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April 03, 2006
AN TOSTAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME 1953 - CHAPTER 12
Chapter 12 of the An Tostal Programme of 1953 was devoted to the Carmelite Church - The White AbbeyTHE WHITE ABBEY
IN 1220 the Carmelites came to Kildare at the invitation of Lord William de Vesci, and they settled on the lands which lay due South of the Cathedral. The Order remained in possession of this Abbey until December 1543 when by order of King Henry VIII it was suppressed, and with the Franciscan monastery sold to one Daniel Sutton. At the first relaxation of the Penal Laws, the Carmelites returned to their former home and bought some of the lands of the original White Abbey. In the mid-eighteenth century they erected a church and this served them and the people of the district until 1884, when the present church was erected by Fr. Nicholas Staples, O.Carm., Prior, at a cost of £3,500.
The Church is Gothic, built of local stone and Wicklow granite and crowned by a spire 130 feet high. The three altars are built of Irish, Italian and Grecian marbles. The pulpit is of Caen stone. Five stained windows in the Sanctuary are scenes from the lives of Our Lord and Blessed Virgin, and the Scapular Vision. Four saints are also shown, including SS. Patrick and Brigid, and in the aisles are shown the four Evangelists. The Rose window over the East door shows Elias, the Prophet of Carmel with the saints of the order.
Fr. David O Bugey, a native of Kildare and one of the first Carmelites in Kildare, was noted for his learning and was Father-General of the Order in Ireland. Another distinguished member of the community was Fr. Ralph Kelly, a native of Drogheda, who was sent to Pope Clement VI as speaker of the Order. He became Archbishop of Cashel. He died in 1361.
The Cemetery adjoining the Church has four ancient carvings in the wall. The first two are probably from the eleventh century and show the Gryphon, the animal symbolising Mercy. The other two are scenes from the Passion of Our Lord, the Ecce Homo and the Crucifixion. These carvings were once in the Grey Abbey, and were removed here for preservation.
Posted by mariocorrigan at April 3, 2006 07:34 PM