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Life in Old Dublin

* * * HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS

OF COOK STREET

* * *

THREE CENTURIES OF

DUBLIN PRINTING

* * *

REMINISCENCES OF A GREAT TRIBUNE

BY JAMES COLLINS

1 1 have here made a nosegay of culled flowers and have

brought nothing of my own but the string that

ties them."— MONTAIGNB

DUBLIN JAMES DUFFY & CO., LTD.

38 WESTMORELAND STREET 1913

PRINTED BY

JAMES DUFFY & CO., LTD.,

AT 6 1 AND 62 GREAT STRAND STREET, AND 70 JERVIS STREET, DUBLIN.

TO

SIR CHARLES A. CAMERON

C.B., M.D., D.P.H. CAMB., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.P. Medical Superintendent and Executive Officer of Health, and Public Analyst of the City of Dublin,

One who has done much for the advancement and betterment of his native city, as a sincere expression of gratitude to him for the many acts of kindness he has extended to me during the past thirty years, which period I have served under him on the staff of the Public Health Committee of the City of Dublin

I DEDICATE THIS VOLUME

n •

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

I KNOW full well that many shortcomings and errors will be found in this little publication, but I trust it may be accepted in the spirit in which it is offered, as an humble effort to keep green some memories of my native city; and I fondly hope that it may have the effect of leading more competent students and writers to follow up a subject so full of interest, the fringe of which I have only touched.

July, 19/3. J. C.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I owe much to the writings of the late Edward Evans, and my deep obligation to the Most Rev. Dr. Donnelly, Bishop of Canea, I gratefully acknowledge.

I also desire to place upon record my grateful thanks to the subscribers who so generously enabled me to produce this volume. J. C.

CONTENTS.

f PAGE

PART I. . . . < , » i

PART II. . . , , „ 107

PART III. . , , . . .161

PART IV. . . . i 179

INDEX . , ', . 195

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS . . 4 » 203

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

To face MAP OF DUBLIN IN l6lO Title

FOUR COURTS 6

REPRESENTATION OF FACADE OF CHURCH OF ST. MARY'S ABBEY . ^

PLAN OF OLD ST. MARY'S ABBEY 8

CAPEL STREET AND ESSEX BRIDGE 9

MINT HOUSE, CAPEL STREET 2O

ST. SAVIOUR'S SCHOOLS, COOK STREET 27

CARLISLE BRIDGE , 32

KOYAL EXCHANGE 42

OLD LAW COURTS (ST. MICHAEL'S HILL) 50

MAP OF THE THINGMOTE, COLLEGE GREEN 56

SITE OF THE "CROPPIES' ACRE," ESPLANADE 60

THE ROYAL BARRACKS 63

DINING HALL, FOUNDLING HOSPITAL, JAMES1 STREET ... 99

MAP OF COOK STREET AND ITS ENVIRONMENT .... IO7

BRIDGE STREET CHAPEL AND CONVENT 127

BRIDGE STREET CONVENT 128

ST. AUDOEN'S ARCH 129

ST. AUDOEN'S CHUKCH 130

TOMB OF THE EARL OF PORTLE3TER, ETC 13!

STATUE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN (WHITEFRIAR STREET CHURCH) 134

GRAVE OF REV. J. AUSTIN, S.J 140

TORTURING AND HANGING OF ARCHBISHOP O'HURLEY . .146

VERY REV. DR. BETAGH, S.J .150

VENERABLE OLIVER PLUNKETT, ARCHBISPOP OF ARMAGH . -152

LYCADOON, BIRTH-PLACE OF ARCHBISHOP O'HURLEY . . . 153

BROWNE'S CASTLE 156

MAP OF THE CITY WALLS 158

TITLE PAGE OF OLD PRAYER BOOK l6l

ISAAC BUTT 1 79

LIFE IN OLD DUBLIN.

CHAPTER I.

Echoes of past centuries in its streets and institutions — Wattle Bridge — Innes of Court — Ormond Market— Dominican Priory — Mary's Abbey — Essex Bridge — St. Paul's, Arran Quay.

THE Rome correspondent of the Freeman, in a letter to that journal in October, 1907, writing about a walk on the Aventine, near Rome, expressed ideas which most aptly fit in with a ramble through our own city streets : —

"'Places have a soul/ said a French writer recently; ' men make it for them by living in them.' And even after men pass away and the place with a soul has become depopulated and deserted, something, if it be only a memory of it, remains. The stranger who comes to such a place, and is informed of the story of men who Hved in it, becomes influenced and impressed in such a spot, and his memory retains the picture of it for years to come. I think it is in the more lonely and desolate places in and near Rome that you feel this impression of the soul of the past in the fullest degree. If you stop to review the events which have happened in a certain place, or to consider the lives and deeds of the men whose footsteps have m ages past resounded on one of these now decaying streets, the pageant of a long and brilliant history

A

2 Echoes of Past Centuries.

passes before your imagination. But, in this very ol land, the records of which cover long ages, it . scarcely possible for you to go half a dozen yards without finding, in your imagination, the hand c f some famous old dweller of the soil stretched forth to welcome you. Here it is a pagan warrior, or a self- sufficient philosopher ; there it is a Christian martyr or confessor who greets you. You can people, in your thought, the barren and solitary neighbourhood with hosts of figures selected from the pages of history and made to live again."

These words, written about Rome, its streets and environment, may, as I already have said, well be taken as applicable to Dublin also. There is much to think about as you walk its streets and lanes, stretching back, as many of them do, through full a thousand years of Irish history, to the days when the " Ford of the Hurdles," Baile-Atha-Cliath, gave its name to the infant city that came to be described, in its first English charter, still preserved in the Cor- poration archives, as " Diveline." The ford is sup- posed to have been situated close to where Whitworth Bridge now stands and to have led to the roadway known to later generations as Stoney batter. There is much of the deepest interest recorded in connection with ancient Dublin, but there is one matter which is seldom or never noticed by the historians of our city. Harris, in his " History of Dublin," published in the year 1766, alludes to it, but only to sneer at "the monkish story." If we turn to that commonplace book of Dublin commercial life, Thorn's Directory, we learn the following from the Annals of Dublin : — • " A.D. 448 — St. Patrick converts the King of Dublin, Alphin McEchold, and his subjects, to the Christian Faith." It is recorded that after St. Patrick had ful- filled his mission amongst the then natives of Dublin he set out on his journey to Tara. Crossing over the

Wattle Bridge. 3

Wattle Bridge, he wends his way towards Finglas. Just outside the city the saint came to an eminence, which tradition points to as the mount where the Broadstone Terminus now stands. It is told that he looked over towards Dublin and its boundary, and said these words : " This town will be prophetical. Although small and miserable, it will be a large town in time that is to come. It will be told and spoken of far and near, and will be increasing until it is the chief town in the kingdom."

But, to return to the Wattle Bridge, and the roads leading from it. Halliday, in his " Essay on the Ancient Name of Dublin," says " that in our oldest MSS. it is stated that Ireland was intersected by five great roads, and that the present Stoney Batter formed a part of one of these ancient roadways. The portion of Dublin where the Danish invaders settled was called after them Eastmann Town, since corrupted into Oxmanstown." In days gone by this place was famous for its forest of oaks. Hanmer, in his Chronicles of Ireland, tells us that in " 1098 King Rufus, by licence of Murchard, had the frames which made up the roofs of Westminster Hall, where no English spider webbeth or breathed to this day, and that the fair green or common, now called Oxmans- town Green, was all wood, and he that diggeth at this day to any depth shall find the ground full of great roots."

This Danish village or settlement was outside the city walls, such as they were, in those days, and if one looks at Speed's map of Dublin, as it was in 1610, he will find in this neighbourhood mostly green fields and cultivated lands. The few buildings, those calling for our immediate attention, are first the " Innes of Court," now a portion of the Four Courts. Here was founded the first Priory of the Order of St. Dominick, in the year 1224, just

4 Innes of Court,

three years after the death of St. Dominick. The first Priory of the Order, St. Saviour's, was destroyed in 1316 with a view of preventing Richard Bruce obtaining an entrance into the city, and portion of the stones of the Priory were devoted to the pur- pose of the erection of parts of the city walls and gates, including Winetavern Street gate and another gate, long since removed. Out of the same source was procured the materials for the erection of St. Audoen's Arch, the only remains above ground of this famous Priory. Some years after this desecra- tion Edward III. obliged the citizens to restore the church which had been depleted for their benefit. In the meantime the Dominican Friars erected a College on Usher's Island. They erected a bridge across the Liffey in the year 1428, which was afterwards called the Old Bridge. For the privilege of crossing this bridge a toll was paid to a lay brother, and a vessel stood in the centre of the bridge containing holy water, for the purpose of sprinkling the passengers. The following sketch is really descriptive of the bridge as it stood in mediaeval Dublin : — " It had two forti- fied and embattled towers, one on the south end and the other on the west. These towers were built by Geoffrey de Montague, under a licence of the King, which licence empowered de Montague to erect houses of his own on the spaces between the two towers." Thus we find dwelling-houses and shops lining the bridge, whilst in 1348 this miniature town on the Old Bridge was further enriched by the erec- tion of a chapel in honour of the Blessed Virgin. Further improvements were made from time to time, and in good Queen Bess's reign we find it was repaired, buildings of various kinds being erected alongside the river.

The time was fast approaching when once again the Dominican Priory (which had become rooted in

Ormond Market. 5

the hearts of the citizens as centuries rolled by) was to pass through the ordeal of confiscation, as on the suppression of the monasteries — the fate of all such places — it was surrendered to the Crown. This took place on 3rd July, in the third year of the reign of Henry VIII., by Prior Patrick Hughes. The monas- tery and its possessions, as usual, were parcelled out to the favourites of King Henry and Queen Elizabeth. Amongst those who received share of the spoil was the Earl of Kildare. In the reign of Charles I. the Duke of Ormonde became possessed of the Earl of Kildare's part of the property. This he had laid out for building, opened a new street, which he named Charles Street in honour of the King. The remainder he allotted for a public market, which is now in ruins, but the place still retains the name (Ormond Market). In 1612 the whole site of the monastery and church was appropriated to the lawyers, and was called the King's Inns. When James II. resided in Dublin he held a Parliament in the cloisters ; and it was again occupied by the Dominicans, but only for a short time, for on the arrival of William III. they had to quit. This building before its conversion to the use as we see it now served many purposes. It was used as a theatre — the Lord Lieutenant of the day fre- quently attending it. There were also printing offices in its curtilage. A prayer book was printed at this place in 1760. This prayer book contains a quaint collection of no less than thirty-five woodcuts, as well as its unique frontispiece. The monastery chapel was given over to the French Huguenots, and was used by them till shortly before its being taken over for the purpose of erection of the present law courts, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1786. The Four Courts took fourteen years to build, costing over ^"200,000. In passing, I may add that the lands of the Dominicans on the south side of the Liffey were

6 Dominican Priory.

granted to Sir William Usher, and, like Ormond on the north, he let them out for buildings, and his name is associated with same ; hence Usher's Quay, etc.

The building of the Four Courts, and the con- sequent improvement in this neighbourhood, has removed all traces of the Dominican Priory and its massive structures, save such as remain still under- ground, several of which are known to exist in the locality starting from North King Street towards the river. One of the most interesting was up to some years ago in a good state of preservation, after a lapse of 700 years. It consisted of a series of lofty semi- circular and round arches, built on massive piers, which are approached by a descent of large steps built in what was, up to a short time ago, known as Bailey's timber yard, George's Hill. Opposite to the steps and in the first vault is a deeply arched recess in which there is a well of the purest water, said to be dedicated to St. Anne, from whom the adjoining street derives its name. On the left of the entrance vault is a built-up opening, which closes a vaulted passage, and tradition tells us that this passage ex- tended to Christ Church, being tunnelled under the river, and used at a remote period by the monks for the purpose of attending the ceremonials of the Ca- thedral. It is said that fifty years ago a workman procured a large ball of twine and some candles, and proceeded to explore the passage. He tied the end of the twine at the entrance, unwinding it as he went along, until he reached, as he considered, as far as Ormond Quay, when he was obliged to return, being driven back by foul air. The entrance was closed up in consequence of this exploit. This vault conducts to many others, one being I5oft. in length, I5ft. wide, 1 2ft. high. There are also several others, but of smaller dimensions. From these even slight particulars, one can well imagine that within the monastery

Mary's Abbey. 7

boundary here and there were dotted massive build- ings devoted to religion and charity — a richly- endowed church, with delicately-traced windows, costly shrines, cloisters, and cells. The main site was nearest the river, facing the city ; while in compliance with the statutes of the Brehon Laws, just then obso- lete, there were provided a refuge for travellers, store houses, granaries, and mills.

The next building commanding our attention is that of St. Mary's Abbey. One could devote a whole chapter to the many interesting episodes in connec- tion with this historic building, which has long since disappeared, but its memory is still kept green in the names of the streets which are within its environment, viz.: — Mary's Abbey, Mary's Lane, Abbey Street. According to Archdale's Monasticon, it was founded about the year 948. This date is doubted by Car- dinal Moran, who fixes it about 1038. At first it was of the Benedictine Order ; in 1 1 39 it was granted to the monks of the Cistercian Order. Shortly after the latter getting into possession the Normans came to Ireland. Strongbow gave the lands of Clonliffe and Adam Pheipho gave a considerable amount of his property to the monastery. The abbey, like all other similar institutions, was destroyed by the edict of Henry VIII. It was in the Council Chamber of this abbey — now portion of Boland's Bakery — that Silken Thomas defied the King, A report gained circulation that the last Catholic Earl of Kildare had been done to death by Henry VIII. in London. His son, Silken Thomas, goaded by the statement related in these reports, and believing them to be true, determined to throw aside for ever his allegiance to the English King. A meeting of the Privy Council had been arranged for the nth June, 1534, to be held in the Chapter House of Mary's Abbey. He appeared before the councillors in a hot fury, and instead of

8 Mary's Abbey.

taking his place at the head of the table he flung his sword thereon, and formally renounced his allegiance to King Henry, flung off his official robe, and strode out in armour as England's foe. His rebellion ended abortively in August, 1538, when he surrendered on a guarantee of Lords Butler and Leonard, the condi- tions of which were not kept, as he was executed at Tyburn on 3rd February, 1537.

From this date to the end of the century the records of Mary's Abbey are sad reading. Before its destruction it was one of the most sumptuous of its kind in the kingdom ; had bequests made to it from all parts of Ireland ; its grounds extended up to the vicinity of the Broadstone and back again along the river. From the time of its foundation till its demo- lition it had an existence for over 500 years. I will try and describe its position. The entrance gate was near the corner of Chancery Street, extending south through the White Lyon in Charles Street, out to the river, and north through East Arran Street, Green Street, and Henrietta Street, and included a large area towards the east. (By the way, the " White Lyon," which was an ancient inn, has only been lately demolished. In passing, I may add that in this house was established in the year 1845 the Irish Branch of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul). It is well known to antiquaries that all Cistercian Abbeys were built on the same plan since the eleventh century, and the discovery of the chapter house some few years ago at once gave the data from which the whole Abbey of St. Mary could be conjectured. In order to fully understand the situation of St. Mary's Abbey the plan of a Cistercian Abbey was laid down by that eminent architect, Sir Thomas Drew, on the Ordnance map of the locality, and, standing on the site, it is easy to picture the familiar objects changed back to their ancient uses. Down towards the south, where

Essex Bridge. 9

now stand the premises known as 16 Mary's Abbey, extended the fraternity or community room of the monks, divided down the centre by pillars sup- porting their dormitory overhead with unglazed windows, in accordance with the austerity of the Cistercian rules. Across the end of Meeting House Lane was the kitchen, further to the west the refectory stood across the open space, known to us now as the streetway of Mary's Abbey ; then came the stores and offices, and at right angles to the line of the other buildings stood the workroom of the lay brothers. This workroom was situated about the site of the late Jewish Synagogue, now the ice house of Mr. Mather. The Abbey church formed the south boundary, ex- tending from the rere of Arran Street, through Messrs. Boland's bakery premises, and terminated at the rere of Capel Street. During the excavations some years ago fragments of ancient tiles were found, and side by side were two built graves or small vaults> evidently the resting-place of kings or bishops. One of the graves is believed to be that of the Archbishop of Tuam, who died in 1238.

About 130 years after the dissolution of Mary's Abbey in 1676 the then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Sir Humphrey Jervis, threw down a portion of the abbey to supply material for Essex Bridge, named after Arthur Capel, Earl of Essex. This act of vandalism met a deserved fate, for the bridge fell into the river some ten years after its erection. Shortly after building this bridge, Sir H. Jervis, together with Sir H. Stafford and others, formed a syndicate for the purpose of laying out new streets and building houses on this part of the estate belonging to Mary's Abbey. About this time St. Michan's, which was the only parish on the north side of the city, was further divided into two additional parishes — St. Mary's and St. Paul's. As the city in this direction extended its

io St. Paul's, Arran Quay.

bounds the Roman Catholic population also increased, and the latter established a new chapel by converting an old stable to this purpose at the rere of what is now 11-12 Arran Quay. This was, after some time, found inadequate for the increasing congregation, snd in 1835 the splendid new church of St. Paul's on Arran Quay was erected.

CHAPTER II.

Eighteenth 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 dis- solution 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 eighteenth 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

12 City "Mass Houses" and Schools.

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: —

" ist — 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 in- formation, 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 School, by M'Glaughlin,Phrapper Lane.

' An English School, by Ward, Mary's Lane.

City "Mass Houses" and Schools. 13

" 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' Com- mittee 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 con- cerning 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 suffi- cient 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.

14 In and Around Bolton Street.

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 twelve 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 sugges- tion 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

The Linen Hall, 15

2\ acres of ground, and approached either from Lur- gan 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 dis- cernible 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 pre- cincts. 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 en- couragement and development of this trade. The Board consisted of eighteen 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 (;£io,ooo), and this was ultimately discon- tinued. The amount of linen entered at the Linen Hall for five years, 1812 to 1816, was a general value

1 6 Ormond Quay.

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 he 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 seventeenth century Ormond Quay was the scene of many a fight between the Liberty and Ormond boys, when offending but- chers 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 Coming of the Jews. 17

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 forty 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 con- venient 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 busi- ness, 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

B

1 8 The Coming of the Jews.

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 Marl- borough Street was being built. This was conse- crated 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 ten Battleheim or males.

From the date of the closing of the Synagogue in Marlborough Street, and for close upon sixty 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, pur- chasing from the Seceders or Anti-Burghers their place of worship in Mary's Abbey, as already re- ferred 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 neigh- bourhood 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 Is- raelite that the body of his father was buried in the chimney.

I might add before leaving Marlborough Street,

The Coming of the Jews. 19

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 pro- prietor 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,"

CHAPTER III.

In and around Capel Street — Mint House of King James II.— Lottery Offices — Sir William Newcomen and the Union — Religious Associations of the Neighbourhood — Great Britain Street — Denmark Street — Metal Bridge — Strand Street — *' Flying Mercury."

THE first street the syndicate (consisting of Sir H. Jervis, J. Stafford, and some few other gentlemen) laid out was Capel Street, which they named after the then Viceroy ; Jervis Street and Jervis Quay (now Lower Ormond Quay) after Sir H. Jervis, and Staf- ford Street after one of his partners. Up to the opening of Capel Street there was virtually no con- nection between the northern parts of the County Dublin and Smithfield except the Great Northern road from North King Street to Swords, passing through Drumcondra, then a most populous place. That portion of the road was then and for many years later called Drumcondra Lane (1697); now it is known as Bolton Street (1724) and Dorset Street (1756). New streets were opened in rapid succession. St. Mary Street (1728), Liffey Street (1728), Henry Street (1729), Dominick Street (1743). As already stated, Capel Street was opened in the year 1697. It became one of the most popular places of residence, many notable persons residing in its immediate vicinity. The first house of historic note was that of King James's Mint. This stood where are now Nos. 27 and 28. From this place was issued the famous brass money of King James II. This mint was in the occupation of Sir John Knox when James arrived in

Mint House of King James II. 21

Dublin. This worthy man, so as to increase his ex- chequer, authorised his Commissioners to offer the people as an inducement to exchange their gold and silver tokens by giving them 2os. 6d. for every 203. so tendered. The material from which these gun money coins were struck was largely composed of old church bells, kitchen utensils, and disused cannon, whence their name.

The quantity of gun metal pieces struck was enor- mous— viz., 2 16,993 Ibs. 13 ounces. The value of this metal at 4d. per Ib. was £3,616 $s. 6d., which was declared current at the sum of £907,420 133. After the Battle of the Boyne, when William III. seized the mint only £22,489 was found there. By an Act of William and Mary this amount was declared to be only value £641 193. 5^d. In this house was born Thomas Sheridan, the friend of Swift and father of Thomas B. Sheridan, born in Dorset Street. Thomas Sheridan kept a famous school here, and in this house Henry Brooks, the famous dramatist, and father of Carlotta Brooke, is also stated to have died. In Capel Street we find the homes of many notabilities of the printing trade, Coyne, Grace, Fitzpatrick, and Watson. It was Watson who founded, in October, 1792, a society, which was the forerunner of the Eng- lish Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge. In the year 1736 Capel Street was the home of the drama. In consequence of a disagreement between the managers of Smock Alley Theatre, a rival one was started at the corner of Mary's Lane, about where the Messrs. Calvin's establishment now stands. It had a short but brilliant career. About seventy years ago a showman's booth was in the same place.

At a later date we had Loftus' Singing Hall opposite Mary Street. In this street was founded O'Connell's Repeal Association ; also its precursor, the Catholic Association. This street is the birth-

22 Lottery Offices.

place of Mossop, the engraver of many of the finest medals and coins of the pre-Union times in Ireland.

Malton in his " Views of Dublin " gives one of Capel Street, from which we can realise what it was 130 years ago. The rage at that time for lotteries, and many of the houses were devoted solely to the disposal of tickets. In the picture are shown two such. The first house has a sign painted " The Old State Lottery Office," whilst on the second is em- blazoned " The Military State Office."

One can fully gauge the important position which Mary's Abbey held in Dublin's commercial life when we recall the fact that the Bank of Ireland was first started in that place, in the building which is now Mr. Mather's ice stores. The original board was founded in 1782 with a capital of ;£6oo,ooo. It was then more a national bank than the quasi-Govern- ment one of to-day. It carried on its trade here till the time of the Union, when the governors secured the old Parliament House for their banking concerns. Since then the old building in Mary's Abbey has had a varied experience. In 1825 the Anti-Burghers, having to leave Mass Land, now Chancery Place, in consequence of the enlarging of the Four Courts, re- moved to the old Bank building in Mary's Abbey, but in 1834, having erected a larger meeting house in Lower Abbey Street, they sold theirs in Mary's Abbey to the Jews, who were again becoming numerous in Dublin, and who converted it into a Synagogue, where they worshipped till 1892, when they removed to their new place of worship on Ade- laide Road, which was consecrated on Sunday, 4th December, 1892. The cost of this new building was over .£5,000.

Previous to the establishment of the Bank of Ire- land in Mary's Abbey we find that Sir William Newcomen had from 1777 to 1781 a bank at 19

Sir William Newcomen and the Union. 23

Mary's Abbey. When his new premises in Castle Street were finished in the latter year, he transferred his business there. Sir William was one of those who changed sides at the time of the Union. Sir Jonah Barrington in his " Rise and Fall of the Irish Nation ' gives the Black List. This has the follow- ing : — 100. Sir W. G. Newcomen, Bart. Bought, and a peerage for his wife." In order that we in our day may try and realise some of the means by which the union was carried, we quote the following from the Irish Quarterly Review : —

" Sir William G. Newcomen, Bart., member for the Co. Longford, in the course of the debate, declared he supported the Union, as he was not instructed to the contrary by his constituents. This avowal sur- prised many, as it was known that the county was nearly unanimous against the measure, and that he was well acquainted with the fact. However, he voted for Lord Castlereagh, and he asserted that conviction alone was his guide. His veracity was doubted, and in a few months some of his bribes were published. His wife was also created a peeress. One of his bribes has been discovered registered in the Rolls Office — a document which it was never supposed would be exposed, but which would have been found for impeachment against every member of the Go- vernment who thus contributed his aid to plunder the public and corrupt Parliament. The following is a copy from the Rolls Office of Ireland : —

" 'By the Lord- Lieutenant and General Governor

of Ireland. " 'Cornwallis.

" 'Whereas Sir William G. Newcomen, Bart., hath by his memorial laid before us represented that on the 2$th day of June, 1785, John, late Earl of Mayo,

24 Sir William Newcomen and the Union.

then Lord Viscount Naas, Receiver-General of Stamp Duties, together with Sir Thomas Newcomen, Bart., and Sir B. Denny, Bart., both since deceased, as sureties for the said John, Earl of Mayo, executed a bond to his Majesty conditioning to pay into the Treasury the stamp duties received by him ; that the said Earl of Mayo continued in the said office of Receiver-General until the 3oth July, 178$ when he resigned the same, at which time he was indebted to his Majesty in the sum of about £5,000, and died on the /th of April, 1792 ; that the said sureties are dead, and the said Sir Thomas Newcomen, Bart., did by his last will appoint the memorialist executor of his estate ; that the memorialist proposed to pay into his Majesty's Exchequer the sum of £2,000 as a compensation for any money that might be recovered thereon, upon the estates being released from any further charge on account of said debt due to his Majesty. And the before-mentioned memorial having been referred to his Majesty's Attorney-General for his opinion what would be proper to do in this matter, and the said Attorney- General having by his report unto us, dated the 2oth day of August, 1 800, advised that, under all the circumstances of the case, the sum of £2,000 should be accepted of the memorialist on the part of the Government, etc., etc.

"<J. TOLER.'

" By this abstract it now appears, even by the memorial of Sir William Glandowe, that he was in- debted at least £5,000 from the year 1786 to the public Treasury and Revenue of Ireland ; that, with the interest thereon, it amounted in 1800 to £10,000 ; that Sir William had assets in his hands as executor to pay that debt, and that, on the Union, when all such arrears must have been paid in to the Treasury, the Attorney-General (afterwards the famous Lord

Religious Associations of the Neighbourhood. 25

Norbury), under a reference of Lord Castlereagh and Cornwallis, was induced to sanction the transaction as reported — viz., under all the circumstances to forego the debt except £2,000. Every effort has been made to find if any such sum as £2,000 was credited to the public — none such was discovered. The fact is that Lord Naas owed £10,000, consequently Sir William owed £20,000 ; that he never bona-fide paid to the public one shilling, which, with a peerage, the patronage of his county, and the pecuniary pickings also received by himself, altogether formed a tolerably strong bribe even for a more qualmish conscience than that of Sir William."

On the 3Oth July, 1800, Lady Newcomen was raised to the Irish peerage by the title of Baroness Newcomen of Mosstown, and in 1803, sne was ad- vanced to the dignity of Viscountess Newcomen. She was succeeded by her son, on whose death, in 1825, the title became extinct. Newcomen House in Castle Street, is now known as the Municipal Build- ings, in which are the offices of the City Treasurer, the Public Health Committee, Comptroller of Rates, etc. The two banks, La Touche's and Newcomen's, in Castle Street, gave rise to the conundrum : Why is Castle Street like a river ?

The vicinity of Capel Street seemed to have an attraction for a number of religious bodies, which recalls Moore's lines on the breaking of a rose vase : —

" You may break, you may shatter the vase as you will, But the scent of the roses will hang round it still."

The associations and memories of the past in connec- tion with this neighbourhood evidently had their effect, for we find in the early eighties the Catholics in Liffey Street and Abbey Street, the Quakers in Strand Street, the Walkerites in Stafford Street, the Anti-Burghers in Mary's Abbey, the Presbyterians in

26 Great Britain Street.

Strand Street and Mary's Abbey ; the latter, known as the Scots' Church; it had entrance from Capel Street, now portion of " Bolands."

In Great Britain Street during the period of the Irish Parliament trade of all kinds flourished, but in particular the coachmaking element Amongst the largest firms that existed here previous to the Union were those of Hutton, Costello, Smyth, Coole, and Williams. The first-named was that of John Hutton, the founder of the firm which has its present factory on Summer Hill. In the coachbuilding yard of Mr. Tonge, one of the last of the coachmaking establish- ments in this street, Mons. Soyer, the celebrated French cook, conducted a soup kitchen in the year of the famine. In addition to trade the street was the residence of many of the upper ten, among whom were the Earl of Altamont, Viscount St. Leger, the Hon. A. Atcheson.

In the year 1794 died in Britain Street Arthur O'Neill, the lineal descendant of Owen Roe O'Neill, of whom sang Thomas Davis : —

"Soft as woman's was your voice, O'Neill bright

was your eye !

Oh! why did you leave us, Owen? why did you die? Your troubles are all over, you're at rest with God

on high ; But we're slaves and we're orphans, Owen ! why

did you die!"

Where now stands Simpson's Hospital was at one time a large brick mansion known as Rutland House, in which the family resided till about the last quarter of the eighteenth century, when they removed to Lower Mount Street, which is now a convent for nuns. In 1778 Mr. G. Simpson, a wealthy merchant of 24 Jervis Street, bequeathed a large estate for the purpose of founding an asylum exclusively for blind

Denmark Street. 27

and gouty men in reduced circumstances. The ori- ginal mansion was used as an hospital till 1781, when it became unsuitable. The trustees had it taken down and the present structure erected at a cost of £7,000. The hospital income is about £2,700 per annum.

Denmark Street, although in the hands of brokers for many years, at one time was the centre of trade and commerce. High lofts and warehouses with their windlasses and tackle, extensive stores piled with bales and sacks of foreign merchandise, and vaults with bins well filled with the best vintages of France and Spain, no longer exist. Its days of affluence were not very prolonged. When the blast of adver- sity came, one after another of the props fell, and in a short time the street was left to its fate, and an un- fortunate one, as we may behold, has overtaken it. A few doors from the Typographical Society Rooms, (lately removed to 35 Lower Gardiner Street), in this street stands an alms-house, which was founded by Tristram Fortick. Over the door you may read : " This Charity House was built and endowed in the year 1755 by Tristram Fortick, a citizen of Dublin, late of Fortick's Grove, in the Co. of Dublin, Esq., for the use of reduced women who had lived in good repute." This worthy man lived for many years in the eighteenth century at Jones's Road in a house called Fortick's Grove, after the owner, and subse- quently inhabited by Frederick Jones, the patentee of old Crow Street Theatre. Fortick Grove is now the site of Clonliffe College. Fortick's gardens at Clon- liffe were a curiosity. Figures of men in various positions, animals, fowls, and birds were to be seen cut in yew and box. The gardens were open on certain days to the citizens. Denmark Street could boast in the eighteenth century of schools and aca- demies like many of the neighbouring streets. The stone-fronted building, now a boy's school, was

28 Metal Bridge.

formerly a Dominican Chapel. Here in days gone by met the Catholic Young Men's Society. Abbey Street (1728) has undergone a melancholy change within the past fifty years. Wealth once reigned here ; its rise in affluence and fashion was rapid, and its fall was also just as rapid. Merchant princes had their warehouses and countinghouses here, as a gene- ral rule, dwelling over the latter. Celebrated classical and mercantile academies were out and about this quarter; and here no inconsiderable quota of the literature of the eighteenth century was published. In this street was issued The Press, seized by Major Sirr and its plant destroyed. Here, at No. 150, Watty Cox had his printing office and published his magazine for many years. This mysterious character managed to worm out some important Castle secrets which he used against the authorities with deadly vengeance. He accepted a pension from the Govern- ment for his silence, and eventually died in humble circumstances in Bride Street In this street was born in 1747 one of the most popular dramatic writers of his day, John O'Keeffe.

Where the Metal Bridge now spans the river there was formerly a ferry, the property of the old Corpora- tion, the place of embarkation being called the Bagino Slip. Some enterprising speculators conceived the idea that a toll bridge would turn out a paying specu- lation, more particularly as it would afford a short cut to Crow Street Theatre, which early in the last cen- tury was the chief theatre in the city. Alderman Beresford and William Walsh purchased the tolls of the ferry, and erected at a cost of about £3,000 the present structure. It was opened in the year 1816, and received the name of Wellington Bridge, but it is known to the man in the street as the Metal Bridge. Years ago there were, as now, efforts made to have the tolls done away with, but those engaged in this object

Strand Street. 29

failed in freeing the bridge, the lease of which expires in 1916. From an old auction bill we learn that there was sold by Mr. Bennett, at his rooms on Ormond Quay, on the 1st May, 1878, the late William Walsh's moiety of the tolls, which produced a net annual in- come of £329 35. A rather amusing story is told of two tinkers, with their budgets, who hurriedly arrived at the tollbar — before the days of turnstiles — and one of them accosted the tollman. " Do you charge any- thing, mister, for luggage, or for what a man may carry over on his back ?" Having been informed there was no extra charge for luggage over the halfpenny toll, the tinker said to his fellow-craftsman : — " Get up on my back, Jim." The tollman looked on in mute astonishment, while one tinker mounted the other's back. Dropping the copper into the palm of the tollman's hand, Tinker No. I carried Tinker No. 2, despite the remonstrances of the custodian of the gate. One of the old Dublin printers, William Folds, established his business in Strand Street. He was one of the old school of respectable Dublin citizens, rigidly adhering to the habits and customs of the seventeenth century. His son, John, in the year 1832, removed to No. 6 Bachelor's Walk, which was a rather historical printing office. It was in its time one of the largest printing offices in the city. It was destroyed by fire in the year 1841. Folds was awarded £2,000 as damages for malicious burning. It is stated that a short time previous to the fire Folds was offered £8,000 for his goodwill from a London firm, but he wanted £10,000. The fire oc- curred whilst the sheets of Lever's "Charles O'Malley" were going through the press. In a letter to James, the English novelist, Lever writes : —

" With a scrap of notepaper just saved from the

flames, I sit down to write to you, my dear James."

30 "Flying Mercury?

From this office, after reconstruction in 1845, Folds issued The Dublin Times, and it being a failure was the means of having him adjudged a bankrupt. He retired to America and died there. In passing from this office, let me add that The Warder, still in ex- istence, was originally issued from it.

There are many houses of interest on Ormond Quay, but there is one deserving of our passing atten- tion, No. 36 (Upper). In this house 120 years ago lived a famous Dublin printer and bookseller and stampseller named Peter Hoey. This shop was known by the sign of the " Flying Mercury." After Hoey's death his widow carried on the trade till 1820; she was succeeded by Robert Dalton ; at his decease his widow carried on the business till 1851. Mrs. Dalton was succeeded by Mr. King, who died in 1874; he was succeeded by his son, who carries on the trade up to this day.

CHAPTER IV.

Mary Street — St. Mary's Church — Escape of Hamilton Rowan — Old Sheriff's Prison — Green Street Courthouse — Newgate Jail— Oliver Bond and Pill Lane— Church Street— St. Michan's Church and Vaults — The Osborne Family — The Brothers Sheares — Charles Lucas.

WHAT memories are recalled when Mary Street is mentioned, the home of many by-gone celebrities and merchants. Amongst the grants of land belonging to Mary's Abbey was one made by King James I. to Lord Moore, afterwards created Earl and Marquis of Drogheda. Lord Moore's grant lay to the east side of what was known as " Piphos " Grant, where Mary Street meets Henry Street, and was the dividing line of the two grants. On Lord Moore's land was after- wards built Upper Sackville Street, then called Dro- gheda Street. On the east side of the street was Drogheda House, now the Hibernian Bible Society. Henry Street, Moore Street, Earl Street, Off Lane (now Henry Place), and Drogheda Street, marked the territory of Henry Moore, Earl of Drogheda. In our day, about the centre of this street, stands a large building thirty feet back from the line of the other houses. It was known as the house of the Paving Board in the days of the old Corporation. It is now the establishment of Messrs. Bewley and Draper. This building was originally built by one Paul Barry. He sold it in 1712 to the Right Hon. Henry In- goldsby, who died in 1731, when the building was sold, and eventually it passed into the hands of the Paving Board. The mansiorv is built on ground

32 St. Mary's Church.

arches, and a side entrance leads to what was the old Catholic church in Liffey Street, the precursor of the Cathedral now in Marlborough Street.

In Mary Street died in 1741 Judge Rodgson, Chief Justice of Ireland. As Carlisle Bridge was not built till 1795, Henry Street, Mary Street, and Capel Street were the way from Rutland Square and Sackville Street to the Parliament House. Hence Parliament Street was appropriately named as being the way from the north side to College Green and the Parliament House. On the north side of the city dwelt at that time all the rank and fashion of the city. On our way back to Capel Street we pause for a few moments at St. Mary's Church, which was erected in 1697, pursuant to an Act of the Irish Parliament, on the south side of Mary Street, opposite Sir A. Cole's house, then the residence of the Lord Chancellor. For many years this parish was the leading one on the north side of the city. In this church were bap- tised Brinsley Sheridan (Swift being god-father), Sir R. Hamilton (born in Dominick Street), and Sam- Lover. The records of this church are rilled with those whose names are familiar as "household words" — the Butlers, the Geraldines, the Ormondes, the Desmonds, Lords Enniskillen, Charlemont, and Do- noughmore, and the last Speaker of the House of Commons, whose residence in Dominick Street is now the parochial school. In this parish lived 114 years ago the head of the Guinness family (Arthur Guinness, of James's Gate), who was married in this church on 8th May, 1793, to Miss Anne Lee, which, I suppose, accounts for " Lee " being added to the family name. In the burial ground attached to this church, now a small Corporation Park, many highly distinguished persons have been interred ; to detail in any length would be a task. Here sleep two public benefactors — Mrs. Mercer, founder of Mercer's Hos-

Escape of Hamilton Rowan. 33

pital, and Mrs. Simpson, the founder of the institution in Great Britain Street. There are two more calling for passing notice. The first is Lord Norbury, who descended from one of the Cromwellian planters, and who used to boast that he commenced his legal career with £50 and a brace of pistols. For a vote in favour of the Union he was made Chief Justice, and in after years he was the instrument selected by the Govern- ment to carry out their severe policy at the Union period. The assizes at which he was present were invariably followed by wholesale executions. Utterly reckless of life himself, he seemed scarcely to com- prehend how others could value it. His conduct to Emmet at his trial confirms this. His tombstone is just inside the gate in Jervis Street. The other name is one which is remembered with gratitude, Archibald Hamilton Rowan, who was interred here in November, 1834.

The story of his escape is worthy of being retold. In January, 1794, Rowan was brought to trial at the old Four Courts, Christchurch Place, for distributing an address to the " Citizen Soldiers to Arms." Cur- ran defended him, and made his famous speech in which he referred to " the irresistible genius of uni- versal emancipation," but his efforts went for naught, as Rowan was fined £500, and to be imprisoned for two years, in addition to find security for his good behaviour. Two months after his conviction he was visited by the Rev. William Jackson, accompanied by the spy Cockayne, the English attorney. At this interview Rowan spoke rather freely about men and things. Shortly afterwards, when he learned of Jack- son's conviction and death, he knew that the Govern- ment would produce evidence enough to have him hanged, so he decided upon escaping from Newgate, which he did in the following manner: — He persuaded one of the officers of Newgate that if he brought

C

34 Old Sheriff's Prison.

him out for one hour he would give him ;£ioo. His excuse was that he had lately sold an estate, but that a conveyance executed in prison would be void. He only wanted to sign it outside, and then return. The officer accompanied Rowan to his house in Lower Dominick Street (now No. 36), where after a good lunch, he asked liberty to bid his wife and children adieu in the adjoining backroom. Rowan had, with the assistance of his faithful Swiss butler, made every- thing ready for escape by means of a knotted rope tied to the bedpost, and by its aid Rowan got down to the stable-yard, and, turning into Britain Street, rode off to Howth. Rowan thus tells how he got away from Ireland : — " But in my acknowledgments how am I to mention the generous, disinterested con- duct of the two brothers Sheridan, farmers and boat- men, of Baldoyle, who upon being introduced to me by Mr. Sweetman, of Howth, and in possession of the proclamation offering .£3,000 for my capture, and knowing me only by name, not only concealed me while sheltering at Mr. Sweetman's house, but con- sented to carry me in their small half-decked fishing boat across the Channel to the coast of France, saying

to Mr. Sweetman, ' Never fear ; by , we'll land

him safe.' And so they did, in two days, although driven back once from near Wexford to take shelter under Howth."

The first building we meet on our entering Green Street, from North King Street side (originally called the Abbey Green [1568] from the Green of St. Mary's Abbey) is now a police barrack. It was built in 1794 as a Sheriffs Prison. One of the objects intended by its erection was to remove the abuses then carried on in private debtors' prisons, called Sponginghouses, but it was, to use a homely expression, a case of out of the frying-pan into the fire, as nearly all the officials were supported by what was made by rents of the

Green Street Courthotise. 35

chambers. The sheriffs preyed upon the head jailer, this worthy upon his deputy, and the latter upon the unfortunate victims committed to his tender care. This state of affairs continued till 1810, when the whole system was changed, the staff being paid by salaries instead of fees. In the days of the old Cor- poration debtors were committed to a section of this prison, by the decrees of the Lord Mayor and Court of Conscience, for debts not exceeding 405. When the law for the abolition of imprisonment for debt came into operation the Sheriffs Prison was converted into a police barrack or depot for the men of the C and D Divisions. The site on which Newgate Prison, the Session House, and the Sheriff's Prison are built was once a portion of St. Mary's Abbey estate. The northern end of Green Street, from the Courthouse to Tickell's timber yard, was, according to tradition, the burial ground attached to St. Mary's Abbey.

Next to the old Sheriff's Prison stands the Sessions House, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1792, and the Prison was opened five years after- wards. As we gaze upon its portals, what a procession of martyrs to the cause of Irish freedom passes in imagination before us, in the long vista which extends between then and our day; hardly had its dock been finished when it was occupied by the Brothers John and Henry Sheares and their compatriots of '98. The work of sacrifice was speedily continued, as there is still ringing in our ears the echo of the immortal speech of Emmet. He and his comrades stood in the same place as that occupied by those who failed but a short time before. Time rolls on. "Other men and times arise," but the cause is still the same. '48 finds Mitchel, Martin, and their com- panions sentenced to a felon's doom for Ireland's sake ; again is the scene re-enacted in '65 and '67 ; the dock is filled with soldiers of Ireland's cause

36 Newgate Jail.

awaiting their doom, which they accept with manly heroism, with words of devotion to their country, as with firm step and unyielding heart they left the dock and went down the dark passage which led to the place where all hope seemed closed. In our own day we have witnessed the same tragedy, at which the words of the Psalmist come to our lips in prayer, " How long, O Lord, how long ?" The narrow pas- sage just alluded to brings us into the precincts of Newgate Jail.

The city records informs us that the old jail in Cornmarket, being considered small, inconvenient, and, what was more important, insecure, it was deter- mined to erect a new prison. This was done under the supervision of Thomas Cooley, an Englishman, the site selected being Little Green Street. Its cost for erection was £18,000; it was a disgrace to civiliza- tion, and from the first was condemned as being wholly unsuitable as a prison. It was as bad as the " Black Hole" in Calcutta ; its internal condition and management are simply indescribable. In a report made by a Government Commissioner in 1808 he says that there was a want of proper supervision, and that indecent assaults and even murder had been committed within the prison. One is given an idea of what cell life was when he is told the size of a cell — 1 2 ft. by 8ft. and that without ventilation. Into this space were packed twelve or sixteen persons. As years passed by some minor reforms were effected in this place, but it was found impossible to put into operation the more humane ideas regarding the treatment of prisoners. The authorities virtually closed the prison about forty years ago, and transferred it to the Cor- poration, who sold it in 1875, when it was purchased for building purposes on lease for seventy-five years at a rent of £140. This agreement not being realised, the Corporation took over the ground and had it

Oliver Bond and Pill Lane. 37

transformed into St. Michan's Park. I well remember when a lad going through this jail, and visiting the cell in which Lord Edward died on 4th June, 1798. This enabled me to appreciate to the fullest extent the words of Byron : —

" Eternal Spirit of the chainless mind !

Brightest in dungeons, Liberty! thou art;

For there thy habitation is the heart — The heart which love of thee alone can bind, And when thy sons to fetters are consigned,

To fetters and the damp vaults' dayless gloom,

Their country conquers with their martyrdom, And freedom's fame finds wings on every wind.

Chillon ! thy prison is a holy place, And thy sad floor an altar ; for 'twas trod

Until his very steps have left a trace

Worn, as if thy cold pavement were a sod,

By Bonnivard ; may none these marks efface, For they appeal from tyranny to God."

Yes, Byron's ideals have been literally carried out by Dublin's Nationality. For where once stood Dublin's Bastile (Newgate) now stands in all its simplicity a people's memorial to the memory of those who within its deadly walls or on its scaffold, sacrificed all they held dear for Ireland's cause at some time — a land mark and a beacon light to future generations.

Sauntering down Little Green (still a name in connection with Mary's Abbey) we pass into Chancery Street, formerly Pill Lane, or " Pile," so called from a small inlet from the river which ran up to Fisher's Lane, now St. Michan's Street. Fisher's Lane was one of the oldest named places on the north side. It is mentioned in title deeds so far back as 1310. Pill Lane, or Chancery Street, as we now know it,

38 Church Street.

ran up to Church Street. In it were situated the warehouses and dwellings of many of old Dublin's wealthy citizens. Here Oliver Bond commenced his business as a wholesale woollen draper. His stores were situated about where the Police Courts now stand. He removed to Bridge Street in 1786, at which place he was arrested, along with fourteen members of the Leinster Directory, on I2th March, 1798. He was sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted, but he only survived the event five weeks. It is said that he died suddenly of apoplexy in September, 1798. His death added another to the many tragedies enacted in infamous Newgate. Bond's remains were interred in St. Michan's, in the same grave with the Rev. William Jackson.

Close to Pill Lane, in Charles Street, lived the famous Dr. Charles Lucas. He died in Henry Street in 1771.

As we turn into Church Street, immediately on our left, in days gone by stood " Candy's," one of the most famous of old Dublin's chop-houses. This street being one of the main arteries from south to north, was a hive of industry. Here also were many of the old-fashioned inns, much frequented, as this was the highway in connection with the fly boats then plying on the Royal Canal from Broadstone to Mullingar. Church Street and its neighbourhood, about the year 1838, was the meeting place for mem- bers of the Ribbon Society, then known as the United Sons of Freedom and Sons of the Shamrock. In October, 1839, Richard Jones, one of the chiefs of the organisation, was arrested near Cuckoo Lane. He was tried in June, 1840, and was sentenced to seven years' transportation.

Directly facing us as we leave Chancery Street stands the Tower of St. Michan's Church. A writer some years ago, describing this historic building,

St. Michan's Church and Vaults. 39

sayS : — « There, through rain and shine, for well nigh eight centuries, has it stood square and strong, amid all the changes and chances of time and tide. Could some magic art bestow on that old grey tower the gift of speech, what tales (stranger indeed than fiction) might it not tell us ? What pictures set before our mental vision, what memories recall for us of days long dead! . . . ."

In the old parish and Church of St. Michan we have one of the most ancient and interesting eccle- siastical relics in the city of Dublin. But above its antiquity, St. Michan's contains some objects of unique interest, and amongst the last-named stand pre-eminently the vaults beneath the church.

Sir Arthur Vicars, Ulster King-at-Arms, in 1880, at a meeting of the Royal Archaeological Institute of Great Britain, read a paper at Leamington upon the subject. He says : — " These vaults furnish, I believe, considering the circumstance, an unique instance, and if we take into account the peculiarly damp nature of the Irish climate — humid as our geographers call it — which accelerates the process of decay and decom- position— it is more to be wondered at. . . ."

The church was founded in the year 1095 by Michans, said to be a Danish Bishop, and there is a recumbent effigy ? occupying a niche in the south wall in the church, of a bishop in alb, chasuble, and mitre, holding a Pastoral Staff. This is supposed to repre- sent the founder. It is doubtful if there exists any of the original church. The tower presents the appearance of having undergone a partial if not a total rebuilding, possibly in 1686, as appears by an inscription over the west door. There is a tradition that Handel when in Dublin played the organ in St. Michan's. To this church the remains of the late C. S. Parnell were brought for special requiem service previous to their interment in Glasnevin.

4O The Osborne Family.

Having said this much about the interior of the church, we pass to the vaults, of which there are five. The entrance to the first vault, beginning at the west end, as in the case of all others, is protected by mas- sive iron doors placed in a slanting direction against the wall. On these being swung back, a flight of steps is disclosed to view. . . . Unlike our sen- sations in most vaults, a warm feeling is perceptible on entering this place, accompanied by a dry stone and mortar sort of smell, which tells at once of the absence of all damp. The chamber on the left con- tains some twenty coffins of the Beard and Gill families. On one side is a pile of coffins, out of one of which the whole side has fallen, and there is dis- played to view the body of a man in perfect state of preservation, his flesh being of a brown leathery sort of appearance. He rests on hay — all that remains of the upholstery of the coffin — and some hay still clings to the sides ; but all signs of the lining or shroud of the corpse have disappeared.

The next chamber is that of the Osborne family. This contains six coffins, which, contrary to usual custom, are placed nearly upright and leaning against the wall. There is a legend in connection with this family that this is the way they have buried their members for many generations in order to facilitate their answer to the last summons. Close to this chamber are two others, of the interior of one of which the photograph (taken by Dr. W. H. Vipond Barry) gives a representation. This chamber contains ten coffins.

Before leaving this vault we raised the lid of one of those on the left which did not seem to be fastened down. There lay the body of a man -exactly in the same condition of preservation and presenting a similar appearance to the one in the photograph. In the next we come to the family vault of the Earls of

The Brothers Sheares. 41

Leitrim, which contains the coffin of the late Earl, who was shot in Donegal a few years ago.

At St. Michan's we must notice the coffins of the brothers John and Henry Sheares, in the last chamber next the entrance. When first buried here they had no leaden coffins, and in process of time, when the wooden coffins went to pieces, the bodies were ex- posed. But through the agency of the late Dr. Madden the remains of both brothers were placed in lead and oak coffins in 1853. There are many theories put forward as to the peculiar nature of these vaults ; one is that it is due to the tannin in the earthen floors of the vaults, as the ground on which St. Michan's is built was actually a vast oak forest, and not very long ago known as Oxmantown Wood. Another opinion is that of Sir Charles Cameron ; his theory is that the peculiarity of these vaults is due partly to their un- doubted dryness, and partly to the great freedom of their atmosphere from dust. This he ascertained by a series of experiments in the summer of 1879. Being anxious to know if Sir Charles had any reason to alter the opinion he had formed as to the reasons for the antiseptic properties of these vaults, I interviewed him upon the question, and he told me he was of the same opinion as that expressed by him thirty- five years ago.

Without in the old graveyard that surrounds the church, are other historic tombs. Close to the wall, next Alderman Keegan's timber yard, is a large tomb belonging to the Emmet family. On the other side of the churchyard, a short distance from the sexton's house, are the grave and headstone of Archbishop Carpenter, who ruled over the Catholic archdiocese of this city from 1770 till his death in October, 1786. A few paces from the " unmarked grave " sleeps Oliver Bond and the Rev. William Jackson, who took ooison so as to " deceive the Senate," and dropped

42 Charles Lucas.

down dead at the feet of the judge who was about to pass sentence of death upon him. Nearly in the centre of the graveyard is the tomb of Lucas, whose statue by Smith stands in the City Hall. Lucas was M.P. for the city in 1761, and to his strength and honesty Ireland owes much in connection with the movements of that period. The inscription on his tomb is as follows : —

" To the Memory of

CHARLES LUCAS, M.D., formerly one of the Representatives in Parliament for the City of Dublin, whose incorrupt integrity, unconquered spirit, just judgment, and glorious perseverance in the glorious cause of Liberty, Virtue, and his Country, endeared him to his grateful constituents. This tomb is placed over his much-respected remains as a small, yet sincere, tribute of remembrance by one of his fellow- citizens and constituents, Sir Edward Newenham, Knight.

"Lucas! Hibernia's friend, her joy, and pride, Her powerful bulwark, and her skilful guide. Firm in the Senate, steady to his trust, Unmoved by fear, and obstinately just

"Charles Lucas, born 26th September, 1713. "Died November 4th, 1771."

( 43 )

CHAPTER V.

Jervis Street Hospital— Birth-place of Theobald Wolfe Tone— The Fate of Luttrell— St. Michan's Roman Catholic Chapel— The Jesuits in St. Michan's Parish — George's Hill Convent.

As we are leaving Mary Street ambit we see the magnificent building now in Jervis Street, which is the culmination of the work of the Charitable In- firmary founded in 1718, when six Dublin surgeons associated themselves together and took a house in Cook Street. This after a little time was too small for them to carry on their benevolent work, and, with the aid of outside help, they removed in 1728 to larger premises on Inns' Quay. Their new premises were situated about four doors from " Mass Lane," now Chancery Place, and next door to the Infirmary lived Sir Patrick Dun, the founder of the hospital which still bears his name. In 1786, when the new Four Courts were about being erected, a bargain was made with the Earl of Charlemont, who, having erected a new mansion at Rutland Square, vacated his old mansion, 14 Jervis Street, and the institution was removed thither in October, 1796. Some time after- wards alterations were made in the house to suit it for hospital purposes. The good work under the old system was carried on till 1854, when the nursing and internal management were placed under the control of the Sisters of Mercy. In 1877, the old Charitable Infirmary becoming decayed and inadequate to meet the increasing demand upon it, the Management Committee decided upon rebuilding and enlarging

44 Birth-place of Theobald Wolfe Tone.

the hospital so as to adapt it to all the requirements of modern sanitary science and legislation. Of it may it be truly said, " The ancient is ever new." This is evidenced by an extract from the hospital report for the year 1906 : — " Since its foundation in 1718 the hospital has continued to fulfil its beneficent mission in the city, and during the past year has received into its wards a larger number of patients than in any previous year, and it may be said that the num- bers seeking admission are annually increasing. In addition to the 1,414 patients treated in the wards, 25,370 suffering poor have been attended at the dis- pensary, and supplied with medicine and other neces- sary medical and surgical aids. These large numbers need cause no surprise when we remember that the hospital occupies a central place in the most populous part of the city, and being close to the markets, rail- way termini, and goods stores, as also the shipping, must always be ready for accidents and urgent medi- cal cases of every kind. The very necessity of its position, which imposes upon it the duty of giving immediate relief in thousands of cases, gives it also a greater claim upon the charitable consideration of the citizens. This ever-increasing work has crippled the resources of the hospital, especially as during the past few years the subscriptions and bequests have con- siderably fallen off, and as a consequence the com- mittee were obliged to draw on the capital, which is now completely exhausted. They claim that the work done for the city poor gives them a special claim on the citizens, and they earnestly invite all well- wishers to allow their names to be recorded as subscribers."

It is remarkable that within the curtilage of these streets two events of supreme importance in the national life of Ireland took place. On 2Oth June, 1763, in 44 Stafford Street, was born Theobald Wolfe

The Fate of Luttrell. 45

Tone, and on 4th June, 1798, died in Newgate Jail Lord Edward Fitzgerald. It is also worth noting that both were born in the same year and both died within the same year, '98. Stafford Street is historic for many reasons. Here " Stella " lived ; here was assassinated Luttrell, who sold the pass at Aughrim.

The fate of Luttrell, the traitor, is thus recorded in O'Callaghan's "History of the Irish Brigades": — " After King William's decease Henry Luttrell retired to Luttrellstown, and mostly resided there till No- vember 2nd, 1717, when, being waylaid between ten and eleven o'clock at night in Dublin, as he was pro- ceeding from Lucas's Coffee House, situated where the City Hall now stands, to his town house in Stafford Street, he was fired at and mortally wounded in his sedan chair. He lingered until next day, and then died, in the sixty-third year of his age. Two days after, a proclamation was issued by the Duke of Bedford, Lord Lieutenant, stating that on Tuesday, etc., ' between the hours of ten and eleven o'clock at night, a tall man, with long, lank hair, in a short, light-coloured coat, did, in Stafford Street, in the City of Dublin, in a most barbarous and inhuman manner, murther and assassinate Colonel Henry Luttrell as he was going in a hackney chair from a coffee house on Cork Hill to his own house in Stafford Street afore- said, by firing a pistol or gun loden with ball into the said chair, and thereby so dangerously wounding the said Henry Luttrell that he has since died of his said wounds ; and that the said assassin found means of escape, and the authors and contrivers of such an horrid murther were still undiscovered . . . and we hereby give the necessary orders for the payment of the sum of ,£300 to such person or persons as shall discover, take, or apprehend the person who fired the said pistol.' This reward not succeeding, as a further inducement the then Irish House of Commons autho-

46 St. Micharfs Roman Catholic Chapel.

. rised a further reward of£i,ooo for the capture of the person who shot Luttrell. Some arrests on suspicion took place, but nothing of more consequence was the result of the efforts of the authorities. The memory of Colonel Henry Luttrell was held up after his death to national hatred in the following epigram, cited by Hardiman, and unsurpassed for comprehensive bit- terness : —

" ' If HEAV'N be pleased when mortals cease to sin, And HELL be pleased when villains enter in, If EARTH be pleas'd when it entombs a knave, ALL must be pleased — now Luttrell's in his grave/

" Towards the end of the seventeenth century it is said that Henry Luttrell's tomb, near Luttrellstown, was broken open at night by some of the peasantry of the neighbourhood, and his skull taken out and smashed with a pickaxe by a labourer named Carty, who was afterwards hanged for being concerned in the plan to cut off Lord Carhampton in 1/97, on his way to Luttrellstown, as a character not less detested living than his grandfather dead."

In the early days of the eighteenth century this locality was the centre of fashion, the home of lords and earls. Their names are forgotten. Only one of its inhabitants is still fondly remembered by the Irish people, and will be till time is no more. Need I again mention the name of Tone. This is not the place to trace the career of that great here, whose death, (like the Man in the Iron Mask), is still a mys- tery. Some believe (and I confess I am one) that Tone was assassinated and did not commit suicide. However, time may reveal the secret. In the mean- time let us keep alive his principles and his memory.

The first Roman Catholic chapel in St. Michan's Parish was the chapel within the Convent grounds,

The Jesuits in St. Micharis Parish. 47

now portion of the Richmond Hospital. The next chapel, or " Mass House," was erected by Father Neary about 1730. It was on the south side of Mary's Lane, north-west corner of Bull Lane. This lane has ceased to exist ; but the site of Mary's Lane Chapel is still in existence, and is now occupied by a dairy. After the death of Father Neary at his lodg- ings in Bull Lane in 1738, the chapel was served principally by members of the Jesuit Order, who, when their Order was suppressed by Pope Clement XIV., became secular priests and assisted in all parochial duties. When, in 1814, Pope Pius VII. restored the Order, they went once more into com- munity. Their first house in Dublin after the restoration was the old chapel in Hardwicke Street attached to the Convent of Poor Clares, who removed from this place in 1804 to their present home at Harold's Cross. From Hardwicke Street the Jesuits removed, about 1834, to their present magnificent church in Gardiner Street, the foundation stone of which was laid in the year of Catholic Emancipation, 1829.

Passing into Anne Street, we meet the Parish Church of St. Michan. The last pastor of Mary's Lane Chapel, Father Wall, seeing it was fast be- coming a congested area, called in the assistance of his parishioners to assist him in procuring a site for a new church and presbytery. Amongst those most prominent in their efforts to assist Father Wall was Captain Bryan, of Jenkinstown, who gave £300 and £200 yearly for himself and son until the church would be completed. As a favour to him his family arms were emblazoned in the porch at the entrance of the church, where they still remain. Before passing away let us glance for a moment or two at the pile of buildings now known as George's Hill Convent. This was the first Roman Catholic school permitted

48 Georges Hill Convent.

legally to be opened in Dublin, such " Papist " insti- tutions being forbidden by the Foreign Education Bill. This provision was repealed in the reign of George III. The convent was founded by a Mrs. Mullally, the daughter of a humble provision dealer at the corner of Beresford Street, in Mary's Lane. She commenced at first in a small outhouse opposite the old chapel in Mary's Lane, where on Sundays and holy days she taught such of the children of the poor as she could collect around her. God blessed her work, assistance coming to her from unexpected quarters. She went to Cork to consult with Miss Nano Nagle, who had just founded the Presentation Order in that city. On her return, with the zealous help of Father Mulhall, funds were collected, and the ground on George's Hill purchased. In 1787 several houses were erected for schools, and in seven years after, 1/94, the convent and chapel were formally opened.

Amongst the many members of the Jesuit Order attached to St. Michan's in its early days was Father Mulhall. He divided his time between the service of the altar and the education of youth. By his exer- tions the small and inadequate schools were enlarged, so that close upon 800 were daily educated therein. He was attached to St. Michan's Parish for a period of close upon forty years. He died at his residence in George's Hill, next to the convent (of which he was the first chaplain) in December, 1801. His re- mains lie beneath the Convent Chapel, and, at his own request, without any inscription.

For the past 120 years the good Sisters of this convent, " far from the madding crowd " of the busy city, brought solace and comfort to the poor in this district ; let us in our individual capacity help them to carry on their good work.

( 49 )

CHAPTER VI.

Robin Hood and Little John in Dublin — Old Law Courts on Michael's Hill — The Thingmote — Irish Secret Service Records — Location of "The Croppies' Acre" — Names of those buried there— The Trial and Death of the Rev. William Jackson.

THE recalling of the death of the Rev. Wm. Jackson reminds one of the old Law Courts of the city, and a brief reference to them may be interesting.

The first institution of an Irish "Inne of Court" took place in the reign of Edward I. It was called Collet's Inn, and was outside the city walls, where Ex- chequer Street and South Great George's Street are now built. The first-named street derives its name from the Court of Exchequer ; here were situated the Superior Courts of Justice. We are told that the Irish from the Wicklow Mountains made a raid upon this place, plundered the Exchequer, and burned every record they could lay hands on. This compelled the Government of the day to remove the seat of justice from without the walls. For some time it was held in the Castle, also at Carlow, in the reign of Edward III. Sir Robert Preston gave his mansion, situated where the printing office of the Daily Express now stands. It was used as a law factory from A.D. 1358 till the year 1541, about which time the "Innes" were removed to the dissolved monastery of the Dominicans, where the Four Courts now stand, which was granted by Henry VIII. in 1542 to the Pro- fessors of Law, and as a compliment to the Royal Founder this Society took the denomination of the

D

50 The King's Innes.

" King's Innes." The lawyers of that date applied themselves to the task of remodelling the monastery to their requirements, and many were the uses it was put to. It was used as a place for theatrical perform- ances ; also as a Parliamentary meeting place. We are told the Lord Lieutenant attended several of the entertainments here given by Elrington, who in his day was the greatest Irish actor. The income of the Society steadily declining from £1,500, to £400 per annum, (at which figure it was in 1742,) the buildings were allowed to go to ruin. New Law Courts being required, the Benchers sold their land to the Government. For some years after the event the Society had no local habitation, although it had a name, and in the year 1793 the practice of holding Commons was resumed in the Tennis Court, then in Townsend Street. In 1793 the Benchers secured the present site in Henrietta Street, once known as Primate's Hill. Whilst upon the "Home" of Law, it is said, that at one time it was suggested to turn Christ Church Cathedral into a Hall of Justice. Evidently its location was in Christchurch Lane, now St. Michael's Hill. It was in this place that the Rev. Wm. Jackson was tried and met his death. I believe it was the late J. P. Prendergast who was the writer of the following interesting description of this noted place in Old Dublin. He writes : — " Robert Holmes, the Cato of the Irish Bar, sitting by the fire in the old Law Library, says : ' Why it was at Christ Church I saw Jackson drop down and die in the dock.' " The Court of Chancery was at the upper end of the Hall, and the several Courts were at the sides. As soon as the Chancellor and his train entered, his tip-staffs raised their staves, crying out at the same time, " High Court of Chancery " ; and upon this the tip-staffs of all the other Courts echoed the cry, and the Judges of the several Courts stood

The Four Courts, 51

up and remained standing till the Chancellor had taken his seat. In the plan of the present Four Courts there was an attempt to preserve something of the former plan of all the Courts sitting in one Hall together, open to view, for the screens of wood below and glass above were an afterthought. It was said the Judges were glad of being relieved by the removal of the Courts from paying homage to the Lord Chancellor's supremacy. There was an old custom (about eighty years ago) carried out in the Hall, which was a relic of his pre-eminence. There was a long tin tube from the crier's box in the Court of Chancery into the Hall, above the level of the crowd, and no sooner had the Chancellor taken his seat than the crier shouted through his tube, " The Right Honourable William Saurin, his Majesty's Attorney-General," as if it was the highest of the "Courts."

The buildings, now known as the Municipal Art Gallery, 17 Harcourt Street, formerly the residence of Lord Clonmel, recall the closing incidents of the trial of the Rev. William Jackson, which has been alluded to. In Gilbert's " Streets of Dublin " the following appears : —

"On the soth April, 1795, the Rev. William Jack- son was brought to the Bar to receive sentence, the Chief Justice, Lord Clonmel, presiding.

" The condition of Mr. Jackson becoming worse, Mr. Curran proposed that he should be remanded, as he was in a state of body which rendered any com- munication between him and his counsel impracticable. Lord Clonmel thought it lenient to the prisoner to dispose of the question of law which had been raised as speedily as possible."

52 Jacksoris Trial.

The conclusion of this scene is given as follows in the reported trial : —

" Lord Clonmel — If the prisoner is in a state of insensibility, it is impossible that I can pronounce the judgment of the Court upon him.

" Mr. Thomas Kinsley, who was in the jury box, said he would go down to him. He accordingly went into the dock, and in a short time informed the Court the prisoner was certainly dying. By order of the Court Mr. Kinsley was sworn.

" Lord Clonmel — Are you in any profession ?

" Mr. Kinsley — I am an apothecary.

" Lord Clonmel — Can you speak with certainty of the state of the prisoner ?

" Mr. Kinsley — I can. I think him verging on eternity.

" Lord Clonmel — Do you think him capable of hearing the judgment ?

" Mr. Kinsley — I do not think he can.

"Lord Clonmel — Then he must be taken away. Take care that in sending him away no mischief be done. Let him be remanded until further orders, and I believe it is as much for his advantage as for all of you to adjourn.

" The Sheriff informed the Court the prisoner was dead.

" Lord Clonmel — Let an inquest, and a respectable one, be held on the body. You should carefully inquire by what means he died.

" The Court then adjourned. It was said that when Lord Clonmel was retiring from the Bench to his chamber, the Sheriff inquired how he should act with regard to the dead body. His lordship, without pausing in his progress, replied : ' Act, sir, as is usual in such cases.' The body of the deceased remained in the dock unmoved from the position in which he had expired until the following day, when an inquest was held."

Little John. 53

Before passing away from the neighbourhood of St. Michan's Church there is an incident in con- nection with it worthy of recall. Many of us Dubliners have read from time to time of the daring feats in Sherwood Forest of bold Robin Hood and his trusty lieutenant, Little John, but how few of us know that after their exploits across the water, the latter was hanged near St. Michan's, Church Street, as may be seen from the following item taken from " Walker's Historical Memories of the Irish Bards, etc." — " According to tradition, Little John (who followed his master to this country) shot an arrow from the old bridge (now Church Street bridge) to the present site of St. Michan's Church, a distance of about eleven score and seven yards, but poor Little John's great practical skill in archery could not save him from an ignominious fate ; as it appears from the records of the Southwell family, he was publicly executed for robbery on Arbour Hill."

On our way to Oxmanstown we will meet with many places, and recall events of more than passing interest to the Dublin citizen. As we leave Church Street, turning to the right we are on Arran Quay, at one time a fashionable quarter, and inhabited by persons of rank. Close to where is now St. Paul's Church stood Agar House, the town abode of Vis- count Clifden's ancestors. This building was after- wards used as a Maternity Hospital. Amongst the many Arran Quay celebrities crowding upon us, two stand pre-eminent — Edmund Burke and Charles Halliday. The first was born in the house now number 12, owned by the well-known Dublin citizen, Mr. Denis Moran, and part of his tailoring establish- ment. Next door to Burke's house lived in the year 1813 Charles Halliday, a most distinguished Irish antiquary. Prendergast gives an interesting sketch of his life as an introduction to " Halliday's

54 Irish Secret Service Book.

Scandinavian History of Dublin." In it he writes that Halliday left Arran Quay about 1834, and went to Fairy Land, Monkstown. About ten years after he built a villa at Monkstown Park, the previous resi- dence of Lord Ranelagh. Exactly opposite, divided from it only by the road, is the ancient castle of the Cheeverses, built probably in the time of Henry VI. to defend this southern boundary of the English Pale. At Cromwell's conquest he gave it to General Ludlow, while Walter Cheevers and his household were trans- planted to Connaught. He had one of the best private collections of historical works on Ireland. In his collection was the Secret Service Money Book, with the payment by the Government for secret in- formation in 1/98. Halliday bought the book from a Mr. Scully, a bookseller on Ormond Quay. With regard to this volume, Dr. Madden said that it was kept in the Record Tower of Dublin Castle, and that a carpenter employed there purloined it, with a mass of other papers. The whole was sold to a grocer in Capel Street. This most interesting record is pre- served among the Halliday collection in the Royal Irish Academy. The extent of Mr. Halliday 's col- lection may be judged from this, that the pamphlets, relating principally to Ireland, numbered 29,000. There were 21,997 m 2,211 volumes octavo uniformly bound in one series, and about 700 pamphlets in quarto, of very early date, unbound. There were, besides, all the best works concerning Ireland, and ballads, broadsides, and a mass of rare and curious materials for the student of Irish history, ancient and modern. This library passed with the rest of his property by will to his wife, and was by her presented to the Royal Irish Academy in the belief that she was fulfilling a wish she had sometimes heard Mr. Halliday casually express, that his collections might be kept together in some public library. To the native of

The Staine. 55

Dublin, and I might add the sojourner therein, Hal- liday's "Scandanivan Dublin" is a most interesting volume, as it places before one's mind in graphic language the meaning of many seemingly strange references which have been made from time to time with regard to Dublin, "and so fully has Mr. Halliday done his work that to this treatise might well be applied, with only a slight change, the title which Richard Verstegan gave to his — namely, a restitution of decayed intelligence in antiquities concerning the renowned city of Dublin." Take, for example, the allusion in the city records to the Stein or Staine, a flat piece of ground which extended southwards from the strand of the Liffey to the lands of Rath, east- wards from near the city walls to the River Dodder. It was on this plain that the Priory of All Hallows and other religious establishments were founded before the arrival of Strongbow. The piece of land derived its name from the long stone or staine, a remarkable stone pillar, which was probably a stone of memorial or mark of possession, — possession taken by Scandinavians — it also marked their landing place in a new possession. This pillar stone in Dublin stood not far from the landing place of the Danes, where Hawkins Street and Townsend Street now join, and remained in that position for many hundreds of years, about where the Crampton Monument now stands. It was removed about one hundred and twenty years ago, when the district was laid out for new streets. I may add that the former street is called after Mr. Hawkins, who in 1663 built a great wall to gain ground from the River Liffey, near the long stone, about the same time (1663) that Lord Dungan of Clane was adjudged nineteen acres of ground, commonly called Staine, being upon the strand side of the College ; for previous to 1607 the whole north side of Townsend Street, now covered

56 The Thingmote.

with streets and quays, was the tidal strand of the Liffey, and as such was granted in that year to Sir W. Carroll under the description of strand overflow by the sea between the point of land joining the Staine, near the College, and Ringsend, and by him this land was partially reclaimed. The pillar alluded to stood about twelve or fourteen feet above the ground. Another interesting item in connection with the Staine is that when in 1646 an attempt was made to fortify Dublin by earthworks, Carte says the Marchioness of Ormonde and other noble ladies " consented to carry baskets of earth." To procure this earth they levelled one of the tumuli on the stem, of which there is an engraving in Molyneux's " Discourse on Danish Mounds in Ireland," and another in Ware's "Antiquities." The second edition is to the " Thingmote " at St. Andrew's. This re- markable Mount of the Thingmote of Dublin, the precise position of which was at an angle formed by Church Lane and Suffolk Street, nearly opposite the present old church, and about forty perches east of the old edifice, stood about forty feet high and two hundred and forty feet in circumference. It was on this mount that Henry II. met the Irish chiefs in 1172. Henry, we are told, ordered to be built, near the Church of St. Andrew, without the city of Dublin, a royal palace constructed, with wonderful skill, of peeled osiers, according to the custom of the country, and there at the " Thingmote " he held the festival of Christmas, feasting the Irish chieftains and entertaining them with military spectacles. This mount was used by the Danes as the place where their laws were promul- gated, and such is the custom to this day at the Thing- mote in the Isle of Man. The Thingmote of Dublin stood until the year 1685. In 1661 Dr. Jones, Bishop of Meath, obtained a lease from the Dublin Corporation at a small ground rent. The mound was cut down

The Croppies' Acre. 57

in the first-mentioned year to fill up Nassau Street. I may further add that the official title of the church, which stands hard by this place, is St. Andrew Thing- mote. The drawing given is a facsimile, and forms part of a survey made in 1682, and it may be observed that the indented outline gives to the mount the ap- pearance of having terraces or steps, as on some other " Thingmotes." The mount was a conical hill about forty feet high and two hundred and forty feet in circumference.

As we leave the quay side on our way to Arbour Hill, we pass over the " Croppies' Acre." Thousands of Dublin citizens, year in and year out, on their way to the Phoenix Park, gaze on the Esplanade in front of the Royal Barracks, not knowing the fact that this was in '98 known as the " Croppy Hole." The late Dr. Thomas Willis, father-in-law of our respected City Coroner (Dr. Louis Byrne), after great research, located beyond doubt its exact site, and published privately the following " Memorial of the Croppies' Acre," : —

"In the year 1798 the Irish Government had infor- mation that an attack would be made on the city of Dublin by a large body of United Irishmen, then collecting on the north side about Swords and Santry, and on the south about Rathfarnham and neighbour- hood. Although ignorant of the exact point to be assailed, the Executive (greatly alarmed) took speedy measures to defeat the project. The men assembled at Rathfarnham were dispersed by Lord Ely's Dra- goons, strengthened by a large detachment of Yeomen. Those on the north side were routed by Lord Roden's Fox Hunters (so designated from the splendid horses), supported by some Light Infantry. These bodies were dispersed after feeble resistance. Some of the insurgents were sabred, and some prisoners were made. Nevertheless, the insurgents did make several

58 The Castle Yard in '98.

simultaneous attacks upon various forts and garrisons with surprising pertinacity. However, the metropolis had little reason to be alarmed at such fitful and desultory attempts. The Yeomen, Infantry, and Cavalry, being placed on permanent duty, scoured the surrounding districts, and had frequent encounters with small bodies of insurgents. Rathfarnham, Crumlin, Saggard, Tallaght, Clondalkin, Rathcoole, Kilcock, Maynooth, etc., were the scenes of the petty warfare. The prowess of the Yeomen was estimated according to the number of prisoners and mutilated bodies which they brought into the city, and it is worth mentioning that we have no record of a single man of the various corps having been killed or wounded in any of these inglorious raids. Lord Cornwallis, writing to the Duke of Portland, states 'that any man in a brown coat who was found within several miles of the field of action was butchered without discrimination.'^ — (Cornwallis Correspondence, vol. ii., page 357). Every day beheld prisoners brought into the city ; nor was it unusual to see a procession of carts, in which were piled the mutilated corpses of peasantry. The prisoners were hanged from lamp-posts, and the dead were, in some in- stances, stretched out in the Castle Yard, where the Viceroy then resided, and in full view of the Secre- tary's windows. ' They lay on the pavement as trophies, cut and gashed in every part, covered with clotted blood and dirt.' — (Harrington, vol. ii., page 260). 'And at other times the sabred dead were suspended in Barrack Street.' — (Musgrave, page 224).

" To avoid expensive interment, the authorities selected a piece of waste ground on the south side of Barrack Street, within about fifty paces of the Infantry Barracks, as a convenient repository for the corpses of the Irish rebels. This unhallowed spot

Burials in the Croppies* Acre. 59

was thenceforward known as ' Croppies' Acre,' or 'Croppies' Hole.' It now forms part of the Espla- nade. It extended in the year 1798 from the rere of the houses down to the river, and was then waste, and covered with filth. The diminishing the breadth of the river by walling in, the making its course more direct between the bridges, and the formation of the Esplanade, have very considerably altered the ap- pearance of the ground, and have obliterated every vestige of ' Croppies' Hole.' However, the site and exact dimensions can be very accurately ascertained from maps of the period, also from very many persons still living who have a perfect recollection of the ground, and who remember reading the names of the deceased rudely carved on the surface of the stones which formed the boundary wall on the west side of that unconsecrated cemetery.

" Those strangled at the Provost Prison, and on the different bridges, together with the sabred bodies of the peasantry brought into the city almost daily, were all flung into the trenches formed in that filthy dung heap.

" ' The day will come (says Dr. Madden) when this desecrated spot will be hallowed ground, consecrated by religion ; trod lightly by pensive patriots, and decorated by funeral trophies in honour of the dead whose bones lie there in graves that are now neglected and unhonoured.'

" Names of some of those whose remains moulder in ' Croppies' Hole': —

" Ledwich, brother of the P.P. of Rathfarnham ; hanged on Queen's Bridge, 26th May, 1798.

" Wade, from Rathfarnham, hanged on Queen's Bridge, 26th May, 1798.

" Carroll, cotton manufacturer, hanged on Church Street Bridge, 26th May, 1798.

60 Site of the Croppies' Acre.

" Adams and Fox, hanged at Provost Prison. (Musgrave, Appendice XV.)

" Fennell and Raymond, hanged on Church Street Bridge.

"Esmonde, Doctor, brother of Sir Thomes Esmonde, hanged on the scaffold north side of Carlisle Bridge, then in process of erection. His corpse was carried back in a cart and flung (O'Kelly, page 63) into a heap of offal in 'Croppies' Hole,' I4th June, 1798.

" Byrne and Kelly, killed at Rathfarnham. Their lifeless bodies and three others were hung the morn- ing after their death from lamp irons in Barrack Street, and afterwards consigned to ' Croppies' Hole.' (Musgrave, page 224).

"Teeling and Matthew Tone, hanged at Provost Prison. (Teeling, 2nd Narrative, page 245. — Speeches from the Dock, page 71).

" Bacon, hanged on Carlisle Bridge.

" Several poor men, employed as lamplighters, were hanged on the bridges for neglect of duty, and blood began to flow without any mercy.

"Barrington, vol. 2, page 261."

In addition to the foregoing in the printed matter, the following notes are in the copy I possess, written by the late Edward Evans : —

" Note. — ' Croppies' Acre' was situated 147 feet from the boundary wall of the Esplanade, on the west side of Liffey Street (west), and 155 feet from the boundary wall of the Infantry Barracks. The area from east to west was 312 feet, and from north to south 170 feet. (This minute description of ' Croppies' Acre ' is in the handwriting of the late Dr. Thomas Willis, and now in my possession. — E.E.).

" Michael Rafter, Esq., C.E., City Hall, has kindly supplied me with the following particulars of the site of 'Croppies' Hole ' : —

The Croppies Acre. 61

" ist May, 1884. — The position of the 'Croppies' Acre' can be found as follows: — Exactly midway between Albert Quay and Barrack Street, in the Esplanade, and opposite the centre of the Royal or Central Square, is the northern corner, from whence keeping in the centre of the Esplanade for 104 yards due east, runs the northern boundary, between which and the river lay the field in question. This field is shown on Roques' Map of Dublin, published about 1760, as being at the end of Flood Street, and its measurements on that map correspond with those given above. — (Michael Rafter, Surveyor and Civil Engineer)."

CHAPTER VII.

Waterford and Dublin — Lord Clonmel and the Rev. William Jackson — Montpelier Hill — Arbour Hill Prison — Emmet's Poems — John Boyle O'Reilly — The Royal Barracks — The Military Fenian Prisoners of '65 and '67 — Little John and Scaldbrother.

BEFORE resuming our ramble through portions of old Dublin, I desire to reply to some queries raised in reference to some of my statements in the previous chapter.

First, as regards a most interesting letter, that of " John Groono, jun., Waterford," re the Danish Thingmote, in Dublin. His letter has recalled an incident worthy of note in reference to the strained relations which at one time existed between Dublin and Waterford, as we learn from the following in Gilbert's "Streets of Dublin," part IV.:— "In 1487 the Earl of Kildare, Lord Deputy, commanded the messenger from the Mayor of Waterford to be hanged on Hoggin Green (where was situate at that period the Thingmote) for having brought word that the citizens of ' Urbs Intacta ' would not espouse the cause of Lambert Simnel, the pretender to the Eng- lish Throne."

Second, — with regard to the letter from the repre- sentative of Ledwidge, who was captured at Rath- farnham on 26th May, 1798, and is said to have been executed at Bloody Bridge, not Queen Street Bridge, let me state that when preparing a "'98" Almanac for the Weekly Freeman, published by that journal in connection with the '98 Centenary, I inserted

Old Dublin Singing Halls. 63

the following, under date " Thursday, 26th May. — Battle of Tara Hill, and engagement at Leixlip, and British forces massacre at Dunlavin by order of Col. Sainders, of Sainders' Grove, when 36 defenceless men were shot down. Wade, Ledwidge, and Carroll hanged at Queen Street Bridge." In compiling this almanac, as a general rule I took the events from the newspapers of the day, and I would be glad to have more definite information as to the execution taking place on Bloody Bridge instead of Queen Street Bridge, as stated by Dr. Willis and myself.

On our way to Montpelier and Arbour Hill we turn into Benburb Street, formerly Barrack Street. This street, now a comparatively quiet one, was during a greater portion of the eighteenth and nine- teenth centuries, one of the busiest streets on the north side of the city, consequent upon its proximity to the Royal Barracks, and as a leading thoroughfare to Phoenix Park. Here were at one time two singing halls, several " Free and Easies," also well-appointed hotels and taverns. All is changed now. Many of its old buildings, etc., were removed to make way for the improvements made by the Corporation con- sequent upon the erection of their artisans' dwellings. With reference to the singing halls in and around this neighbourhood, I propose at some future time to collate a series of articles on Dublin singing halls, their singers, and their songs.

We now pass the Royal Barracks. It has been considerably altered since its erection in 1706. Harris, describing it in 1766, says — " It is pleasantly situated on an eminence near the water, in healthful air. Here are generally quartered four battalions of foot and one regiment of horse. From hence the Castle and city guards are relieved every day. It is said to be the largest and completest building of the kind in Europe." It might be all as described in the

64 Robert Emmet and Arbour Hill.

days of Harris, but within the past few years it was considered to be one of the most unhealthy barracks in the kingdom, and it had to be entirely remodelled. The view given is a picture of the barracks in 1706. The X marks the Provost, where were tried by court- martial the men of '98, and here it was that Tone was done to death.

As we are passing on our way there looms up in our imagination the dismantled Abbey of the Domini- cans, the lands of which ran down to what is known to us now as the Royal Infirmary, Montpelier Hill. This place was formerly known as Ellen Here's meadow, also as Gibbet's Mead. At one time the barns of the Convent of the Holy Trinity, Christ Church, stood here. We ascend the hill, which over- looks a great portion of the city. In the distance we see Kilmainham Hospital, and on looking down towards the river we see Sarah Bridge (named after Sarah, Countess of Westmoreland, whose husband was Lord Lieutenant, 1/90-1795). As we gaze upon the scene what pictures pass swiftly before us ! Tone's trial, his brother's execution, with the many others sharing the same tragic fate. These fade away. Then we see that of a young man, " slight in his person, his features regular, his forehead high and finely formed ; his eyes bright and full of expression ; his nose sharp, remarkably thin, and straight. There is nothing remarkable in his appearance ; yet he was one of those who, when he spoke in public on any subject that deeply interested him, his countenance then beamed with animation ; he no longer seemed the same person. Every feature became expressive of his emotions ; his gestures, his actions, everything about him, seemed subservient to the impulses of his feelings, and harmonised with the emanations of a noble intellect. The form seems to be indelibly engraved on the greenest spot in memory's waste."

Robert Emmets Poems. 65

It is that of Robert Emmet. He seems wrapped in deep meditation as he gazes upon the " Provost" and the " Croppies' Acre." His spirit slowly fades away, but there still remains the memory. We can well imagine Emmet wandering around this place, consecrated as it is by so many memories. Here his comrade, Tone, died ; here were others of his companions consigned to a felon's doom. All these had their effect upon his noble spirit, and it found expression in the following poem, with reference to which Dr. Madden says it was evidently written during the regime of terror in '98, and under the influence of feelings harrowed by the atrocities committed on the people: —

"ARBOUR HILL."— BY ROBERT EMMET.

" No rising column marks this spot,

Where many a victim lies ; But, oh ! the blood which here has streamed To Heaven for justice cries.

" It claims it on the oppressor's head

Who joys in human woe, Who drinks the tears by misery shed, And mocks them as they flow.

"It claims it on the callous judge,

Whose hands in blood are dyed, Who arms injustice with the sword, The balance throws aside.

"It claims it for his ruined isle,

Her wretched children's grave : Where withered Freedom droops her head, And man exists — a slave.

66 Robert Emmefs Poems.

"Oh, Sacred Justice, free this land

From tyranny abhorred ; Resume thy balance and thy seat, Resume — but sheath, thy sword.

"No retribution should we seek —

Too long has horror reigned ; By Mercy marked may Freedom rise, By Cruelty unstained.

"Nor shall a tyrant's ashes mix

With those our martyred dead ; This is the place where Erin's sons In Erin's cause have bled.

"And those who here are laid at rest,

Oh, hallowed be each name ; Their memories are for ever blest — Consigned to endless fame.

"Unconsecrated is this ground,

Unblessed by holy hands ; No bell here tolls its solemn sound, No monument here stands.

"But here the patriot's tears are shed,

The poor man's blessing given ; These consecrate the virtuous dead, These waft their fame to heaven."

Five years pass away, and we see a cortege guarded well by military coming across Sarah Bridge, along the military road, down Parkgate Street, passing Arbour Hill and the Croppies' Acre, on through Barrack Street, crossing Queen's Bridge to Thomas Street. Military guarded the route, as it was thought there would be an attempt at rescue. It was no less

The Provost Prison in '65 and '67. 67

than the funeral procession of Robert Emmet, on his way to execution at Catherine's Church. Seventy years pass away, and we find in the Sixties the Provost at the Royal Barracks again occupied in trying military men — their crime, love of Ireland.

One of the '65 men who spent some time in the military prison on Arbour Hill has kindly given me the following particulars : —

" During the years '66-67 the Provost's Prison was extensively used by the military authorities for the detention of soldiers arrested, some of them merely on suspicion, of being implicated in the Fenian movement.

" John Boyle O'Reilly, Corporal Thomas Chambers, and a number of other soldiers were arrested as the result of a raid made on Pilsworth's publichouse in James's Street by Colonel Fielding (the Major Sirr of '66-'6/). This gentleman was in command of the force of Coldstream Guards and Dublin Metropolitan Police comprising the posse making the scoop. One of the soldiers arrested on the occasion was Corporal Curry, of the 86th Regiment, who was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and to a flogging of 50 lashes, which, it is on record, he suffered without allowing a murmur to escape his lips.

" O'Reilly, after a prolonged detention in Arbour Hill, was sentenced to penal servitude for life, sub- sequently reduced to twenty years' imprisonment, and later on was handed over to the civil power, which transferred him, and some score of other military convicts, to Millbank Prison, London, the establish- ment where poor Edward Duffy breathed his last.

" In December, 1866, another batch of military men, belonging to the 85th Regiment, were confined in the Provost's Prison. Their names were — James Kava- nagh, Philip Murtha, Michael M'Carthy,and 'Thomas Simpson' (J. P. O'Brien). M'Carthy turned ' ap-

68 John Boyle aReilly.

prover,' his testimony, coupled with that given by informers Atkinson and O'Meara, and 'agent pro- vocateur' Talbot, R.I.C., convicted the three men. Kavanagh got seven years, Murtha five years, and 'Simpson' received, 'in consequence of his previous good character and the absence of former convic- tions,' the mitigated sentence of penal servitude for life.

" One of these men, who spent three months in Arbour Hill, told me that he found many interesting traces of John Boyle O'Reilly, who had been trans- ferred to England prior to my informant's arrival at the "Provost," upon the margins of some of the devo- tional books supplied to the prisoners by the prison authorities, and upon the walls of the cells. Scratched upon the whitewashed bricks were, amongst many other poetic effusions, the following lines : —

'"We have borne the scorn and insult, but the Saxon

yet shall feel The strength of Irish vengeance and the points of

Irish steel. The foremost men to strike the foe in freedom's

glorious war, Shall have worn England's scarlet and the blue

of her hussar.'

" A project to rescue O'Reilly and five of the other long-sentence men in the Provost's Prison was all but accomplished. The failure, it is said, was due to one of the men incautiously divulging the secret to a gentleman who visited the political mili- tary prisoners in the guise — real or assumed — of a clergyman on the eve of the contemplated rescue."

Arbour Hill in bygone days was a place of amuse- ment for the youth of the vicinity till the Royal Barracks were built in 1706. Here was the Half-

Little Johns Execution. 69

Moon publichouse, famous for its sweet ale, called apple d'or.

This hill was at one period a retreat for robbers. When Robin Hood and his merry men were dispersed in England divers of his followers escaped to Ireland, and sojourned in the woods about this hill. His com- peer, Little John, went into Dublin and astonished its inhabitants by his feats in archery. This redoubt- able hero is said to have been hanged on this hill, for it was then and for some time afterwards a place of execution for criminals, as appears by the name given to a part of it in ancient records, " Gibbet's Glade " and " Gibbet's Shade."

Two centuries later another notorious robber of the name of Scaldbrother inhabited a labyrinthine cavern on this hill, a most intricate maze (as Standi- hurst terms it) extending two miles under ground, where he deposited the plunder he snatched from the people of Oxmantown. When digging foundations for houses in this neighbourhood they often came upon his track, even as far as Smithfield. It was reported in the newspapers in 1775 that many parts of the pavement gave way, leaving an aperture into a cavern many feet in depth. It is also said some of the vaults of the houses in Queen Street are formed from it.

Passing down Arbour Hill, we enter Stoneybatter, the history of which and its neighbourhood will be dealt with in our next chapter.

70

CHAPTER VIII.

Historic Associations of Oxmantown — One of the Roads to Tara — Its Mayday Festivals — Its Convents and Orphanages — "Fair Fanny Jennings" — Poor Clares in King Street — St. Brigid's Orphanage — Miss Aylward and Grangegorman Prison — " Billy in the Bowl."

"Hi! for Bob and Joan, Hi! for Stoney batter."

WE have arrived at Stoneybatter, the name of a thoroughfare as we of to-day know it. Centuries ago it was called Bothar-na-gCloch. In Joyce's Irish names of places we find the following interesting information as to the original name of the place : — " Long before the city had extended so far, and while Stoneybatter was nothing more than a country road, it was — as it still continues to be — the great tho- roughfare to Dublin from the districts lying west and north-west ot the city; and it was known by the name of Bothar-na-gCloch (Bohernaglogh), i.e., the road of the stones, which was changed to the modern equivalent, Stoneybatter or stony road."

One of the five great roads leading from Tara, which were constructed in the second century — viz., that called Slighe Cualaun — passed though Dublin by Ratoath, and on towards Bray, under the name of Bealach Duibhluin (the road or pass of the river). It is mentioned in the following quotation from the "Book of Rights":—

" It is prohibited to him (the King of Erin) to go with a host on Monday over the Bealach Duibh- luine."

Stoneybatter. 7 1

The old Ford of Hurdles, which in those early days formed the only foot passage across the Liffey, and which gave the name of Ath-Cliath to the city, crossed the river where Whitworth Bridge now stands leading from Church Street to Bridge Street, and the road from Tara to Wicklow must necessarily have crossed the Liffey at this point. There can be no doubt that the present Stoneybatter formed a portion of this ancient road — a statement that is borne out by two independent circumstances. First, Stoney- batter lies straight on the line, and would, if continued, meet the Liffey exactly at Whitworth Bridge ; secondly, the name Stoneybatter, or Bothar-na- gCloch, affords even stronger confirmation. The most important of the ancient Irish roads were generally paved with large blocks of stone, somewhat like the old Roman roads, a fact that is proved by the remains of those that can now be traced. It is exactly this kind of a road that would be called by the Irish — even at the present day— Bothar-na- gCloch ; and the existence of this name on the very line leading to the ancient ford over the Liffey leaves scarcely any doubt that this was part of the ancient Slighe Cualaun. It must be regarded as a fact of great interest that the modern-looking name Stoney- batter— changed as it has been in the course of ages — descends to us with a history seventeen hundred years old written on its front.

Coming to more modern times — say, about one hundred and fifty years ago — Stoneybatter was a somewhat primitive place, but at that date it had its corn and frieze market. Irish was continually spoken there, and its shopkeepers were obliged to understand it to carry on their trade.

The Rev. Mr. Burton, describing the place at that time, says : — " The inhabitants would say, ' We are going to town,' or ask, ' Are you going in to Dublin?'

72 Stoneybatter Maypole.

thus considering it still (though so assimilated to the rest of the great metropolis) as in the same state in which it had been when Grangegorman and Glasne- menoge were only villages."

Its inhabitants some time previous to the period alluded to presented a character which partook of that simplicity and homeliness that indicated a con- stant intercourse with their rustic neighbours of Meath, whilst they were at the same time prevented from a disregard for the customary habits of city life by their close proximity to the capital. The line of separation, however, became less distinct, and many, tired of the bustle of the city, retired to the Oxman- town side, and Cabragh Lane (the present Prussia Street), which became in these times a desirable and fashionable retreat. In days gone by Stoneybatter, on Oxmantown Green, was the place where the May- day Festival was annually kept Each of the out- skirts of the city at that time had its own custom. Donnybrook had its Fair in August ; Kilmainham, its St. John's Day, 24th June, on which day vast numbers resorted to St. John's Well, near Island Bridge ; Stoneybatter its Maypole. This custom was eventually abolished, the cause being a riot in connection with a May fete. This riot is re- ported in the papers of the day as follows : — " On the ist May, 1773, there was a great riot at Stoneybatter in consequence of the setting up of a Maypole, which was attempted to be pulled down by some soldiers, on which a violent quarrel ensued, the populace of Stoneybatter attacking the soldiers, driving them into their barracks, and breaking the windows of same, whereupon the soldiers returned, some with their muskets, and fired upon their antagonists. Some of the inhabitants, to prevent further mischief, called on Sheriff Jones, who ordered the picket guard to attend him in this affray, and took seven soldiers, who went

Old Manor Houses. 73

to the barracks ; owing to the great courage and activity of Major Digby, who took three of the soldiers prisoners, and to Major Marsh, who was also very brave on this occasion, the riot was suppressed, but before it was over most of the houses in that place and neighbourhood had their windows smashed, and had it not been for these two worthy officers much more damage would have ensued. The inhabitanis of Prussia Street, etc., held a meeting at the house of Mr. Gates in Stoneybatter on the 4th May, and thanked the Sheriff and officers for their action."

Cabragh Lane, or, as we know it, Prussia Street, to which latter name it was changed in 1765, in honour of Frederick, King of Prussia, led to Cabragh, the ancient seat of the Segrave family, which place was afterwards inhabited by Lord Norbury, of noto- rious memory. At the end of this street, nearest the city, stood Grangegorman Manor House, now the police barrack. There were several such manor houses on the Oxmantown side of Dublin. What is now 55 Bolton Street was one, and another stood in Drum- condra Lane, now Dorset Street, near the site of the Big Tree, now occupied by the new buildings erected by Mr. Thomas M'Auley. After leaving Prussia Street, turning to our right, we see in front of us the Female Orphanage, one of the oldest of its kind now in Dublin. This institution was commenced in 1790 by Mrs. Edwin Tighe and Mrs. Este, in a limited way, but it met with such patronage that in two years after the founders had the satisfaction of seeing the buildings erected as we now see them.

The district in our time known as the North Cir- cular Road, and modern villadom, was in the eigh- teenth century known as the Wood of Selcock, Turning into Grangegorman, we come to a large stone-fronted building, portion of the Richmond Lunatic Asylum since 1897. This structure was

74 Grangegorman Prison.

known in years gone by as Grangegorman Prison. We learn from M'Gregor's picture of Dublin that the first stone of this building was laid by the Duke of Richmond in 1812, presenting a front of 700 feet to Grangegorman Lane, is in depth about 400, and covers an area of three acres ; the estimated cost of its erection was about ^40,000. In this prison the humane plans of Howard, the prisoner's friend, for the treatment of prisoners were put in effect, it is said, with satisfactory results.

During the Coercion times in 1881, after Kilmain- ham Prison had become a " congested district," it was used for the detention of Suspects, and several prominent Land Leaguers were confined there for some months.

In the year 1860, in this prison, was detained as a prisoner for a period of six months the Foundress of St. Brigid's Orphanage, Miss Aylward. The story of her " crime " can be briefly told. We learn from the life of the late Father Gowan, C.M., " that in or about the year 1852, among his penitents in Phibs- boro' was Miss Margaret Aylward, a Waterford lady, in whose zeal and character Father Gowan discovered an extraordinary power of doing good amongst the poor." Like St. Vincent with Madame Le Gras, he encouraged and directed this devoted lady, who with him founded and established St. Brigid's Orphanage. It would require more space than that at my disposal to record the many difficulties and uphill work Miss Aylward had to encounter in the foundation of her wonderful organisation as we see it to-day. Father Gowan, a few days before his death, graphically tells me story in the 4Oth annual report of £t Brigid's Orphanage. Miss Aylward, instead of erecting a large orphanage, "decided to rear and educate the orphan children in the country. This system of home-rearing is peculiarly suited to the

Miss AylwarcTs Imprisonment. 75

orphans whom St. Brigid receives. . . ." The orphanage met with considerable difficulties, and its enemies determined to destroy it. The means taken to do so were with regard to the admission of a child named Mary Mathews, whom her father had com- mitted to the care of Miss Aylward, to be reared in the Catholic religion. Miss Aylward was merely carrying out the intentions and will of the dying parent when she took upon herself the charge of the child. Anyone who is acquainted with the city of Dublin must know that great promises are frequently held out to poor widows to allow their children to be educated in a religion which they themselves con- demn. Mrs. Mathews, who became a Catholic at her marriage, now yielded to these seductions, and came to the orphanage to demand her child. In the mean- time Mary Mathews had been taken from the nurse with whom Miss Aylward had placed her, without her knowledge, and when asked for the child she was able to declare that she never gave permission to anyone to take away the child, and that it was quite impossible for her to restore it. The case was brought before the Judges, and after an investigation at the Crown Office, lasting over five days, Miss Aylward was brought before Judge Lefroy on 5th November, 1860. This worthy considered her answers to the Clerk of the Crown unsatisfactory, and sentenced her to six months' imprisonment. Miss Aylward was very ill whilst in prison, and all worry possible was given her whilst there ; but she battled against all, and on the 5th May, the festival of St. Pius V., at nine o'clock in the morning, left the prison, having completed her six months to the last hour, walked down to Eccles Street, and resumed her work of the Orphanage.

What, it may be asked, became of Mary Mathews? A Catholic gentleman who was interested in the case

76 Stanhope Street Convent.

took her from the nurse without Miss Aylward's knowledge, and brought her to the continent. She received her education in a Belgian convent, and afterwards became a professed member of the com- munity. Concluding, Father Gowan says : — " I cannot close this notice without saying that the great Pius IX., when he heard of Miss Aylward's imprison- ment and the circumstances that led to it, pronounced her to be a Confessor of the Faith. The Primate of All Ireland, the late Dr. Dixon, being in Rome during her imprisonment, was commissioned by the Holy Father to wait on her in person and convey to her the Apostolic Benediction. The Pope, reflecting a moment, said to the Primate, ' We must send her a present,' and, standing up, he opened his cabinet and took out a beautiful cameo, the head of St. Peter cut in precious stones and set in gold. ' Ah,' said he, ' la poveretta. Give her this little present from me.' "

In January, 1908, there passed away to receive her everlasting reward one of the last of Miss Aylward's companions, and one of the original members of the Sisterhood of the Holy Faith, the Rev. Mrs. Vickers, its Superior- General. This Order " has for its principal object one purpose, one work — that is, the instruction of youth. They are daughters of Ireland, working on Irish soil, teaching the children of Ireland."

Lower down in Grangegorman Lane, on the oppo- site side to the prison, we come to the Home of the Sisters of Charity, now Stanhope Street Convent. This building has been altered to a modern edifice. It was formerly the grange or farm castle of Gorman the Dane, who held the lands under the Prior and Convent of the Holy Trinity, or Christ Church. The Agard family resided there in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and afterwards a Mrs. Stanley, whence

"Billy in the Bowl" 77

the name Stanley Street. It was intended that this street should go right through to the Circular Road, but the idea was abandoned.

Before passing away from Grangegorman the story, as narrated by Burton, of " Billy in the Bowl " must not be omitted. This character used to ply his calling between the quiet streets of Stoneybatter and the Green Lanes of Grangegorman. He was nicknamed " Billy in the Bowl," having been intro- duced into the world with only a head, body, and arms. When he grew up he conveyed himself along in a large bowl fortified by iron, in which he was embedded. This man was the original " Billy in the Bowl," for though many other personages who got along in various ways were honoured with the same sobriquet, yet this fellow was the king of them all. He soon ingratiated himself with the simple servant maids from Meath in the respectable houses of Ox- mantown. " It's only Billy in the Bowl, ma'am." " Oh, very well," and Billy's bowl was filled with beef, bread, etc. Nature had compensated for his curtailment by giving him fine dark eyes, an aquiline nose, and a well-formed mouth, with dark curling locks, and a body and arms of herculean power. It was not to be wondered at, therefore, that hearts susceptible to pity should be touched by the peculiar circumstances of this lusus natures. He certainly won the hearts of the plebeian fair north of the Liffey. Amongst them he was a universal favourite. It had, nevertheless, transpired in sober circles that Billy in the Bowl had been suspected of very atro- cious deeds. He was one of those curious beggars who frequented fairs and public places, where he picked up a good deal of money. The manner in which it is said he committed his depredations was by secreting himself in a ditch or inside a hedge on a lonely part of the road or unfrequented corner till a

78 "Billy in the Bowl"

suitable person was passing on whom he might practice, and then, addressing them in a plaintive strain, begged of them to assist a poor, helpless man. They, struck by his peculiar circumstances, stepped aside to view the strange sight — half-man, half-bowl — and were soon undone in one way or another. It is said he murdered his victims ; otherwise so marked a man would soon have been detected had they escaped to denounce him. But his visits to Oxman- town and its environs at last ceased in consequence of his failure in attempted robbery of two ladies who were passing through what was then known as Richardson's Lane, now a portion of the Royal Barracks (prison side), when at one of the stiles or passages between the fields they saw Billy in his bowl. The unsuspecting ladies were by no means displeased at the rencontre, and female curiosity, together with Billy's coaxing ways, induced them to draw near to examine how he was disposed in his extraordinary vehicle, resolving in the humanity of their hearts to give him something. They both ex- pressed their admiration and pity, whilst Billy was profuse in his commendation of the " fine ladies " who had so "marcifully" come out of their way to see the "poor prisoner." One of them was applying her eye-glass to inspect more perfectly Billy's pre- mises, and the other was preparing her gratuity to drop into his bowl. The fellow's eyes were gloating in the meantime on their gold watches, bracelets, and other valuable trinkets which the ladies of that period were ornamented with, when, watching his opportu- nity, the base fellow attacked them, and, before they could think what was the matter, dragged them down. Their confusion, and the destruction of their habili- ments, together with the rude efforts the villain was making to possess himself of their valuables, at first rendered them powerless ; they, however, began at

"Billy in the Bowl" 79

last to struggle and call for help ; but, alas, none was then near. The ruffian was endeavouring to shove his heavy bowl over one, till he had robbed the other lady, yet with all his strength, the defect of his lower man gave the unfortunate females an advantage. One seized his curling locks with her hand, whilst she contrived to thrust her thumb into one of Billy's eyes. The fellow roared with pain, and relaxed his hold of the other lady, who sprang up, disordered as she was. They now contrived to get out of his range, but in a most soiled and tattered condition — their hair dis- hevelled, their ornaments broken and scattered, their clothes ruined — whilst Billy himself, almost deprived of the sight of one of his eyes, was left in his bowl to lament his wretched situation, and the certain punish- ment that awaited him. The poor gentlewomen returned to their friends in Manor Street, and having told their story, no time was lost in pursuing the wretch who had committed such an assault. Billy, in the meantime, had contrived to screen himself behind a hedge in the next field, but was soon de- tected, most of the valuables were picked upon the ground where the attack had taken place, and some of the party procured a strong hand-barrow, on which Billy was conveyed in triumph to prison. (It was just about this time, 1786, that a police force was established in Dublin). Billy was confined in the jail in Green Street, where as much of him as could be made use of was employed in hard labour for the remainder of his days. In consequence of this fellow's ill-fame, and the audacious feats he had performed, he became an object of great curiosity, and was visited as one of the " lions of the day."

Passing into King Street, we find ourselves in the midst of some of the most interesting of old Dublin's historical associations, viz. : — The Duchess of Tyr- connell's house, in King's Street ; the Benedictine

8o "Fair Fanny Jennings"

Convent, in Church Row ; St. Paul's Church, King Street ; Wesley Meeting House, in Gravel Walk ; Bective House, in Smithfield.

In Blake Foster's interesting volume, "The Irish Chieftains," is found the following information with reference to the Duchess of Tyrconnell and North King Street : — " This lady was called ' The Fair Fanny Jennings,' and was remarkable for her great beauty. She first married Count Hamilton ; on his death she married secondly, Richard Talbot, Earl of Tyrconnell, the favourite of James II. After that monarch arrived in Ireland, in 1689, he created him a Duke. Lady Tyrconnell's life was a series of vicis- situdes, while her ambitious and haughty sister, the Duchess of Marlborough, ruled England. She retired from the world, and established on the site of her husband's house in North King Street a convent for Poor Clares. In the first instance she went as a boarder into the Dominican Convent in Channel Row, now North Brunswick Street (with which insti- tution we will deal later on). She remained within the convent for two years, from 1723 to 1725. She afterwards founded on the site of her husband's house in North King Street (which was said to have been the country seat of an Attorney-General for Ireland), a con- vent for Poor Clares. I have made all inquiries possible to locate this place, and as a result I am of opinion that its location, that given in M'Gregor's Picture of Dublin, is the correct one. It was situated at the north-west extremity of North King Street, opposite St. Paul's Church. Till a few years ago the site was Toner's Oxmantown Foundry. I was informed by a relative of one of those engaged many, many years ago in digging the foundations for the foundry that they came across a vault in which were interred a number of nuns, which was immediately closed up. This additional evidence confirms the belief that at

Blue Coat Hospital School. 81

this place stood the nunnery founded by Lady Tyr- connell, and where she expired on the 2gth February, 1730, in the 82nd year of her age. On the 9th of March following she was interred in St. Patrick's Cathedral. A mural slab on the wall of St. Andrew's Scotch College in Paris commemorates her in a country where the exiled Irish found a home. Ac- cording to the inscription, the Duchess of Tyrconnell was a munificent benefactress of this establishment, and bequeathed an endowment to the Fathers for the celebration of a daily Mass there for ever for the repose of her soul and those of her two husbands, Count Hamilton and the Duke of Tyrconnell."

A short distance away stands the Blue Coat Boys' Hospital. It was founded in the reign of Charles II., 1670. The old building was situated in Queen Street, at the south-east corner of Oxmantown Green. From the convenience of its apartments the Parliament of 1729 sat there, when an attempt was made to obtain supplies for twenty-one years, but was defeated by a majority of one. The old building becoming ruinous, the foundation of the present one was laid by Lord Harcourt in 1773. I would refer my readers for further information regarding this institution to Sir Frederick Falkiner's delightful story of the "Founda- tion of the Hospital and Free School of King Charles II., Oxmantown."

CHAPTER IX.

King James II. and the Benedictine Nuns — Founding of Convent in Channel Row — Lady Butler and the Duke of Ormond — Convent in "Sheep" Street — Dame O'Ryan — The Coming of the Dominican Nuns — House of Industry Hospitals — The Broadstone — The Royal Canal and its Boats.

" JAMES THE SECOND, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. KNOW yee to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Know yee that wee of our Special Grace, certaine knowledge, and mere motion HAVE granted, constituted, ordained, de- clared and appointed, and by these presents, wee doe for us, our heirs and successors grant, constitute, ordaine, declare, and appoint that there shall bee from time to time, and at all times hereafter in OUR CITY of DUBLIN, or in any other convenient place in OUR Kingdom of IRELAND, a convent of nuns of the Order of St. Benedict consisting of one Abbesse and Nuns to bee called and known by the name of the Abbesse and Convent of our first and chief Royal Monastery of GRATIA DEI."

So runs a grant of his Majesty, King James the Second, to the Abbess and Convent of the Order of St. Benedict. Few of us as we are passing the Rich- mond Hospital, North Brunswick Street, realise the fact that this is the site of King James's Monastery. Its history is one of the most interesting chapters of life in old Dublin. We will try and recall it.

"Sheep" Street Convent. 83

In the year 1688 King James II., whilst in Dublin Castle, ordered the Duke of Tyrconnell, his Lord Lieutenant, to write to Dame Mary Butler, then lately elected Lady Abbess of the Irish Monastery of Ypres, asking her to repair to Dublin with a view to establishing her monastery in that city. In more than one quarter great objections were raised to the proposal, but the perseverance of the King overcame them all, and Abbess Butler left her Ypres Convent in order to begin in Ireland a Monastery of the Order. On her way to Dublin she passed through London, where she waited on the Queen at Whitehall, in the habit of her Order, which had not been seen there since the change of religion. Her ladyship was also courteously received by the Queen Dowager, who in testimony of her affection made her a present of some altar plate and church ornaments. From hence Lady Butler proceeded to Dublin. On her arrival (on 3 ist October, 1688), she went at once to the Castle, where she was introduced by their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Tyrconnell to his Majesty, who most graciously received her, promising his royal protection, and granting a most ample patent for the erection of a royal abbey, with several privileges, both for herself and successors, to which was added a free permission to settle and establish themselves in any part of Ireland, concluding the whole with an assurance of a foundation. This patent, which has the King's Great Seal affixed to it, was signed on the fifth of June in the sixth year of his Majesty's reign, and is still preserved in the Irish Abbey of Benedic- tine Nuns in Ypres, as are also memorials of the Irish Brigade and Fontenoy. (A copy of this patent is given in the Appendix to Harris's Life of William III.). After the interview, Lady Butler and her nuns went into occupation of a house in " Sheep " Street, now Ship Street, about where the Church of

84 Lady Butler.

St. Michael-le-Pole stood. In the meantime the new building was erected in Channel Row, now North Brunswick Street. This convent, according to De Burgo's Hibernia Dominicana, was consecrated under the title of " St. Bridget Widow," in the year 1689, by the most "illustrious Archbishop of Dublin, Patrick Russell, his Most Gracious Majesty, James II., being present, as I have learned from eye- witnesses." Lady Butler retired into the enclosure thus prepared for her and some other religious, whom she had brought from the English Benedictine Nun- nery of Pentoise. During her short stay in Dublin there were thirty young ladies, some of the best families in Ireland, entrusted to her care, eighteen of whom earnestly postulated, if I may use an obso- lete verb, the veil and habit, but were absolutely refused, on account of the war being far advanced. The only one who was professed was a lay sister, who accompanied the Abbess to Ypres. The King honoured the ceremony with his presence.

After the Battle of the Boyne King William's army entered into Dublin, and some of the soldiers ran- sacked the monastery and seized the church plate which had been removed to a Protestant lady's house in the neighbourhood. The Abbess, therefore, re- solved to hinder a further profanation by throwing into the fire whatever remained. She then deter- mined no longer to stay in Ireland, and therefore applied to the Duke of Ormond, who was her near relation, for a pass to return to Ypres. His Grace showed concern for the usage she had met with from the soldiers, and endeavoured to dissuade her from carrying out her resolution, offering if she would stay to procure her a strong protection, which she posi- tively refused, and having obtained a pass for herself and her religious, they put to sea, and at length

Channel Row. 85

arrived at her refuge in Ypres, of which she most prudently kept possession, and there lived till her death, which happened on the 23rd December, 1723, in the 82nd year of her age and in the 66th of her life in religion.

In further connection with Channel Row the fol- lowing appears in " The Picture of Dublin ": — " The same Prince also erected a convent in Channel Row under the invocation of St. Bridget. This, as well as the house in Ship Street, was for the Benedictine Nuns, and Dame O'Ryan and two novices, from the English Nunnery at Dunkirk, entered into it, but were obliged to quit it about the same time as the Sisterhood of Ship Street left the country. Mrs. O'Ryan and her companions returned to their con- vent at Dunkirk, where she lived for many years after." This statement is not correct. Through the kindness of a member of the Dominican Order I am able to state the exact story of Dame O'Ryan's coming to Dublin.

" Dame O'Ryan and her community were driven out of their convent at Dunkirk at the time of the French Revolution in 1793, and after many wander- ings, found a home at Teignmouth, Devonshire. All their annals and documents were lost or stolen in these troubled times, but notes were being kept by a member of their Order in another community. According to these Dame O'Ryan never made a foundation in Dublin. She came to collect ' money and subjects ' towards the establishment of the Irish Benedictine Monastery at Ypres. She came to Dublin on three distinct occasions. She was in Ireland at the time of King James's defeat and the departure of Lady Butler, and it is possible she may have taken up the school in Channel Row after the

86 Archbishop Russell.

flight of the Ypres community, but of this there is no certainty, but she returned to Dunkirk alone."

Before passing away from this portion of the early history of this monastery, the following extract with reference to Archbishop Russell from Dalton's " Memoirs of the Archbishops of Dublin " may be of interest : —

" After a vacancy of three years the Most Rev. Dr. Patrick Russell was consecrated Archbishop of Dub- lin on the 2nd August, 1683. . . . During King James's residence in the Irish Metropolis, Doctor Russell was virtually chaplain to that monarch, and celebrated Divine service in the Royal presence. The last rite he celebrated before the King was the consecration of the Benedictine Nunnery in Channel Row. On the downfall of the Stuart dynasty he fled to Paris. When, however, he returned to close his life in the land of his ministry, in 1692, he paid the debt of nature, and was buried in the ancient church of Lusk. Archbishop Russell's principal residence was in the old chapel house at Francis Street, where an ancient censer is still preserved, exhibiting the inscription : — " Orate pro Patrico Russell, Archie- piscopo Dubliniae, Primate Hiberniae, et pro ejus fratre Jacobo Russell, Decano, Dubliniae, et Pro- thonotario Apostolico, qui me fieri fecit."

We next see the old monastery occupied by the daughters of St. Dominick. The story of their coming to Dublin is given in Hardiman's " History of Gal way": —

" In 1698 they (i.e., the Dominican Nuns) were again dispersed. It was most deplorable, says the historian of these melancholy scenes, to witness the

First Coming of the Dominican Nuns. 87

cries and tears of those distressed females, by which even their very persecutors were moved to com- passion. The convent was converted into a barrack, but the nuns remained secretly in town, amongst their friends, under the direction of the venerable Prioress, Julia Nolan, who was released by death from all her sufferings, in 1701, at the age of ninety years, and was succeeded by the Sub-Prioress, Maria Lynch. They were soon after obliged to quit the town alto- gether and seek refuge among their relations in the county, without the most distant hopes of ever being able to return. In their forlorn situation, Hugh O'Callanan, the then Provincial of the Order, having obtained permission from Dr. Edmond Byrne, titular Archbishop of Dublin, to admit them into his diocese, eight of the dispersed nuns repaired to the capital, where they arrived in March, 1717, and dwelt to- gether in a house in Fisher's Lane, on the north side of the river (now St. Michan Street). In September following they removed to Channel Row, afterwards Brunswick Street, where they originated the Convent of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph of Dublin. The name Channel Row was given to this place in 1697, from some channel connected with the neighbouring Bradoge River, which runs through Brunswick Street."

We also learn from De Burgo that the nuns got possession of it in September, 1717. The work of the good nuns prospered. They rebuilt, previous to 1756, a greater portion of their convent, but in spite of penal enactments their community increased, as in the latter year it consisted of twenty members. The nuns immediately after getting the convent into their own hands opened a boarding school, which continued to exist from 1719 till a short time previous to the troubles of "'98." They had also lady boarders or

88 Channel Row Chapel.

parlour boarders, and some very interesting names, including that of the Duchess of Tyrconnell, are connected with this old convent.

Bishop Donnelly in his "Roman Catholic Chapels in Dublin, 1749," gives the following particulars from the Egerton MS., 1772 : —

" Channel Row Nunnery has a chapel belonging to it, both which were built for Benedictine Nuns in the reign of James II., but it is now under the Dominican rule. The house is large, the chapel decent, the altar grand, well wainscotted, and adorned with pillars. The altar-piece is a painting of the Crucifixion. On one side is a picture of St. Domi- nick and on the other that of St. Catherine of Siena. On the altar pillars stand two small gilt images of angels, with wings expanded, each having a wax taper in his hand. The tabernacle is double gilt, about which stand six silver candlesticks on the altar, with as many artificial nosegays. Before the altar stands a silver lamp ; near it a silver branch for wax lights. Here is another altar also, called the Rosary Altar, whereon is a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary giving the beads to St. Dominick. The sacristy is large and commodious, the pulpit neat. There are two confessionals at the lower end of the chapel. The gallery serves for a choir, and has many stalls in it, at the back of which is a very sweet organ, the gift of Mrs. Mary Bellew."

Of the church ornaments mentioned by Dr. Don- nelly, the following are still preserved in the Domini- can Convent, Cabra :" — The altar-piece, "Crucifixion," a magnificent work of art (Van Dyke), six silver candlesticks, silver lamp (which stood before the altar), silver branch for wax lights, and the picture of the Virgin Mother giving the beads to St. Domi- nick.

Richmond Hospital. 89

Some short time ago, through the kindness of the Rev. Mother of St. Mary's Convent, Cabra, I had the privilege of seeing these precious heirlooms of the old Channel Row Convent.

The Dominican Nuns removed, in 1808, from Channel Row to Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, where they rented a house from Mr. Burton, and re-named it Convent House. After remaining there for a little over ten years, they removed on the I2th December, 1819, to their present Convent at Cabra.

In 1810, the Governors of the House of Industry, being in want of a Surgical Hospital, rented the Benedictine Convent and had it fitted up for an hospital. In the year 1811 it was opened and named the Richmond Surgical Hospital — called after the Duke of Richmond, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, from 1807 to 1813. The old Chapel, which formerly belonged to the Convent, now forms one of the wards, and is known by the name of the Chapel Ward. The museum attached to this hospital con- tains 1,000 expensive drawings, and about 2,500 wax preparations. This museum is resorted to by foreigners from all parts of the world. In the year 1871 this hospital was the scene of an event which at the time was the all-absorbing subject of the day, viz., the operation which ended in the death of Talbot on the I4th July, 1871, for whose murder Kelly was tried in the October following, and acquitted. I remember the whole incidents of this case, being in the employ- ment of the late Isaac Butt, who was leader for the defence. I had opportunities of getting to know many of the inner workings of the case for and against the Crown. The old Richmond Hospital, although still in evidence, has virtually given way to the new Richmond Hospital, which occupies the land between the Whitworth Hospital and Brunswick

90 The Broadstone.

Street, formerly occupied by dairy yards and manure heaps, of which I have a most lively recollection as the scene of my first duties as a dairy inspector over twenty golden years ago. About the end of the eighteenth century it was not unusual to see well-dressed beaux from the city come to view this suburban district, and several holding situations in public offices fixed their abode in Brunswick Street and Constitution Hill. You could scarcely distin- guish the lower orders of the outlets of this favoured district, either in countenance or habit, from the bold and healthy peasants at twenty miles distance. Their frieze coats, woollen hats, and brogues, their brown eyes and complexions, and liquid voices proclaimed them sons of the soil. And that interesting descrip- tion of females called "curds and whey women," who stood with snow-white pails and cloths at the corners of the streets to refresh the ball-wearied, or tavern penitents, on their return to their homes when day began to peep, issued from this quarter ; they now appear no more. They seemed a distinct class, and differed in their costume from the ordinary inhabi- tants. One would suppose them a former generation who had arisen, unconscious of the changes which had taken place since their existence upon earth. Shops, factories, breweries, and dwelling-houses have long since usurped the space those worthies tenanted.

At this time the neighbourhood of the Broadstone was much infested by robbers. Orchards occupied the site of Upper Dominick Street, and some of the persons employed about them were strongly suspected of very atrocious acts — one family in the place, consisting of a father and three sons, did not bear the best reputation. Their orchard has, however, disappeared, with its mysterious pear tree, bearing dwindled fruit tinged with red, occasioned (as the

The Royal Canal. 91

oldest inhabitant relates) by murdered persons having been interred under it. Where Royal Canal Terrace now stands was once a lonely road and an opportune place to rob and murder the farmers and their com- panions as they went to and returned from Dublin.

As I have already stated in previous articles, the neighbourhood was the centre of trade and traffic, consequent upon its leading to the station at Broad- stone for Mullingar, before the days of the M.G.W. Railway. To us, in these days of express railway and motor car, the following is rather amusing : —

"The Picture of Dublin for 1812" thus described the Royal Canal : —

" The Royal Canal, like the Grand Canal, extends from the city to the River Shannon, and, like that, has been injured from the same cause (a too expensive establishment and jobbing). In consequence of the insolvency of the company, an Act was passed in the Imperial Parliament, which now promises to be of considerable service to the creditors and benefit to the country. The canal is now vested in the Director- General of Inland Navigation, under whose manage- ment much has already been effected and much more benefit is expected. . . . The accommodation to passengers who travel in the packet boats is certainly very respectable. The boats travel about three and a-half miles an hour and the ordinary fare on board is both reasonable and good. There are two cabins in every boat, and two separate fares. No charge is made in either cabin for a child under two years old, and only half-price for any between that age and ten. No servants in livery are to be admitted into the first cabin, and dogs, if admitted, to be paid for as passen- gers. No compensation is to be made to servants. A boat leaves the Royal Canal House at the Broad-

92 The Old Canal Boats.

stone for Mullingar every morning at six o'clock in the summer and seven in winter, and another boat leaves Mullingar for Dublin. Rates of passage as follows : —

"DUBLIN TO MULLINGAR."

No.	Stages. Miles.	First Cabin.	Second Cabin.
			s.	d.	s.	d.
I.	Clonsilla to Carhampton Bridge	6	I	3	O	IO
2.	Rye Aqueduct	9	I	ii	I	3
3-	Maynooth ...	12	2	6	I	8
4-	Kilcock	'5	3	2	2	i
5-	Ferns, or i7th Lock	i6f	3	6	2	4
6.	Newcastle ...	21	4	4	2	ii
7-	Moy valley Hotel	24	5	o	3	4
8.	Boyne Aqueduct	26	5	5	3	8
9-	Thomastown	33	6	IO	4	2
IO.	Mullingar ...	4°J	8	4	4	IO

( 93 )

CHAPTER X.

First Hospital in Dublin — Poor Relief in former days — The Foundling- Hospital and its Founders — Dublin's First Work- house— House of Industry Hospitals — James's Street Work- house— John's Lane Chapel — The Augustinians and their Church in Thomas Street.

IN the preceding chapter I alluded to the House of Industry and its Hospitals. As we are passing away from this interesting portion of the city, we will take another snap-shot of this historic building. To assist us in our rambles we have a look through Archdale's " Monasticon," published in 1787, — which, in the present day, is most interesting reading. In the preface (said to be written by Ledwidge) to this valuable work, there are a few paragraphs which are worth republishing. Writing of the Hospitals in Ireland in connection with Monastic Institutions, he says : — " The first houses were formed for the relief of the impotent and indigent ; there were, for the most part, two or three religious placed in them, who acted as chaplains and physicians." Further on in the preface he adds : — " So rivetted is the affection of the natives, from long habit, to the monastic life, that, besides supplying our interior monasteries with brethren, enough are found to fill the National Seminaries of Rome, Spain, Portugal, France, and the Low Countries. The number of Regulars, at the time of the Revolution, in this country was above two thousand ; at this day (1785) they are not three- fourths, and still they continue to diminish, the sure consequence of civilisation and industry."

94 First Dublin Hospital.

" The first hospital founded in Dublin, about the end of the 1 2th century, was known as the Priory of St. John the Baptist, and was situated in St. Thomas Street, without the west or new gate of the city. In 1316, on the approach of Edward Bruce, the citizens set fire to Thomas Street, so as to prevent the city from falling into his hands. The Church and Priory of St. John, with the Chapel of St. Magdalen, were consumed in the conflagration. Two years after- wards King Edward II. made a grant of lands in Ireland for a space of four years in order to assist in repairing the Hospital.

" This Hospital continued its useful and charitable existence till 22nd January, 1537, in the 35th year of King Henry VIII., when that monarch suppressed it and confiscated all its property, granting same to the Earl of Thomond, at a fine of £14. i8s. 8d. At that time there was attached to the Priory an Hospital containing fifty beds for the sick. In this Hospital there were both Friars and Nuns. The vestments for the Friars of Thomas Court, for the Franciscans in Francis Street, and for the University of St. Patrick were wrought here. For their labour they had a tenth of the wool or flax which they spun assigned to them when the work was finished. The different Orders for whom they wrought did visit this house on St. John's Day, when they presented their offerings before the image of the saint, which stood in the great hall ; and on the Saint's Eve the Mayor and Com- mons were also wont to visit them, on which a great bonfire was made before the Hospital, and many others throughout the city."

We also learn from the " Monasticon" " that a Roman Catholic chapel was erected on the site of this priory ; the ancient steeple still remains." These meagre particulars are supplemented by the following

John's Lane Chapel. 95

from the Egerton MS., 1772 : — "John's Lane Chapel, in Thomas Street, was repaired and adapted to the use of the Augustine hermits by Father Byrne, Superior of that Order in Ireland. It fell down a few years ago, but hath been rebuilt by subscription, and is one of the most regular built chapels in Dublin. The altar is wainscotted and embellished with pillars, cornices, and other decorations. The altar-piece is a painting of the Crucifixion, and on the altar stands a gilt tabernacle, twelve gilded candlesticks with large wax tapers, and with artificial nosegays. The sacristy is large and commodiously fitted up. Here are two paintings, one of St. Augustine and the other of his mother Monica. The pulpit is very neat and the confessionals in good taste, and placed under the gallery, which serves for a choir. Over the sacristy are the lodging chambers of the friars." In connec- tion with this old chapel the following appears in " Falkiner's Dublin Journal," 2nd May, 1778: — "On Monday night last some sacrilegious villains broke into ' the Chapel of John's Lane ' in order to rob it of its most valuable utensils. They first began with rifling the altar, but the clerk, who lay in the vestry, hearing the noise, immediately got up and put his head out of the window and cried out ' Robbers ! ' on which the villains made off with two pixes, which happily proved to be one of pewter and the other of brass. From this and a similar robbery committed in Ashe Street Chapel a few nights ago, gentlemen who have the care of churches and chapels would do well to remove their valuable utensils, especially plate, to safer places than where they are generally lodged." The present magnificent Church of St. Augustine, one of the glories of Catholic Dublin, is erected on a portion of the site of the old Priory of St. John the Baptist. The first stone of the new church was laid in 1862. It was solemnly dedicated in 1893.

96 Dublin's First Workhouse.

In 1 60 1 an attempt was made to deal with the distress, when a Poor Law Act was passed, but being framed on the same principle as some of our laws affecting Irish land of to-day, not being compulsory, it was a failure. Various plans were suggested for amelioration, but distress still continued. The vagrancy and want, mendicancy and demoralisation of the people, — the result in a great measure of mis- taken policy and mischievous legislation, — continued to exist. It was not till the reign of Queen Anne in 1702 that any legal provision was made for the relief of the poor. In that year was established the earliest workhouse in Dublin. It was established pursuant to " an Act for erecting a workhouse in the City of Dublin for the employment and maintaining the poor thereof." A donation and grant was made for its support by the Lord Mayor and Corporation as follows : — " And, whereas, the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, and Commons and citizens of Dublin, for the encouragement of so necessary and charitable a work, are willing, not only to appropriate a piece of ground for a workhouse within the said city, but also to endow it with lands of inheritance to the value of ;£ioo per annum." The lands so given were in the walled-in ground at the south-west end of James's Street, and 14 acres of land adjoining thereto, whereon several houses were built, and are now occupied by the South Dublin Union. This place was converted afterwards into a Foundling Hospital (of which more anon). The Act in question constituted a Corpora- tion for the maintaining and carrying on the work, but it was found necessary in 1727 to pass a new Act for the better regulating of the workhouse and its poor ; a new Corporation was formed under the name of the Governors of the Poor of the City of Dublin. Statutes dealing with Foundling Children were passed in the years 1729, 1731, and 1749. The last Act was

The House of Industry. 97

somewhat drastic. It gave the Governors power to commit beggars and vagrants labouring under disease, and exposing their infirmities, to the workhouse, and upon the certificate of the physicians or surgeons that the disorder was dangerous or incurable, to confine them in some house in the city, or send them to the Hospital for Incurables. This Act continued in operation till 1772, when the whole system was re-cast, as in that year there were passed three Acts : — (i) The Dublin Foundling Hospital and Workhouse ; (2) For the relief of poor infants deserted by their parents ; and (3) For badging such poor as should be found unable to support themselves by labour and otherwise providing for them and for restraining such as should be found able to support themselves by labour or industry from begging. Under the last Act was established the Dublin House of Industry, which was to be divided into four parts — (i) One to be allotted to such poor helpless men as should be judged worthy of admission ; (2) For the reception of such poor helpless women as should be judged worthy of admission ; (3) For the reception of men who should be committed as vagabonds or sturdy beggars able or fit for labour; (4) For such idle> strolling, and disorderly women as should be com- mitted and found able or fit for labour.

Provision was made in this Act for the erection of the Dublin Houses of Industry, but the allowance of ground (two roods) not being sufficient for the Corporation of the Poor of Dublin in 1787, they were empowered to take a greater area, which they did by purchasing 1 1 acres of ground, from North Brunswick Street on to Glasmanogue. Thus was founded the Dublin House of Industry, which consisted of the following : — (i) An Asylum for aged and infirm poor ; (2) An Asylum for incurable lunatics ; (3) The Bedford Asylum for the reception of children ; (4) The Hard-

G

98 The Foundling Hospital.

wick Fever Hospital ; (5) The Whitworth Hospital ; (6) The Richmond Hospital ; (7) The Talbot Dispen- sary— all of which, until the passing of the Poor Law Act in 1838, were in charge of the Governors of the House of Industry. In 1840 when the present Poor Law system came into operation, the principal build- ing was converted into what we now know as the North Dublin Union Workhouse. The pauper inmates in same when the transition took place were transferred to other buildings. The poor lunatics, close upon 200, were transferred to a house near Island Bridge. No other lunatics were taken into this place, its inmates being solely those transferred from the House of Industry, the last of whom died in 1 86 1, when the house was given back to the Royal Hospital authorities, and afterwards converted into a stable in connection with Island Bridge Cavalry Barracks.

In 1876 Mr. W. D. Wadsworth, Assistant Secretary to the Local Government Board, published a most interesting booklet, which gave a brief history of the ancient Foundling Hospital of the City of Dublin from the year 1702, in the preface of which he says : —

" I have endeavoured to put together the skeleton of the institution and reanimate its remains . . . and it may not, perhaps, be found uninteresting to the student of Irish history and not without some claim to the attention of the antiquary and the general reader." As the statements contained in the volume just alluded to are of such an extraordinary character, I refrain from making any remarks of my own, using Mr. Wadsworth's own words : — " The Foundling Hospital, Dublin, 1702. — In the report of the Local Government Board for Ireland presented to Parlia- ment in 1875 there is a statement by the present Inspector of Foundlings to the effect that a brief

James's Street Workhcuse. 99

sketch of the rather remarkable history of the Dublin Foundling Hospital might not be an uninteresting or an uninstructive record, and it seems not to be inappropriate at the present time, before the remain- ing members of the once famous institution expire and the whole becomes one of the things that have passed away in these countries."

In a curious History of Ireland, published by one John Angel in 1781, and which claimed to be the " Compleatest History of the Present State of Ireland yet Extant," it is stated as follows in reference to the public Institutions in Dublin (page 233): —

" The Workhouse situated in James's Street is a very large building for the maintenance and education of exposed and deserted young children, who when of age are put apprentice to trades. The Governors are incorporated by charter, consisting of persons of the highest station. It is supported by Parliamentary grants, etc., and there are at present 3,000 children in the house, and at nurse, maintained at the expense of the workhouse."

John Angel simply stated the bald fact as he found it ; but the rise and progress and final demolition of the establishment in question, after an existence of upwards of a century and during a remarkable period — a time of great transition in the history of Ireland — appears to demand some further record.

The Hospital gradually became one of the most gigantic baby-finding, " baby-farming," " nurse board- ing out," and apprenticing institutions these countries ever saw. The objects of the institution were avowedly twofold — namely, first, to prevent " the exposure, death, and actual murder of illegitimate children," and, secondly, " to educate and rear children taken in charge by the institution in the Reformed or Protestant Faith, and thereby to strengthen and promote the Protestant interest in Ireland." Both of

ioo The Foundling Hospital.

these objects were, however, more or less frustrated by the operations of natural causes and effects.

" Death during the carriage of infants to the hospital, during the time they were retained there, and during the time that they were out at nurse, became so prominent a feature that it was again and again the subject of anxious inquiries and investiga- tions.

" A sufficient number of Protestant nurses for the infants could not be found. The children were there- fore located with nurses of the Catholic faith, and, gradually imbibing the religious predilections of their foster-mothers, refused when returned to the hospital to adopt the Protestant form of worship, or, if adopt- ing it for a time, speedily relapsed into what the Governors deemed to be religious error, and they were struck off the books. Thus life was not saved in any degree commensurate with the intentions of the Legislature, nor were there so many accessions to the Protestant interests of the country as had been expected."

The records in connection with the Hospital are most voluminous. The entries in the Minute Books from 1728 to 1829 are verified by the auto- graphs of many men who are connected with the history of the county — viz., Abercorn and Altamont; Lanesborough and Bandon, Moira, Mornington, Newton, and " Tullamoor" are there. Notably also " Hu" Armach ; John Dublin ; Jonathan Swift (the Dean) ; J. Blaquire, M.P. ; Sir G. Ribton, Bart., Lord Mayor, 1747-8 ; the Right Hon. P. Crampton, Lord Mayor, 1758-9 ; H. Grattan ; Guinness ; " Tabuchau;" and La Touche.

Noble ladies were there too. There is one in particular, Lady Arabella Denny. This noble, energetic and good woman for many years devoted herself to the service of the establishment. Amongst

The Foundling Hospital Cradle. 101

other things she enlarged and improved the buildings out of her own money and what she obtained from her friends, spending £4,190 193. 2^d. on the institu- tion— a very considerable sum in those days.

In 1730 the buildings were used exclusively for the reception of foundlings, and " a cradle or turning wheel" and a bell for taking in infants were provided at the gate for use by " day or night," as may be seen from the following entry in the Minute Book : —

" 3rd October, 1730.

" Court of Governors.

" Hu (Boulter) Armach, Primate of All-Ireland, being in the chair, ordered that a turning-wheel, or conveniency for taking in children, be provided near the gate of the workhouse ; that at any time, by day or by night, a child may be layd in it, to be taken in by the officers of the said house.'1

From this date the reception of foundlings at the gate may be said to have been in full swing, and this " cradle" was but too often the preliminary coffin of thousands of wretched little beings who were con- signed to its cold clasp. There is no complete enumeration of the foundlings and other children who were admitted into the hospital from first to last in the one hundred and thirty years during which it continued its operation; but from the returns of Parliament it may be computed that, independent of the hundreds of infants who died on the road during transit, and who were exposed on the banks of the adjoining canal, and died there, or were drowned, not less than 200,000 infants passed that dread portal, the " cradle at the gate."

The growth of the institution is thus recorded : —

1702 — 260 children admitted, and the number annually increased, especially after 1740.

IO2 The Foundling Hospital Death-rate.

1757 — By an average taken it appears there had been 700 infants taken in yearly in the three previous years.

1796 — For six years ending 1796, 12,786 infants were admitted.

1797 to 1818 — In twenty-one years we find that 43,254 infants were admitted.

The very large proportion of the children admitted who shortly after admission died attracted attention on several occasions.

For five years — 1791 to 1796 — no less than 5,216 infants were sent to the Infirmary. A solitary one recovered. In the March quarter of 1795, of the 540 children received into the Foundling Hospital, no less a number than 440 died. In 1797 a Committee of the Irish House of Commons was appointed to inquire into the Management of the Establishment. The Report was a most damning document. The Report of the Sub-Committee gives a graphic account of what they saw when they went to inspect, and presents a picture which needs no further painting.

It appears the children were " stripped" when sent up to the Infirmary (to die), and had the old clothing that they came into the House in put on them. That they were then laid, five and six huddled and crushed together, in the receptacles called cradles, "swarming with vermin," and they were then covered over with filthy and dirty blankets, which had been " cast" as unfit for use.

Poor little, helpless, unresisting innocents ; death and reception into that place, which is declared to be the haven of peace for ever and joy " for such" as these, must have been indeed a merciful release from mundane sorrow and suffering.

The particular feature in the working of this in- stitution, it appears, was " The Bottle."

The Hospital "Bottle? 103

The Hospital Nurse deposed when examined on oath by the Committee that a medicine called significantly " The Bottle" was handed round to them all at intervals indiscriminately. She did not know what was in it, but supposed it was a "composing draught," for " the children were easy for an hour or two after taking it." The surgeon, when he did come, always asked if she had given them " The Bottle," but asked no other questions.

Discreet Surgeon ! He knew well enough what the bottle was made up of, and that the children derived assistance from its contents. They were being assisted to die.

The infants, or many of them, when put into the hospital were anything but moribund. Sir John Trail, one of the sub-committee, states that whilst the committee was sitting " he had seen some of the children who were brought in at the moment, and that they were as fine children as ever he saw."

Consigned to the den above described, and fed on bread and water and " The Bottle," they soon died.

The Irish House of Commons adopted the recom- mendations of the Committee to reform the government of the Foundling Hospital. The new Corporation of Governors came into office in 1798, under a special Act of Parliament, and the Foundling Hospital was " reformed." The English House of Commons thirty-three years afterwards, in the year 1829, received information of similar malpractices to those already disclosed. The following figures, tell their own story: — Of 52,150 children admitted during thirty years ending January, 1826, 14,613 died in hospital while infants, 25,859 were returned as dead at nurse in the country, 730 died in the infirmary, 322 more who had been sent into the country for their health: — in all 41,524 died. The House un- hesitatingly recommended the closing of the hospital ;

IO4 The Closing of the Hospital.

and it was closed. Mr. Wadsworth truly says : — "It took one hundred and thirty years to convince people of the error of founding such an institution, and the failure to attain the two ostensible objects proposed, namely, saving infant life and making good Pro- testants; and further to prove how mischievous its effects were in a moral point of view."

LIFE IN OLD DUBLIN

PART II.

( 107 )

PART II.

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS OF COOK STREET.

CHAPTER I.

The Street of the Cooks— Jesuit College, Back Lane— "Mass Houses" in Cook Street — Adam and Eve Chapel — Attack on " Mass House" in Cook Street — Arrest of Catholic Alderman — Banishment of the Orders from Dublin in 1629 — Archbishop Bulkeley and the English Privy Council.

THE inquiry by the Local Government Board which took place in 1910, re the proposed Cook Street area, recalled to the mind of the student of Dublin history many interesting epochs in con- nection with the story of the penal days, and the struggle for the preservation of Ireland's Faith against desperate odds which was waged within the area under the purview of the Local Government Inspector. A glance at the map of Dublin, as it existed two hundred years ago, shows that within the ambit of Cook Street stood no less than four Catholic places of worship — the Franciscan, the Dominican, the Jesuit, and a Parish Church. It is a street full of historic recollections and events, many worthy of recall, found in the works of the Most Rev. Dr. Donnelly,

io8 "Le Cooke Street or Vicus Corcorum?

Sir John Gilbert, W. J. Battersby, E. Evans, and others, from which I cull the following : — Cook Street was anciently known as " Le Coke Street or Vicus Cocorum," the street of the Cooks, the Dublin members of which profession were incor- porated under the name of the "Guild of Cooks," or Fraternity of St. James the Apostle. The Guild possessed four Charters. Its first, dating 1444, its second Charter (1565) incorporating it with the Society of Vintners, was confirmed by James I. After amalgamation, the Coporation of Cooks and Vintners assembled at their Hall in the Eagle Tavern, Eustace Street. The Shoemakers, or the Guild of the Blessed Virgin, had their Guild Hall in Cook Street, a large stone building at the rere of the houses Nos. 21 and 22 Cook Street, built early in the eighteenth century. From the following one may learn how this trade at that period dealt with those of the body who worked for less than the standard rate of prices, as fixed by the Trade Committee. In the Dublin Journal of 6th June, 1768, the following appears: — " On Monday last a poor shoemaker was carried on a pole through the streets, attended by a number of the trade apprentices, etc., telling the people as they went along that it was for working under price ; but, being pursued by our vigilant sheriffs, some of the ring- leaders were lodged in Newgate, Corn Market, close to their Guild Hall. So far back as the year 1356 the name Cook Street is mentioned in deeds of assign- ment. On the northern side of Cook Street stood, in 1402, the city residence of the old Norman family of De Burnell. This family seemed to fill a large space in the events of the period. We learn that John Burnell was attainted and executed at Tyburn, for having been one of the principal supporters of Silken Thomas in his revolt, in 1535. Later in 1577 Henry Burnell is mentioned as being one of those who

"Jesuites, Fryers, and Popish Priests" 109

opposed Elizabeth's levying cess upon the Pale." Sir Henry Sydney, the Governor of Ireland, writes at this date — " Burnell's father is alive, and an old man, but neither in youth nor age lived or was able to live in half that appearance that this man doth. He thirsted earnestly to see the English Government withdrawn hence." Despite this character he was appointed Justice of the Queen's Bench in 1589, but his loyalty to the powers that be was not of that nature which pleased them, for he, in 1605, then a very aged man, was committed a prisoner to his own house for having engaged in a deputation formed of the principal Roman Catholics of the Pale to petition for a remis- sion of the religious disabilities imposed upon them. We next see the passing of the " Inns" into the hands of the stranger, when, in 1613, James I. granted to Philip Hore Burnell, Inn, Cook Street, and an orchard or garden." Sir James Carroll, King's Remem- brancer to James I., and Mayor of Dublin in 1612, 1613, and 1634, had his mansion in Cook Street. In the latter year he presented to Lord Deputy Went- worth a memorial containing " propositions concerning the keeping of the streets of the Cittie of Dublin clean, and for ordering and settling the multitude of beggars in and near the cittie, and for reforming and correcting sundry other sorts of disordered persons" — problems which are awaiting solution to-day.

It is recorded that in 1623 the Privy Council of Ireland received information how many Jesuites, Fryers, and Popish Priests had come from beyond the seas and from England into this kingdom, and a list was procured of those who were then succoured in Dublin, who had their conferences at the houses of Alderman Fyan and Alderman Sir James Carroll. The names recorded in the list as mentioned are as follows : — William Malone, a Jesuit ; James Comefore, a Fryer ; Bartholomew Hamlin, a Priest ; James

no "Mass Houses" in Cook Street.

Hamilton, a Scotch Fryer ; Luke Rocheford, a Priest ; Thomas Coyle, a Priest ; one Hamlin, a brother to the aforesaid Hamlin, a Fryer ; Patrick Brangan, a Priest ; one O'Donogh, a Priest ; Laurence Cheevers, a Fryer ; John Netterville, a Jesuit ; Francis Fade, a Jesuit ; one James Talbot, Vicar-General. Upon the authorities learning of the meeting in conference of the foregoing they issued a proclamation from Dublin Castle on the 24th January, 1623, for the banishing of Jesuites, Fryers, and Popish Priests out of Ireland within forty days after the date thereof. The Most Rev. Bishop Donnelly, in his introduction to the Egerton MS., gives us a glimpse as to the condition of affairs in our city in 1618. A Government return states — " The places of most public note whereunto the priests resort for Mass in Dublin are : — The Bakers' Hall, in the College, adjoining St. Audoen's Chancel ; a back room of Brown, near Newgate (at this period in Corn Market) ; a back room of Mr. Plunkett, in Bridge Street ; a back room of Nicholas Queitot's, in Bridge Street ; a back room of Carey, in High Street ; a back room of Widow O'Ragan, in High Street ; Shalton's house beyond the bridge, at the corner of the so-called Hangman Lane (Hammond Lane)."

It will be noted that all the places, named are within Cook Street ambit but the last one on the list.

When Charles I. ascended the throne in 1625 there was a slight relaxation of the Penal Laws. The Discalced Order coming into Dublin about this time established themselves in Cook Street, close to the Franciscans, who had a small chapel in a laneway off that street, which was known as " Adam and Eve's," from a sign of a publichouse which stood at the corner, a name which still clings to the church of the Francis- cans (St. Francis of Assisi) on Merchants' Quay. The era of toleration was soon to come to a close. In

Church of "Adam and Eve? in

April, 1629, a proclamation was issued " Banishing Jesuites, Fryers, and Popish Priests out of Ireland within forty days after the date thereof."

This was the prelude to the stirring times and momentous events which took place within the Cook Street area shortly after.

The following sidelights by the late Mr. Evans are of interest in connection with the Franciscan Church on Merchants' Quay, the historic Church of the Fran- ciscans, but more popularly known as the " Church of Adam and Eve " : —

This chapel was not dedicated to the names of the first parents of mankind, as the general reader would at first naturally surmise, but from the following traditional story, which we believe to be not generally known : — In the reign of Henry III. (1236), he granted a piece of ground on the southern suburb of Dublin, adjacent to the City Walls, to the Conventual Fran- ciscans, whereon they erected a spacious church and dwellinghouse. When Henry VIII. suppressed all the monasteries he granted or sold to one Thomas Stephens for the sum of £36 6s., (or about ^726 of our present money), and an annual rent of two shillings, this property. The nephew and heir of Thomas Stephens, the purchaser of the monastery, although still pretending to be a Roman Catholic, converted it into a garden, and subsequently used it as building ground, so that not the least memorial either of the church or monastery now remains. He, after pulling down the church and convent, sold the beautiful corbels, exquisitely-wrought mullions, and marble altars, in England. Thenceforth the Franciscan Friars had a precarious life in the city of Dublin until about the year 1615, when they rented a small back house at the rere of an old tavern in Cook Street, then known as the sign of Adam and Eve. The entrance to this back house was through a long,

112 Church of "Adam and Eve?

narrow passage from Cook Street, which also served as a kind of hall-door entrance to the inn. At the period we are now writing about all alehouses, inns, etc., in the city of Dublin were licensed to sell spirituous liquors at all reasonable hours on Sundays as well as week-days, except at such hours as Divine Service in the parochial churches would have been performed. At this period, and for upwards of a century later, the Penal Laws were in full vigour against the Roman Catholics, by which they were not only prohibited from attending at their religious assemblies, but were also prohibited having chapels or other places of worship in the city, save only what- ever private places they would select and have known only to their own members. Therefore, the priests or friars of the Cook Street Convent, to evade the laws that were against them, said their Masses at such hours on Sundays as would not conflict with the hours at which Protestants assembled at their respective churches, and usually had some confidential person placed at the entrance door, who would not allow any person to pass into the private chapel except those whom he knew to be Roman Catholics, and all such persons had, as a pass or countersign, to use the expression, " I am going to Adam and Eve." Hence the name still applies to the Franciscan Church till the present day. When the present church was, in 1832, erected on the site of the old one, the old tavern (Adam and Eve) was also taken down, its site forming the large courtyard and entrance enclosed with iron railings into the church from Cook Street.

Returning to the historic story of bygone days, we learn that on St. Stephen's Day, 1629, the then Protestant Archbishop of Dublin, Lancelot Bulkeley, commenced his campaign of persecution of the Roman Catholics. When in Dublin, on the pre- tence that the Jesuits and the Friars were infusing

Attack on Mass House in Cook Street. 113

sedition amongst their congregations, he applied to- the Lords Justices for a warrant to seize the offenders then meeting in Cook Street. Intolerance was reign- ing at the Council Board in Dublin Castle, and the appeal was granted. The Bishop, accompanied by the " Maior," with a military escort, entered upon his plan of campaign. The following description of the attack on the " Mass House" in Cook Street is thus recorded, and is still in existence in the Library of the Franciscans, in Merchant's Quay : —

i629[ — 301], January 4[ — 14], Dublin.

to :—

" Father : in my former letter of the 28th or 2Qth of December I did seirtefie you of the presiding of our Maior and Lord Archbishopp* ; which if you have not received, the manner was this, viz. : — The Maior, accompened with the Lord Archbishop, the Recorder, Mr. Johnn, and Mr. Kely, aldermen, with the Sherif, Foster, Capten Carey, and his sowlders came aboutt alawen of the clocke in to the chepell [and] the dors being fast brock open them ; the chepell being full, and they redy to goe to mas ; one ther comming in the pepell were in aubproare ; with that the Maior pulled down the pickterr and the Lord Archbishop pulled down the pulpett ; the sowlders and the pepell weare by the heres one with another, and the pickteres were all brocken and defased, and they toke within five sutts of vestments and one chales. There was two of the younge friors taken and putt in the custody of Bently, the Pursevant (Edward and one Barnewell), and they were reskued by the women. Our Maior and the Bushoppe coming from the Friors' howse, the country folke and some other children and sarvants pursued them, casting stones and the durt of the kenel after them, and

* I.e., the Protestant Archbishop, Dr. Launcelot Bulkeley.

H

H4 Catholic Alderman Arrested.

pursued until they were forced to go into Sim. Esmond howse in Skinner Roe, and ther staid until the Justices come from church. The Justices and the Counsel satt, and sent presently a proclamation that no mane, neither their children nor sarvant should goe abrode or stire out dores. This being done one Saterday, Sunday they said nothing ; Monday morn- ing all the Catholicke aldermen were sent for to the Counsell Tabell, and ther examined by poll, wherof I was the second man examined, which I will forbear to writt of, being too long to relatt. But after we were examined each of us was confined in a secret place apart. My brother James, Mr. Torner, Mr. Edward, and Robert Arthur, and Mr. Russell of Lecale were committed to the Castell ; Mr. Walter Usher and myself leaft free.

" Tuesday following, Mr. Gooding, Mr. Mapas, and Mr. Steaphens were examined, and Mr. Gooding com- mitted to the Marshallsie, Mr. Steaphens to the Castle, and Mr. Mapas to Sir Tadie Duffs howse in regard of his sickness. Wensday, the widow Nugent in Wine Tavern Stritt was committed with many others ; and all the Constables of Cook Stritt, Corne Market, and High Stritt comitt ; and they are all at this present in prison."

The Council of Dublin Castle, evidently prompted by Archbishop Bulkeley, who was most indignant at the Papists defending their church and their priest, lost no time in corresponding with the Privy Council in London, who were of the same way of thinking upon such matters as his Grace. On refer- ing to a somewhat scarce volume, entitled " Secrets of Empire," a supplement of the " Cabala," published in London, 1654, page 340, we find the following : — " The Lords of the Councel of England to the Lords of the Councel in Ireland, 31 Jany., 1629 — By your letters dated the ninth of January, we understand

Banishment of the Orders. 115

how the seditious riot moved by the Friars and their adherents in Dublin, hath by your good order and resolution been happly supprest, and we doubt not but by this occasion you will consider how much it concerneth the good government of that kingdom, to prevent the first growing of such evils, for where such people be permitted to swarm, they will soon grow licentious, and endure no government but their own, which cannot be otherwise restored than by a due and seasonable execution of the Law, and of such directions as from time to time have been sent from his Majesty and this Board."

" This we write, not mistaking the faire course you have taken ; but to express the concurrency of our Judgments with yours, and to assure you of our assistance in all such occasions wherein for your further proceedings we have advised. And his Majesty requireth you accordingly to take order, first that the house wherein Seminiary Friars appeared in their habits, and wherein the Reverend Archbishop and the Maior of Dublin received the first affront, be spedily demolished, and be the mark of terror to the resistors of authority, and that the rest of the houses erected or employed there or elsewhere to the use of suspicious societies, be converted to houses of correc- tion, and to set the people on work, or to other publick uses, for the advancement of Justice, good Arts or Trades ; and, further, that you will use all fit meanes to discover the Founders, Benefactors, and Maintainers of such Societies and Colleges, and certifie their names, and that you will find out the Lands, Leases, or Revenues applyed to their uses, and dispose thereof according to the Law, and that you certifie also the places and institutions of all such Monasteries, Priories, Nunneries, and other Religious houses, and the names of all such persons as have put themselves

Ii6 Jesuits' College in Back Lane.

to be brothers and sisters therein, especially such as are of note, to the end such evil plants be not per- mitted to take root anywhere in that Kingdome, which we require you to take care of. For the supply of Munition which you have reason to desire we have taken effectual order that you shall receive it with all convenient speed, and so — (Signed) :

" The Lord Keeper, Lord Treasurer, Lord Presi- dent, Lord Privy Seal, Lord High Chamberlain, Earl of Suffolk, Earl of Dorset, Earl of Salisbury, Earl of Kelly, Lord Viscount Dorchester, Lord Newbergh, Vice Chamberlaine, Mr. Secretary Cook, Sir William Alexander."

The Mass houses or chapels then in Cook Street and its ambit were closed, as was the Jesuits' College in Back Lane, which was sequestered and given to Trinity College. The latter building was used by Cromwell as an hospital for his troops during his Irish campaign. I may add it stood near what we know in our own time as the Tailors' Hall. Before passing away from Archbishop Bulkeley, the name of Cromwell recalls two incidents worthy of note. Just forty years after his "battle" in Cook Street, "spent with grief for the calamities of the times and the sufferings of the Church," Dr. Bulkeley departed this life at Tallaght on the 8th September, 1650, in the 82nd year of his age. The other incident is one within our own time. Centuries have passed ; the clouds of persecution have rolled by ; 247 years after the action of the Bishop in Cook Street we see the Lord Mayor of Dublin, accompanied by his citizen soldiers, with all the pomp and circumstance of State, not demolishing, but unveiling, amidst the applause of a mighty multitude, in the principal street of our city, a memorial to a son of St. Francis — Father Theobald Mathew.

CHAPTER II.

The Four Masters — Capture, Trial, and Execution of Lord Conor MacGuire — Introduction of Quakerism into Dublin.

THE Franciscan Convent of Cook Street is also associated with the glorious work of the poor Franciscan Friar, Michael O'Cleary, chief of the Four Masters, since he spent some time there transcribing old material which he found con- cerning the Saints of Erin. In his transcript of the lives of St. Finnen of Clonard and St. Benean, O'Cleary writes : — " The lives of Finnen and Benean and their sequel were first written by me in the Con- vent of the Brotherhood at Dublin out of a vellum book which I borrowed from Father Nicholas O'Casey, and I wrote the same again in the House of the Fraternity at Bun Drobhaoisi (Bundroose), /th March, 1629. The ancient book was written by Gillaglas O'Higgin in the year of Christ, 1471."

Many may not be aware of the fact that the epoch in Ireland's history of the year 1641 is closely con- nected with the Historical Jottings of Cook Street. It is not within the province of this book to discuss in detail "the reason why," but simply to re-tell the story, trusting my humble attempt to revive the memory of the past may create in readers a spirit of inquiry to follow up the whole facts, of which I, of necessity, can only give an outline. This is more especially applicable to the revolt, arrest, and execution of Lord Conor Mac- Guire. O'Conor, in his " History of the Irish

n8 Capture of Lord Conor MacGuire.

Catholics," writing of the rising of 1641, says : — " The decision of fortune and the prerogative of victory have stamped this unsuccessful effort with the name of rebellion ; the malignity of party has blackened it with a conspiracy to massacre the Protestants, without distinction of sex or age, of birth or condition. The impartiality of history must urge that, if allegiance and protection are mutual and reciprocal duties, if the maintenance of civil and religious liberty be obligatory on every individual of the State, if self- preservation be a fair motive for resistance, the struggle of the Irish in 1641 for existence and tolera- tion was a just and lawful exertion, warranted by the first law of nature and the original compact of society. The story of MacGuire's capture, trial, and execution is extracted from the report published by Aaron Rhames, Dublin, 1724. The information of the Sheriff of Dublin, John Woodcock, is as follows : —

" The said Examinate deposeth and saith, That he, being one of the Sheriffs of the said City of Dublin, in the Year 1641, having Notice given him in the Night, upon the 22nd of October, in the same Year, of some great Design intended, did by vertue of his Office walk up and down the City that Night ; and coming to the House of one Nevill, a Chirurgeon in Castle Street, he understood by the said Nevill, that the Lord Mac-Guire with some 10 or 12 others were there ; This Examinate told him, it was fit for his Guests to be in Bed at that Time of Night ; but the said Nevill did bring this Examinate word, that the Lord Mac-Guire and his Company were then going to Bed. The said Examinate departed, setting a Watch near his House ; by which Watch he was in- formed, that the said Lord Mac-Guire and the rest were goine from the House, and were at the House in Cook Street, of one Kerne, a Taylor ; Whereupon he

Trial of Lord Conor MacGuire. 119

searched the said House, and there found some Hatchets with the Helves newly cut off close to the Hatchets, five