Introduction
County Carlow is one of Ireland’s hidden gems. It is a county rich in its archaeology and diversity of archaeological sites; distinctive in its architecture with its creative use of native Carlow granite. It is a county whose documented history reflects its active involvement in every phase of early and medieval Irish history and whose natural physical beauty is one of Ireland’s best kept secrets. But most surprising of all is the county’s central role in the monastic and ecclesiastic life of Ireland. From Agha Church to the monastic site of St. Mullins, the medieval settlement of Old Leighlin, the living traditions of Carlow’s saints, Moling and Laserian, Carlow offers a richness of heritage, a depth of specialist literature and an ease of access unlikely to be equalled in any other part of Ireland. Dr. Maurice Manning, Chancellor,National University of Ireland (NUI) and President, Irish Human Rights CommissionSt. Laserian’s Trail covers the mid-Carlow area, featuring a number of sites of national significance including the medieval Cathedral at Old Leighlin as well as the impressive Adelaide Memorial Church at Myshall. Enjoy discovering these ancient sites, tucked away in green valleys or up high on open countryside surrounded by an expanse of sky. Perhaps a moment of quiet contemplation will provide insights into the secrets and mysteriescontained within. St. Laserian, sometimes called Molaise, was the founder of the See of Leighlin and its first bishop. He was born about the year 566. He studied in Rome and was sent to preach the word of God in Ireland. In fulfillment of this mission, Laserian visited many parts of Ireland including Leighlin.
St. Laserian’s Cathedral, Old Leighlin – Seanleithghlinn
The picturesque village of Old Leighlin is home to one of Ireland’s gems of late medieval architecture. St. Laserian’s Cathedral, Carlow’s oldest working building, was built on the site of a monastery founded by St. Gobban c. 600. St. Laserian (Lasrain or Mo-Laise) became abbot c. 620 and the settlement grew to eventually accommodate some 1,500 monks.St. Laserian’s Cathedral features architecture from every century since it was built.The stone interior of this beautifully preserved church is illuminated by large Gothic style windows and a magnificent stained glass window behind the altar. One of the glories of the cathedral is the intricate ribbed vault of the crossing tower. The beautifully carved sedilia reflect the cathedral status of this building. This is one of the few churches in Ireland that has four seats, rather than the usual three. It is suggested that the fourth seat was for the Bishop. Cathedrals normally provided a special chair for the bishop but Old Leighlin may have just provided a place on the sedilia. There are two fonts in the church, both of which are older than the building. The earlier font consists of a massive piece of Kilkenny marble, hollowed with rough hand tools. The other font known as the Gowran font is more decorative. There are some fine nineteenth-century pieces in the cathedral. The Bishop’s throne is richly carved as is the timber lectern in the traditional form of an eagle. This lectern was made in memory of Thomas and Sophie Vigors. The Vigors family of Burgage, Leighlinbridge were closely associated with the church and there are thirty two memorials to the family throughout the building. The east window designed by Catherine O’Brien, is a beautiful memorial, depicting Saints Moling, Bridget, Fiach, Canice, Patrick, John, Paul and Laserian.
The Holy Well
The holy well which can be found 100 metres west of the church is dedicated to St. Molaise and features an early ringed cross said to denote the place where St. Laserian conversed with St. Finbar of Cork. Laserian, who was originally from Ulster, is celebrated for the Synod held in Leighlin in 630 at which the Irish Church adopted the Roman method for arriving at the date of Easter. In 1111 Leighlin was constituted a diocese and thereafter the church here assumed cathedral status. The present building was started by Bishop Donatus (1152-85) and continued under his successors. Much of the fabric dates from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The tower dates from the late fifteenth century, while the Lady Chapel was attached to the north side of the choir in the sixteenth century.
Leighlinbridge – Leithghlinn an Droichid
The attractive village of Leighlinbridge lies along the banks of the River Barrow with beautiful riverside walks and a tradition of gardening that comes alive each year for the national Tidy Towns Competition and the Floral Festival Trail. It was in this peaceful and scenic location that the first Irish Carmelite monastery was established. The Priory of St. Mary was founded c.1271 by a member of the Carew family. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the friars received financial grants from the English crown to help them maintain the important stone bridge over the River Barrow. The monastery stood on the east bank of the Barrow, near the present Black Castle. It was suppressed by Henry VIII in 1540 when the buildings included a church, dormitory, hall, two chambers and a kitchen. The friars also had a large garden and an eel weir on the river. The Carmelites returned to Leighlinbridge in 1730 and remained until the friary was finally closed in 1836. In the Garden of Remembrance spend some time looking at the memorial stones to the Carmelite order and to the Sisters of Mercy. There are plaques to Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada (1984–1993) whose family hailed from the area, John Tyndall and Nicholas Vigors. Visit Ireland’s first all county World War 1 memorial, listing the men from Carlow who died in the Great War. The Sculpture Garden is dedicated to three of Leighlinbridge’s most famous sons – Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran – Australia’s first Cardinal (see St. Molings Trail), John Tyndall, the scientist and mountaineer (see St. Patrick’s Trail) and Captain Myles Keogh
Wells medieval parish church
Few medieval parish churches have survived in Carlow and Wells must have been one of the largest. Medieval sources refer to the parish church of Wells in 1262 and the visible remains date to this period although they have been restored in more recent times. Walking around the ruins one can trace the impressive form of a long nave and chancel church built with limestone rubble and granite ashlar . The church is surrounded by an enclosed and well-maintained graveyard which is still in use today.
Dunleckny – Dún Leicne – Fort of the Hill Side
The churchyard at Dunleckny contains the ivy covered ruins of two churches. The detached three-bay, single cell Church of Ireland was built in the late eighteenth but abandoned in the early nineteenth century. The other church is much older. At the beginning of the thirteenth century this churchwas granted to the nunnery of Graney. The present remains consist of a rectangular structure which is probably medieval in date. In the older church is a plaque to the memory of two eighteenth-century parish priests. It was erected by Fr. Michael Pendergast in 1810 and commemorates his uncle and grand-uncle, both, like himself, priests of Dunleckny. This reveals a typical tradition of priesthood within Irish families. There is a private graveyard for two influential local families the Bagenals and Veseys of Dunleckney Manor in a corner of the site.
Agha – Achadh – Field of the green tillage
Standing firm in the heart of Carlow’s farmland are the remains of Agha Church which has been described as ‘one of the most striking examples of pre-Romanesque architecture in the country’. Agha’s early history is obscure although it is mentioned in the Life of St. Fintan and may have been subordinate to Fintan’s monastery at Clonenagh, Co. Laois. In 866, Agha, which was positioned on the borders of the Irish kingdom of Uí Dróna, was raided by the Vikings and the men of the neighbouring kingdom of Ossory. The present church, part of which dates to the tenth century, may represent a rebuilding which was undertaken in the wake of that attack. The tenth-century phase of the church consists of the west gable and part of the south wall. This phase is characterised by very regular and well-coursed masonry. Field stones of similar dimensions were carefully chosen and the overall uniformity of the masonry is unique. Large square blocks were used to form the lintelled door surround and deep antae are present.The character of the masonry in the second phase of the building is very different and lacks the regularity of the earlier phase. It is possible to clearly see the distinctive differences between the two styles in the south wall of the church. The later phase appears to date from the twelfth century and the fact the church was extended at this time may indicate an increased population in the area. This coincided with a reforming period within the Irish church and perhaps a boost in church attendance. Close to the church are two cross bases and a medieval sundial. The sockets in the cross bases suggest that they would have supported fairly small crosses, perhaps similar to the Nurney cross. The area around the church was used as a burial site for unbaptised infants up to the nineteenth century.
Newtown – An Baile Nua
St. Patrick’s Church is an early nineteenth-century church built in the Gothic-revival style. It has been described as a reduced version of Cobden’s Carlow Cathedral and is regarded as one of the finest Gothic barn-type churches in Ireland. The granite-built church dates from c. 1830 and has a T plan. The attractive, three–bay exterior has a large central window flanked by quatre-foil windows over doorcases. In the centre of the façade is a mosaic of the Blessed Virgin, dated 1954, celebrating the Marian year. Above this is a bellcote which in turn is surmounted by a cross. The bell dates from 1900 and was cast by a Dublin foundry. The interior has retained its three galleries and simple Gothic reredos . The decorative plasterwork on the ceiling is particularly eye-catching and is believed to be the work of Italian refugee artisans who were working locally in Fenagh House at the time the church was being built. The decoration features the motif of the grape and the grain. The stained glass windows are by Joshua Clarke who was the father of Ireland’s most famous stained glass artist, Harry Clarke. His vibrant piece depicting St. Patrick, the church’s patron, is of significant artistic merit.
Myshall – Míseal – Low Plain
Myshall lies at the foot of the northern slopes of the Blackstairs Mountains which provide a magnificent backdrop to the rich pasture lands and winding country roads which surround the village. St. Finian, known as the ‘tutor of the Saints of Ireland’ and founder of the celebrated monastery of Clonard, Co. Meath, was born in Myshall about 470 AD. The village contains the remains of a Romanesque church that Finian founded in the sixth century.Local tradition also links St. Columbanus, Ireland’s first great European saint, with the area. Tradition holds that he was advised by St. Croine Bheag of Carlow (see St. Patrick’s Trail) to leave home to follow his monastic education. His journey took him to Bangor which enjoyed a close association with Carlow town. A stained-glass window in the Catholic Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross commemorates Myshall’s association with St. Columbanus.
Catholic Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Local tradition also links St. Columbanus, Ireland’s first great European saint, with the area. Tradition holds that he was advised by St. Croine Bheag of Carlow (see St. Patrick’s Trail) to leave home to follow his monastic education. His journey took him to Bangor which enjoyed a close association with Carlow town. A stained-glass window in the Catholic Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross commemorates Myshall’s association with St. Columbanus.
St. Brigid’s Well
Adelaide Memorial Church
This church was raised by John Duguid of Dover, England, in memory of his wife Adelaide and his daughter Constance who was killed in a riding accident while visiting friends in Myshall. Described as an architectural gem, it was designed by George Coppinger Ashlin, one of the foremost architects in the country as a miniature of Salisbury Cathedral in England. It stands in beautifully maintained grounds, accessed by a yew-lined drive. The memorial statue of ‘Innocence’ carved from Sicilian marble commemorates Constance, and in fact it was the sculpture’s inability to withstand the harsh Irish weather in its original outdoor location that prompted John Duguid to build the Adelaide church protectively around it.No surface in the building was left unadorned and delicate carving can be found everywhere and especially on the Bathstone which lines the interior. Trefoil designs predominate apart from the panels near the mausoleum where John, Adelaide and Constance Duguid are buried. Here the English rose and Scottish thistle are found; (Mr. Duguid was of Scotch descent, his wife was English). The finest materials were used everywhere. Behind the altar is a luminous fresco depicting The Last Supper, adapted from Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting at Milan. The church was consecrated in September 1913 and continues, under the name of The Church of Christ the Redeemer, to provide a beautiful place of worship for the local Church of Ireland community.
Cranavane – Crann an Bháinín
Set in an untouched rural landscape the holy well at Cranavane is closely associated with the early medieval Barragh church, the ruins of which lie some 400 metres to the west. This church was linked with St. Finian who was born nearby in Myshall. It was the custom to dip coffins in the water of the well before burial in Barragh graveyard. The waters of the well are believed to cure a range of ailments including soreness of the eyes, pains and hurt limbs. People from the surrounding area come to the well, particularly in the month of May. The Patron or Pattern day on May 3rd attracts many visitors. In the nineteenth century large gatherings at the well could sometimes become rowdy and drunken, leading to the suspension of visits. Nowadays the recently restored well and its surrounding area offer a haven for those seeking peace and tranquillity
Ballykealey – Baile Uí Chaollaí – O’Kealy’s town
Quaker graveyard and Lecky family graveyard - The charming village of Ballon is rich in archaeological heritage. Located on the outskirts of the village is the Quaker graveyard also strongly associated with the Lecky family for whom nearby Ballykealey House was built in 1830. Twenty six members of the family are known to be buried in this Quaker plot. By the late nineteenth century most of the family had become members of the Church of Ireland and a new family graveyard was consecrated in 1880. The graveyard remained in use until 1950. It includes a memorial to Captain John Lecky, killed in Mesopotamia in 1915 and the grave of Molly Grace (nee Lecky) a section officer in the WAAF who was killed in 1942 while flying her plane during the Second World War.
Ballybrommell – Baile An Bhromailigh
Along with Ballykealey graveyard this Quaker burial ground is a reminder of the once thriving Quaker community in Co. Carlow. Quakerism evolved in the North of England in the seventeenth century and made its first inroads into the Carlow/ Kildare region during the Cromwellian plantations of the 1650s. Many Quaker families settled in the Fenagh area, the most notable of whom were the Watson’s and the Leckys who purchased large farms at Kilconner and Ballykealey respectively. The low curving wall and arched pedestrian gateway bearing the legend ‘God’s Acre – the Garden of Sleep’ were erected by Fielding Lecky Watson (1873-1943) as a memorial to members of the Lecky and Watson families. Among the small number of individual graves are those of Fielding Lecky Watson’s daughter, Corona North and her husband Gary North. Corona’s simple gravestone reminds visitors of her lifetime dedication to nearby Altamont Gardens, widely recognised as the jewel in Ireland’s gardening crown. The gardens are an enchanting blend of formal and informal gardens with riverside walks covering over 40 acres (16 hectares).
Nurney – An Urnaí – The Oratory
On a clear day, the views from St. John’s Church of Ireland Church are magnificent, stretching across the landscape of west Carlow as far as Kilkenny itself. At the end of a walled entrance avenue visitors are greeted with a small but well proportioned single cell stone church with three bays and a handsome needle spire which can be seen from afar. It was built by the Board of First Fruits c. 1790. There was an early monastery at Nurney but the only traces that remain are the two granite crosses. The head of one cross can be seen in the churchyard. The other, completecross is in a private field at the back of the church.
