School: Knockbride (2)

On this page

1. Notes on the Life of the Reverend Alexander McWhidd (continued)

   

   Share Share Post

   (continued from previous page)

   in his "Succession Lists of the Diocese of Dromore as 1687. His grave may be in Co. Down, which would account for the absence of his name on the old tombstone of the Mahood family in Knockbride graveyard. Tradition, however, assets that he is buried at Knockbride. Some of his family evidently settled about Knockbride, probably in Tullylurkin. A John McWhidd, probably a son, is referred to on the old tombstone, and was born in 1635, and another John Mcwhidd was born in 1661. These dates would indicate that Alex. McWhidd was married a few years before he left Killyleagh in 1639 or 1640.
   Tradition also states that Alex. McWhidd or Knockbride was at the battle of the Boyne, being a Chaplain in the Williamite army, and that he gave public thanks to God for that victory after the battle. The words of the prayer he used were known, it is said, by some of the old people about Knockbride until some years ago. Supposing he was between 20 and 30 years of age when he left Killyleagh in 1639, he would have been between 70 and 80 years of age at the time of the battle if then alive, so it is not impossible that he was at the Boyne in 1690, seeing that the Rev. G. Walker and the Duke of Scomberg were both very old men in that fight. It must said, however, that his name is not referred to in Young's "Fighters of Derry and Enniskillen:, which contains accounts of hundreds of individuals connected with the Williamite War in Ireland. (This book as been found to be very incomplete)
   It is said that Alexander McWhidd spoke in the Scottish dialect. When he discovered on his way to church one Sunday, that he had forgotten the manuscript of his sermon, he is said to have remarked, "I'll hae tae mak a shift", and was hence known as "mak-a-shift" McWhidd. The prayer he is said to have used at the Boyne was also in Scottish.
   Many years ago there was an old prayer book in the house of Henry Mahood of Lisdonnan, who lived at Hoosky Cross-roads. It is said to have been one of the oldest Prayer Books in "The Three Kingdom". We may assume that someone capable of judging, expressed this opinion at first. Very likely it belonged to Alex. McWhidd. If it was the

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Thomas J. Barron

   Gender

   Male