Rewards for capture of priests and bishops.

CHAPTER XIII.**

The Dominicans in Cook Street - Rewards for Capture of Priests and Bishops - St. Audeon’s Arch and Church - The Lucky Stone - The Carmelites and Father Spratt, O.C.C. **

bridgest.gif (18006 bytes)The** story of the Black Friars in Dublin since 1224 **is told by Father Coleman, O.P., in his “Glimpses of Dominican History,” which is a most interesting and fascinating volume. As he is an undoubted authority upon the subject, I give the facts as detailed by him. I, therefore, confine myself in this narrative to the Dominicans in Cook Street area.

“For more than 70 years after the suppression of St. Saviour’ 5 (which stood on the space now occupied by the Four Courts on Inns Quay) by Henry VIII. there is no record of the Dominicans in Dublin. In 1632** **we get the first glimpse of their return, when Father McGeoghegan resided in Dublin with eight other Fathers. They were located in Cook Street, and very probably on the same spot to which they went afterwards in the reign of James II., a chapel known for a long time as the Old Dominican.”

As already mentioned, this “Mass House” was closed in 1630. For 20 years the Catholics of Dublin suffered persecution at the hands of the Puritans-from 1640, the time of the Ulster revolt (as told in previous chapter) till the time of the Restoration, 1660. At this latter period there was a slight relaxation in the carrying out of the Penal Laws, and we learn that in 1678 the Dominicans opened a public chapel within the ambit under review. (Pictured, right, is Bridge Street Chapel and Convent)

The Dominican Fathers had just settled down to their holy work when a proclamation was issued for all Friars to leave the Kingdom, and the persecution was renewed. This policy continued for a few years, ceasing with the exposure of the Titus Oates conspiracy. In 1685, when James II. ascended the throne of England,. a new spirit of toleration arose. The religious communities again appeared in the habits of their respective Orders, and many got back to their old habitations.

The Dominicans succeeded in getting back to their building on Inns Quay. Their occupation of this monastery was of short duration, as James II. when he came to Dublin required this place for the holding of his Parliaments. The Dominicans had to remove to Cook Street, where they remained until after the defeat of James at the battle of the Boyne in 1689**, **when the various Orders were once more forced to leave Ireland.

The following is “the list of Dominicans in St. Audeon’s parish in 1697** **- Thomas Marshall, John Hannin, James Egan, and Christopher Farrell - all Dominican ffryers at the convent in Cook Street.”

bridgest2.gif (23617 bytes)On the accession of George I. the religious Orders set about erecting “Mass Houses” in back lanes, far from the public eye. The Dominicans could not get back their house and chapel in Cook Street, as they had been transferred by them to the secular clergy, and used as the parish church of St. Audeon, being known by the name of “the Old Dominicans.”

It was in use as the parish church until 1846. In consequence of this, Father McEgan converted one of the houses in Bridge Street into a chapel. Though it was designated Bridge Street Chapel, it was not in that street itself, but in a court at the end of. a lane leading from Bridge Street. This chapel existed for over 50 years, when it was replaced by another on the same site. (Another view of the old Convent in Bridge Street)

Again the floodgates of persecution were opened. On the 28th February, 1744**, a proclamation was issued commanding all Magistrates, Sheriffs, etc., to search for Bishops, Priests, and Friars without distinction, and offering a reward of £150 for the. capture and successful prosecution of every Archbishop and Bishop, £50 for the capture of any Priest, regular or secular; £200 **for the conviction of anyone who gave a Bishop refuge in his house.

The persecution period this time lasted for about a year. While it continued priests from all parts of the country came to Dublin-stables and back-rooms were once more requisitioned for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. At last the catastrophe in Dublin, when a priest and several of the congregation were crushed to death by the falling in of the floor just as he was in the act of giving the last blessing after Mass in the top story of a ruinous old house, created such a sensation and excited such sympathy among the better disposed Protestants that an effective stop was put to the persecution.

On St. Patrick’s Day, 1745, all public chapels and churches of the Catholics, including Bridge Street, were opened for Divine worship, and have never been closed since. One Dominican Father published in Bridge Street in 1772** a book on the Sodality of the Holy Name. Father O’Connor could not have his name in the book. The Dominican Fathers in the same year had their chapel virtually rebuilt, and remained in it till the first relaxation of the Penal Laws in 1782, **when they removed to Denmark Street.

The Dominican Order have been closely associated with Cook Street. The only remains of their first foundations are to be found there, as many of the stones of St. Audoen’s Arch formed part of the monastery and church which stood on Inns Quay. According to Sir James Ware –

“The reason why this monastery was first demolished, Edward Bruse, the brother of Robert Bruse, King of the Scots, arrived in the North of Ireland, from whence he marched with his army until he came to Castleknock.

“The citizens, being sore amazed at the approach of so potent an enemy, assembled together, and, with a general muster, burned all the houses in Thomas Street, lest he should, upon his repair to Dublin, have any succour there. Robert Nottingham, then the Mayor of the City of Dublin, together with the Commons, razed down the monastery, being in those days called the Friar Preachers (their Order was of St. Dominick), for to prevent the said Bruse, least he should find any succour there, or they would give annoyance to the south part of the city, and with the stones of the monastery they built these two gates, the gate going up to St. Audoen’s Arch in Cook Street and Winetavern Gate, which since his Majesty’s restoration has been pulled down by the general consent of the city, and also built a wall all along that side for the better fortification of the city.”

oldgate.gif (40232 bytes)Passing up the narrow lane on the south side of Cook Street, which brings us under St. Audoen’s Arch (pictured on left), we come to St. Audoen’s or St. Owen’s Church, which was founded by the Anglo-Norman settlers. This was the church in ancient days which was frequented on state occasions by the Lord Mayor and Corporation. In this church there are many curious monuments of a bygone age. In the porch of the western door lie the Earl and Countess of Porchester. The church, originally constructed by Lord Porchester, is in ruins.

The late Sir Thomas Drew, writing of St. Audoen’s (pictured, below), says:- ” Of the goodly array of city churches which the piety of old times raised once and again on these ancient sites, and impiety and sacrilege as assiduously laboured to burn, pillage, and destroy, throughout every age of Irish history, but one remains in such a condition to tell us in any measure of fullness the tale of its former greatness, the history also of departed glories, less written on its melancholy walls than that of the indignities it has endured.”

In the open space attached to the church is a rude-looking stone which was held in high veneration many years ago. This was popularly known as the “Lucky Stone,” the history of which is told as follows by Mr. Wakeman:-

“In the Litany of Oengus, the Culdee, written about the year 797, are invoked a whole host of foreign saints who came to live and die in Erin. The ‘Lebor Brece’ mentions at one time ‘Thrice 50 curachs of Roman pilgrims,’ ‘150 pilgrims over sea,’ ‘Seven monks of *Egypt,’ *etc., etc. Of course a vast number of these devout strangers would sooner or later return to their respective countries, taking with them Irish ideas of artistic culture of many kinds, and especially of such as appertained to usages in connection with the church.

“It is possibly thus that the wonderful similarity between Celtic art and that of the East, in various phases of design, originated; but be this as it may, our earliest style of Christian cross, a type, indeed, long supposed to be peculiar to Ireland, is to be found perfectly paralleled on the banks of the Nile, and in other districts of the old, old world.

staudeons.gif (22097 bytes)“The cross carved upon the stone referred to as having been in the possession of Dr. Spratt, is of an extremely early kind in this country. The monument upon which it appears stood ‘time out of mind’ at the north-western angle of the tower of St. Audoen’s Church. It was called by some the ‘Lucky’ and by others the ‘Blessed’ Stone. By all classes of Catholics in Dublin it was held in veneration and respect, a ‘respect so great that for ages past, and up till the time of its removal (1826)** **all persons when passing by laid their hands upon it and invoked a blessing through the intercession of the saint to perpetuate whose memory the stone was erected.’

The name ‘Lucky Stone’ was applied to it chiefly by packmen and small traders, ‘who believed that their success in business depended in a great measure on their making a daily visit to it, which they kissed, and thus a portion of the stone became smooth and polished.’”

Various stories were current in connection with the occasional disappearance of this wonderful and mysterious relic. It was certainly removed more than once, no person could say by what agency; but it always, after a short absence, returned to its old position at the base of the tower.

In the year 1826** **the stone seemed to have been feloniously stolen and for ever lost. Twenty years passed, during which time nothing was heard of it. At length, to the wonder and delight of many of the parishioners of St. Audoen’s, it was discovered in front of the newly-erected Catholic Church in High Street, where it soon attracted the attention of Dr. Spratt, who, upon learning all that was known of its history, determined, true antiquary as he was, to take steps for its preservation.

With this view he obtained permission to have it removed to the Community House in Aungier Street. There, as I have already intimated, it remained one of Dr. Spratt’s antiquarian treasures. The Rev. Doctor in the meantime had applied to our great archaeologist, the late Dr. Petrie, for his opinion as to the age and character of the venerable stone.

In reply, with his usual courtesy, Dr. Petne wrote as follows

“67 Rathmines Road,

“21st** **October, 1853.

“My Dear Dr. Spratt - In obedience to your request that I should give you my opinion respecting the probable antiquity of the interesting ancient stone on which a cross within a circle is sculptured, and which, till it came into your conserving custody, was to be seen near the ancient Parish Church of St. Audoen, I have no hesitation in expressing my opinion that it belongs to a class of monuments, most probably sepulchral, which are now rarely to be met with in Ireland, and which appear to me to be of a very early Christian age, and I have no doubt that this stone is much more ancient than any portion of the very old church now remaining with which it was formerly connected. - Believe me, my dear sir, most faithfully yours,

“GEORGE PETRIE.”

font.gif (29505 bytes)Dr. Spratt had intended to set up this stone, which is certainly the most ancient relic of old Dublin now known, in Prospect Cemetery, Glasnevin. He thought that in this way the relic would be kept for future ages in safety. The following inscription, which he intended to place on a pedestal by which it was to be supported, was communicated to the *Irish Builder *by a correspondent

“This interesting relic of remote antiquity, which, according to tradition, marked the grave of an early Irish saint, formerly stood in the ancient Parish Church of St. Audeon, Dublin, and from time immemorial was called the Blessed Stone. It was carefully preserved by the Very Rev. Dr. Spratt, of this city, and in the year 1855 presented by him to the Catholic Cemetery Board, who have erected it on this handsome and substantial pedestal.”

Dr. Spratt’s intention, I need not say, was never fulfilled. He died on May 27th, 1871. His executors, according to his wish, caused the stone to be removed to Glasnevin Cemetery, where it was temporarily deposited.

When the old disused graveyard of St. Audoen ‘s was converted into a recreation ground, the Open Spaces Committee, through Sir Charles A. Cameron, C.B., applied to the Cemeteries Committee for the stone, so that they might re-erect it, and this has been done. It stands close to the railing next to St. Audoen’s Church, without any inscription on it to tell the story of its associations in past ages.

The venerated name of Father Spratt, O.C.C., brings us to the history of the Carmelites in the Cook Street area, which is briefly told. The Carmelites were expelled from their monastery in Whitefriar Street in 1534, and from that period till 1825** **they were wanderers within the city, like the other Orders.

They lived as best they could in the homes of the people, who gave them protection. In 1631** they opened a chapel in Cook Street, which was confiscated and closed with the other religious institutions, as already told, in the year 1629. **The Carmelites lingered around this neighbourhood, as, in 1697, they had a convent in Corn Market, where they resided till 1731, when they had their convent and chapel in Ash Street, off the Coombe, whence, in 1780, they removed to Cuffe Lane.

In 1825** the late Father Spratt, then Prior, purchased a narrow slip of ground in York Row, now Whitefriar Place, on which the foundation stone of the present church, Whitefriar Street, was laid in October, 1825. The church was consecrated in 1827. **The church and convent since that time have been considerably enlarged, so much so that they cover all the ground on which the original monastery stood in 1534.

virgin.gif (18190 bytes) Statue of the Blessed Virgin and Child now in the Carmelite Church, Whitefriar Street. The following inscription, engraved on a brass plate is placed at the foot of the Statue:-

“This ancient Image of the Blessed Virgin, with the Infant Jesus in her arms, was formerly in the Abbey Church of St. Mary, near Capel Street, Dublin.

“It had the good fortune to escape the rage of the sacreligious Iconoclasts of the 15th century, and was preserved by our pious ancestors in the old Parish Chapel of St. Michan’s, Mary’s Lane, where it remained for some years after the reverend gentlemen removed to their new place of worship, North Anne Street.

“It was mutilated and in a decayed state when it was purchased in the year 1824 by the Rev. Dr. Spratt, Prior of the Calced Carmelite Convent, Dublin, at whose expense it underwent a thorough repair.”

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