated 1590, granting the churches of Gallen, Fuire, Techsarayn and Raonagh two cows. Presumably they were all under the same administration. Otherwise the division of the legacy might have caused some difficulty! The chief family seat was Kilcolgan Castle, built in 1641, but they had other mansions, which the Four Masters assure us beat at least Banagher for beauty and comfort. Kilcolgan Castle itself sheltered Rinnucini, who held a synod there, Owen Roe O'Neill, Boetius MacEgan, the famous martyr bishop, and many a hunted priest. The last of the Mac Coughlan line, Thomas, M.P. for Banagher, died in 1790, and Kilcolgan Castle has unfortunately been demolished.
The Irish Church was reformed, in spite of much resistance, in the 12th century and Papal authority began to be more fully exercised in the country. One of the matters in which this was most noticeable was that of religious orders. The Lateran Council of 1159 has exhorted the clergy of Cathedrals and Collegiate Churches to adopt some form of regular life, in particular the Rule of St. Augustine. So it seems that the Irish monks, faced with the many appeals of the Holy See for uniformity in their usages, and for more conformity to Continental customs, did decide to make some adjustments and to keep up with the times. The adopted the Augustine Rule and name; their tailors got to work on the long black cassock, white rochet and outside cloak and hood which was to be their “new look,” and gradually the old Celtic traditions became a thing of the past.
The Canons Regular of Saint Augustine, as they were called, were in Gallen Priory in the 16th century chiefly engaged, it would seem, in pastoral work. They had escaped the confiscations of Henry VIII. As we know, the Plantations of Laois and Offaly were proclaimed in 1556, but a fierce guerilla warfare broke out and hampered the execution of the project for 50 years. We do not know what exactly was decided regarding the monastery’s large property at this time, but in 1571 a certain George Boubhyer was given a grant of the “sites of the monastery of Canoc of Gallen, the lands of Gallen and Rennagh “(the modern parishes of Ferbane, Cloghan and Banagher)”. Possibly the monks had to leave at this time, yet, if they did it is difficult to see how the same land was granted to another man. Sir Gerard Moore, in 1612, a year, incidentally in which there was a particularly severe outbursts of persecution. The chances are that Bouchyer was never able to take possession at all. The warlike Mac Coughlans were not the sort to let go easily. At all events Sir Gerard Moore got the Abbey lands, “the church, cemetery, 5 cottages and 2 gardens in the town of Gallen, 40 acres of arable land, 30 of pasture, wood, and underwood in Gallen, with tithes and alterages of the rectories and vicarages, etc., on the condition that he paid an annual rent of £3-12-2, and maintained a horseman forever on the same.” This “Lone Ranger’s” functions were not specified. He further got hundreds of fertile acres at Castlebarnagh, Agbenlost, Loghtyane, Kildairie, Derenrath, Dromyne, Kiladerry, Kilconfert, and a mill and watercourse at Philipstown, all at the yearly rent of £11-15-9.
The last Protestants to reside in Gallen Priory were the Armstrongs – a family of Scottish origin. Fairbairn was their name until one of them, while hunting with William III of England, saved the latter’s life by uprooting a tree and with it killing a wounded boar which was attacking the King. Another legend says he saved the wounded King by catching him by the leg with one hand and thus hoisting him onto his horse. Both these legends are recalled in the crests which are to be seen over the hall door of the present Priory which they built.
The family came to Gallen before 1745. In 1841 Andrew was created a baronet, and it was from his grandson, Sir Andrew Harvey Armstrong, that the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny purchased the property in 1923. Members of the family have occasionally returned to see their old home. During the couple of hundred years that they lived in Ferbane, owning over 4,000 acres of land, they took an active part in the political life of the country, the first baronet being an M.P. for Birr district. They were kindly landlords.
The Shears Brothers
John Warneford Armstrong, a cousin of the first baronet, who lived in Ballycumber, was the betrayer of the Shears Brothers during the ’98 Rebellion and received a handsome sum of money for his treachery. We are glad to say that the Gallen branch of the family did not approve of his action. The story is told that on his last visit he complained to his host that the overhanging branches of the trees along the avenue scraped his carriage. Sir Andrew replied: “I will have them all sheared off by the next time you come.” The unpl-easant pun on his victims’ name gave him to understand that his company was not want-ed, and he never came again.
Buildings
Colgan informs us (in Actis Sanctorum, p. 312) that the Monastery of Gaillinn in Dealbhna Mac Cochlain was erected by St. Canoc or Mochanoc in the year 492, but this original Monastery of St. Mochanoc there is now no remain.
At the year 949, the Annals of the Four Masters record that the Daimhliag of Gaillinn was burned. There are no remains of this Daimhliag either, for the present ruins of the Abbey are in the pointed style, which was not introduced into Ireland previously to the 12th century.
In the year 1003 the same Annals make mention of a Dearthach or Penitentiary at Gaillinn, but I could not find any building now remaining with which it could be identified.
In the year 1519 the same Annals record that a great war broke out in Delvin between the descendants of Fergal Mac Coghlan and the descendants of Donnell Mac Coghlan, during which James Mac Coghlan, who was the Prior of Gaillinn and the heir apparent of Delvin Eathra, was killed by a ball shot from the Castle of Cluain Damha. They also record that Murtagh, the son of Conor Mac Coghlan, who was Prior of Gaillinn and Vicar of Liath Manchain (now Lemanaghan) was treacherously slain by Torlogh Oge and Rory O’Melaghlin.
In 1548, according to the same Annals, O’Melaghlin and Edmond Faye took the Castle of Ceann Coradh and the Monastery of Gaillinn.
Sir John Coghlan in his last Will and Testament, dated 1590, granted to the Churches of Gailine Fuire (now Fuidhre, Anglice Wheery) Techsarayn (Tisaran) and Raonach (now Reynagh) two cows. Archdall writes:-
“Some emigrants from Wales founded a celebrated school here, from whence it acquired its present name.”
For this he gives Mageoghegan. Which Mageoghegan does he mean? Connell or the Abbe? Can any authority be found for this, earlier than Mageoghegan?
In this Parish of Gallen in the Townland of Clonowny, about four miles to the north of Banagher, stands the Castle of Clonowney, the Clondownie of Mageoghegan. See his translation of the Annals of Clonmacnoise; note under the year 1289. Tradition says that this castle was built by the English family of Bullen, which is much to be questioned as Mageoghegan makes it the seat of the Slight Ross Mac Coghlan. It is now in excellent preservation and dwelt in by Counsellor Mullowney, who has an Observatory on the top of it.
In the Townland of Killowny in this Parish are the ruins of a Church of considerable antiquity, but I have no record of it nor is there a well or other monument at it to throw any light upon its Patron Saint or subsequent history.
In this Parish, near the River Brosna, is situated the Townland of Baile Ui Siadhail (Ballysheil) which contained the residence of O’Sheil, the hereditary physician of Delvin Eathra.
In the year 1548, as the Four Masters record, Cormac Mac Coghlan “slew the only son of O’Sheil, the best physician of his age in the territory” and Niall O’Sheil and Hugh O’Sheil were subscribing witnesses to the Will of Sir John Coghlan in 1590. [2]