Scoil: Knockbride (2)

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1. Notes on the Life of the Reverend Alexander McWhidd

   

   Roinn Roinn Postáil

   A Seventeenth Century Minister in Knockbride. Compiled from Tradition and other Sources by Thomas J. Barron

   It is asserted by tradition that Rev. Alexander McWhidd (now spelled Mahood), was the first Protestant Minister in Knockbride Parish Church. Extant records do not verify this statement, as it is recorded that in 1622 the first Protestant Rector of Killan and Knockbride, was a Rev. Robert Taylor. However, as during the first thirty or forty years of the 17th century, the church as in ruins, the tradition may be correct in so far that Alex. McWhidd was the first minister to preach in the repaired church. In 1612 only Moybolge and Drumgoon churches were in repair in this part of Cavan; Knockbride was still in ruins in 1622, and when Bedell became Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh in 1629 not five churches were fit for service in the whole Diocese, but all the Parish churches were repaired in Kilmore diocese before Bedell died in 1642, so Knockbride Church seems to have been rebuilt for Protestant worship about that time; and if Alex. McWhidd was the first Protestant minister (probably curate) to preach in the church, he must have come to Knockbride during the time Bedell was Bishop of Kilmore, that is, between 1629 and 1642.
   While Bedell was Bishop he set himself to abolish pluralities in his Diocese. When a minister had several parishes the Bishop forced his to live on one, and to give up the others, or to provide curates. At that time an Alex. Cummine held the parishes of Knockbride and Killan. If Cummine had to give up one of these parishes, Knockbride would probably be the parish he would relinquish, as Killan had a greater population of British settlers. William Gillis became Rector of Knockbride in 1660, when Cummine seems still to have been Rector of Killan, so between 1629 and 1660 Alex. McWhidd may have had charge of Knockbride, although no record remains to that effect. As Cummine and McWhidd have the same Christian name, it is possible that there was some

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   Thomas J. Barron

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