School: St Columba's Abbey, Navan (roll number 882)

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1. Some Local History Concerning Ardbracken (continued)

   

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   when he died by a local bard.
   If heven be pleased when sinners cease to sin
   If hell be pleased when sinners enter in
   If man be pleased when parting with a knave
   Then all are pleased when G is in his grave.
   There is a tradition in the parish that a priest named Fr. O'Rielly was put to death by the puritans in the time of Cromwell. In the year 1704 Rev. John Barnwell was registered at Trim as popish Priest of Ardbraccan. This priest was a very famous man and was related to Lord Trimblestown. He was frequently on the run from the Priest hunters and had to disguise himself. Mr. Walter of Allenstown was very kind to him and frequently gave him information when the Priest hunters were about. He could always find shelter in Wallers house and was welcome. Few Priests suffered more than Dr. Barnwall.
   When he refused to take the oat of abjuration he had to leave his home and take shelter in the ditches, the barns and cabins of the poor. In those days there were two mudwall thatched chapels in my district one at Peiltown and the other in Cortown. When things were quite Fr. Barnwall said Mass in these chapels, but when Priest hunters were about he would be obliged to say Mass behind a rock or at the back of a ditch. Some

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   William Curry

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Boyerstown, Co. Meath

   Informant

   Mrs Gorman

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ardbraccan, Co. Meath