School: Clochar na Toirbhirte, Cill Mochua (roll number 15632)
- Location:
- Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny
- Teacher: Sr. M. Calasanctius
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0843, Page 192
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- XML School: Clochar na Toirbhirte, Cill Mochua
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- XML “Story Connected with Bell in Black Abbey, Killkenny”
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- The Black Abbey in Kilkenny is one of the oldest Catholic worshipping houses in Ireland. It was founded in the year 1225. One aisle of the chapel is all that remains of the original church. During the time of Cromwell the Abbey was used as a courthouse and the only thing which he did not lay hand on was a stone slab on which the figures of three persons representing the Blessed Trinity were carved. This slab is there to the present day, but it cannot be touched or it would fall asunder. During Cromwell's time in Kilkenny the famous bell of the Black Abbey disappeared. A few centuries afterwards when some men were cleaning a bell belonging to lady Tighe, Dunlavin Co. Wicklow, the following inscription was found on it - "Black Abbey Kilkenny 1225." They reported the matter to Lady Tighe but she refused to give it back as she was a very bigoted Protestant. The young men of Kilkenny, when they heard of it went and took the bell out of Lady Tighe's demesne. It was decorated and put in a lorry with four Mass-servers at each side of it Outside the city of Kilkenny the lorry was(continues on next page)
- Informant
- John Grogan
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Butt's Green, Co. Kilkenny
