18th century reports on Dublin 'Mass Houses'

**

CHAPTER II.**

18th Century Reports on City “Mass Houses” - Schools in Mary’s Lane - In and Around Bolton Street - The Linen Hall - Ormond Quay-The Coming of the Jews.** **

At the close of the last chapter I referred to the dissolution of Mary’s Abbey in 1676, and to the fact that St. Michan’s, which was the only parish on the north side, had been divided, and two additional parishes - St. Paul’s and St. Mary’s - created. It will be interesting to recall in this connection the conditions under which Catholic worship and education were carried on in this district during the penal times. No better evidence on the topic can be produced than the Orders of the Lords Commissioners of the Privy Council issued from Dublin Castle in the middle of the 18th century. Here is one of the Orders on the subject

“4th November, 1731. - It** **is ordered by the Lords Committee appointed, that the Lord Mayor of ye City of Dublin do, on Tuesday morning next, lay before their lordships an account of all the Mass-houses that are in the city and the suburbs thereof, and which of them have been built since the First year of the reign of King George the First, and what number of priests officiate at each Mass-house … and all Private Popish Chapels, and all commonly reputed Nunnerys and Fryerys, and all Popish Schools within the said city and Liberties; and also that the Ministers and Churchwardens of the several parishes within the said city do severally make the like returns required to be made by the Lord Mayor, in their several and respective Parishes.-

Hu. Armagh.”

There was no official return made from St. Paul’s Parish, but at that time there was in it one nunnery, with one private chapel attached.

The report regarding St. Michan’s was as follows:

“St. Michan’s.- In obedience to your Lordships’ orders, we, the Minister and Churchwardens of this Parish of St. Michan’s, do make the following return

1st - There are three public Mass-houses in ye said Parish, one in Mary’s Lane, another in Arran Key, both built, as we are informed, before the First of King George the First. The other in Church Street, fitted up into a Mass-house since the First of King George the First. There is also a Private Mass-house in the reputed Nunnery in King Street, built within three or four years.

“2nd - As to the number of Priests who officiate in each or any of them, we have endeavoured to get information, but can get none.

“3rd - There is one reputed Nunnery in King Street, where there is a Private Chappel, as we said before.

“4th - As for Schools, we have endeavoured to get a knowledge of them, and we are informed that there are the following Schools :-“A Latin School, by Phill Reilly, on ye Inns.

“A Latin School, by Murphy, Bow Lane.

“An English School, by M’Guire, Church Street.

“An English School, by Lyons, Church Street.

“An English School, by Kiernan, Church Street.

“An English School, by Cullin, Pill Lane.

“An English School, by Neal, Hamon Lane.

“An English $chool, by M’Glaughlin, Phrapper Lane.

“An English School, by Ward, Mary’s Lane.

“An English School, by Burke, Mary’s Lane.

“An English School, by Gorman, Bow Lane.

“W. PERCIVAL, Master of St. Michan’s.

“JAMES CARSON, and

“THOMAS HEWLETT, Church Wardens.”

In passing it is interesting to note that within the immediate neighbourhood of the above streets, etc., we find a Latin Court and a Greek Street.

Report from St. Mary’s:- “To the Lords’ Committee appointed to inquire into ye present state of Popery in this Kingdom - In obedience to your Lord-ships’ command, we, the Minister and Churchwardens of St. Mary’s Parish, Dublin, have made enquiry concerning ye Mass and Houses within ye said parish, and we cannot find more than one situate in Liffey Street, behind Mary Street and Abbey Street. This Mass-house was recently erected, since ye accession of his present Majesty to the Throne, and is suppy’d by the Registered Priest, and no other yt we know of.

“We know of no Nunnerys, Fryerys, or Popish Schools within ye said parish, neither have we sufficient knowledge of private Popish Chappels wch maybe in ye Houses of persons of that communion so as to be able to make a return of them.

“W. CROSSE, Rector of St. Mary’s.

“RICHD. DAWSON,

“GEO. TUCKER, Churchwardens.”

A report on similar lines regarding the present position of Catholic worship and education in the same area to-day would be deeply interesting to the public.

As mentioned in the previous chapter, a syndicate, consisting of Sir Humphrey Jervis, Sir H. Stafford and others, was formed for the purpose of laying out new streets and houses on the confiscated property of Mary’s Abbey.

Bolton Street was at one time one of the most busy thoroughfares on the north side. It was the centre of the linen industry. Here were to be seen the genial and sturdy Dublin traders, who stuck to their knee-breeches, buckles, and gaiters until the last.

Long before the days of railroads Bolton Street was the place from whence the Drogheda coach set out from No. I** in this street. The Newry coach from No. 2. The Flying Postchaise to the Man of War Inn, about 12 miles from Dublin, started from Kenny’s at Cross Lane, off Bolton Street. In this street how many limbs of the law as well as well-known Dublin merchants and traders lived. Here, about 1805, Ballantine founded his stone-cutting and marble works at 24 **in this street; he removed in 1840 to Dorset Street. He was succeeded in his old premises by the Brothers Kirwan.

In 1845, when the suggestion was made that the order for the statue of Davis was to be given away from the country, interested parties then, as now, contended that there was no artist in Ireland at the time capable of executing the work, as in our days some eminent men allege the Irish stone is quite unfit for Irish buildings. Andrew Kirwan took up the cudgels for native talent in a series of letters to the then *Dublin Argus, *signed “Stonecutter, but no Sculptor,” and eventually succeeded in having the statue, now in Mount Jerome, executed by an Irish sculptor.

The house, 55 Bolton Street, was the old Manor or Seneschal Court for Glasmange. Before we pass from Bolton Street let us have a look at the Linen Hall.

Our ancestors had everything on a larger scale than we have hearts for, and this is exemplified in the Linen Hall, which occupies a space of no less than. 2¾ acres of ground, and approached either from Lurgan Street or Yarnhall Street, off Bolton Street. It is a fine relic of Old Dublin, not only commercially, but architecturally. It is a stately edifice of stone built round four spacious courts, and till a few years ago the names of the former occupants were discernible above the staunch old doorways-such as Cusack, Hume, Furlong, Clibbon, and Dick. In these courts were the residences of the chamberlains of the Yarn Hall and Linen Hall respectively, officers who enjoyed salaries of £500 a year each.

The Linen Hall can hardly be estimated from without its precincts. It must be penetrated and explored by any of us to-day who would form an idea of its busy hive life of the past. Its history can be briefly told. In 1711** Parliament passed an Act appointing a Board of Trustees of the Linen and Hempen Manufacturers, and granted a sum of £20,000 **a year for the encouragement and development of this trade. The Board consisted of 18 representatives for each of the four provinces. Pending the erection of the new building weekly meetings were held in the Castle; the Royal Dublin Society also lent its aid to the good work.

In 1726** the Linen Hall was opened for business, and became a great mart, to which the merchants brought their finished wares for sale, and there the English merchants attended for purchase. For almost a century the Hall had an extensive and prosperous career. It was to a great extent the central mart for the linen trade of Ireland, from which our wares were sent all over the Three Kingdoms, as well as to the Colonies, until, in 1826, **Parliament announced that considering the flourishing state of the trade at that date, the bounty would be reduced to one half (£10,000), and this was ultimately discontinued. The amount of linen entered at the Linen Hall for five years, 1812 to 1816, was a general value of no less than £5,254,988. Belfast was becoming the centre of the linen trade.

The proud old house we now chronicle was eventually extinguished. Besides the Linen and Yarn Hall in Bolton Street, a warehouse was erected in Poolbeg Street for the reception of hemp and flax seed, and all utensils provided by the Board. It was transferred by them to the Board of the Dublin Society, and was the origin of their establishment in Hawkins Street. After this body removing to Kildare Street the building was opened as a theatre by Harris in 1821,** **which was burned down in 1880, and rebuilt as the Leinster Hall, afterwards being converted into the new Theatre Royal.

Continuing our way towards Drumcondra, what is now Lower Dorset Street was known in 1731** **as Big Tree Lane. This place was the home of Viscounts and Barons, M.P.’s and other dignitaries. Here lived and died Elrington, the actor, whose remains lie in St. Michan’s Churchyard, near those of his father-in-law, Joseph Ashbury, whose connection with the stage dates back to 1690. It is told of Elrington that be was held in high estimation, and when in the height of his popularity in Dublin, the managers of Drury Lane Theatre, London, offered him any price he wished to name if he would engage with them, but he steadily refused their offers, saying, “I am well rewarded for my services in Ireland, and I cannot think of leaving it for any consideration.”

During the greater part of the 17th century Ormond Quay was the scene of many a fight between the Liberty and Ormond boys, when offending butchers and their men were tossed over the quay wall or hung like meat from their own hooks. I would refer the reader to Walsh’s “Ireland Sixty Years Ago” for a most vivid description of Ormond Market 100** **years ago.

The exact date of the coming of the Jews into Dublin is somewhat uncertain. The first definite record appears shortly after Cromwell’s conquest of the country. The Jews then settling in Dublin, who are supposed to have come from Portugal, some time after arriving became opulent merchants, and established in 1660 a Synagogue in Crane Lane, off Dame Street. The members of the Jewish faith becoming somewhat numerous in the city, demanded the attention of the Irish Parliament, which passed a Bill in 1747 for the naturalisation of persons professing the Jewish religion in Ireland. The Bill was sent to the Lord Lieutenant to be transmitted to England, as was then the procedure. The Bill never received the Royal Assent, as it appears it miscarried. There were about that time 40 Jewish families domiciled in Dublin, comprising about 200** **persons. For some reason the Synagogue in Crane Lane was closed.

We next find one opened on the north side of the city, which has a somewhat interesting history. Lower Abbey Street, which was formerly called the Ship Buildings, is a wide and much-frequented avenue, and until the new Custom House was built (1781)** it was the direct road to the North Wall, the Lotts, and the North Strand. On the north side of the street stood a large and lofty glass-house, demolished in 1792 **by the Commissioners for making wide and convenient streets.

On the south-west corner of Lower Abbey Street, and extending thence into Marlborough Street, stood an ancient and massive building, built in the early days of Queen Anne, by George Felster, a wealthy merchant, who, on his retiring from business, converted the mansion into a Bacchanalian club, not quite so bad as its successor, the Hell Fire Club, but evidently its precursor. Felster died in 1742,** about which time the Government divided the parish of St Mary, forming that of St. Thomas. This house was taken and used for the purpose of Divine service whilst the new Protestant Church in Marlborough Street was being built. This was consecrated in December, 1762, and immediately afterwards the Felster building was converted into a Jewish Synagogue, and was used as such until about 1790, **when it was closed for want of a congregation, which must consist of not less than 10 Battleheim or males.

From the date of the closing of the Synagogue in Marlborough Street, and for close upon 60 years, such of the Jews as remained in Dublin performed their religious ceremonies in their own homes. We next find the Jews settled in Mary’s Abbey, purchasing from the Seceders or Anti-Burghers their place of worship in Mary’s Abbey, as already referred to.

The Jews have now two burial grounds within our city - one at Harold’s Cross (lately established), the older one at Fairview. There were formerly a great number of tombs visible in this graveyard, but some have disappeared in a somewhat extraordinary manner. It is told in Whitlaw’s and Walsh’s History of Dublin, “That they have been stolen at different times for the purpose of converting them into hearth-stones or other uses,” and in support of this theory the following evidence is given;- A Jew a short time ago (this is in 1818), paid a visit to a Christian friend in the neighbourhood of Ballybough, whom he found in the act of repairing his house. Examining his improvements he perceived near the fireplace a stone with a Hebrew inscription which intimated to the astonished Israelite that the body of his father was buried in the chimney.

I might add before leaving Marlborough Street, that after the Jews left that street the old Synagogue was converted into a glass warehouse by Henry Lunn; and since 1845 to the present it was continued for the same purposes by Messrs. Whyte and Co., who, in 1898, took down the greater portion of the old structure, which for the solidity of its architecture and antiquity of its fabric attracted the attention of the antiquary.

Adjoining Felster’s house on the east side (now portion of the Abbey Theatre), stood a well-frequented beerhouse and taproom, whose proprietor seems to have been a man of humour and poetical talents. Over the entrance door was the following inscription on a large bone of some animal purporting to be that of a whale:-

“Under the blade bone of a whale

You may find good beer and ale;

He in sea was sent to swim,

So froth your pots up to the brim.”

To Chapter 3. Contents Home