Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church, a living mediaeval church, is the main attraction in Youghal

Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal, Co Cork, is a national monument and the principal tourist attraction in Youghal (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

Patrick Comerford

This is Heritage Week, and as part of this summer’s continuing ‘road trip’ and extended ‘staycation,’ two of us were given a personal tour of Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal, Co Cork, by the priest-in-charge, Canon Andrew Orr, and two parishioners, Lydia Mossop and Norman McDonald, on Monday (16 August 2021).

In the 15th century, Youghal was one of the important ports in Ireland, rivalling Bristol in wealth and trade. Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church, the Church of Ireland parish church, remains the largest and most important mediaeval building in the town and is one of the largest churches in Ireland.

Nestling in a corner of the Town Walls in the Raleigh Quarter, Saint Mary’s is a national monument and the principal tourist attraction in Youghal.
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Inside Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church, Youghal, facing the east end (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

As he pointed out the features of the church yesterday, Norman tried to make sense of old doorways, blocked up windows, old wall lines and the former roof levels.

The church may stand on the site of a monastic settlement associated with Saint Declan of Ardmore, ca 450. It was rebuilt ca 750, and the Great Nave was erected in 1220. The roof timbers have been carbon dated to 1170.

The structure of the nave is largely unchanged since 1220, when it was built under the direction and hand of the masters of four local guilds of operative masons, whose marks are still found on the pillars of the gothic arches.

The roof timbers in Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church have been carbon dated to 1170 (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

The earliest entry in the vestry book of Youghal is a statement of parish accounts for 1201. Pope Nicholas IV described Youghal in 1291 as the richest benefice in Cloyne. The list of clergy can be traced back to this date.

In the chancel, a sepulchre tomb on the north side of the altar is a rare example of this type of feature. It was a major focus for mediaeval piety in Holy Week and it was defaced during the Reformation.

Others mediaeval remains in the church include a late 13th century effigy, a late 13th century head-slab of a man, an early 14th century effigy in a wall tomb of Thomas Paris with a dove in his hands, an early 14th century effigy of Matheu le Mercer in a canopy tomb, and the effigies of Richard Bennet and Ellis Barry, a wealthy couple who founded a chantry chapel that later became the Boyle Chapel.

Inside Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church, facing west (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

The font dates from ca 1400. The unusual fortified bell tower probably dates from the 15th century.

Saint Mary’s became a Collegiate Church in 1464, with the foundation of Our Lady’s College of Yoghill by Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Desmond. The college included a Warden and Clerks, or priests, with eight fellows and eight singing men.

After the Reformation, Roger Skiddy was described as Warden of Youghal in 1567. He had become Dean of Limerick in 1552 and Bishop of Cork in 1557.

The sepulchre tomb on the north side of the altar was a focus for mediaeval piety during Holy Week and was defaced during the Reformation (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

Sir Walter Raleigh was Mayor of Youghal in 1588 and lived in the Warden’s House, now known as Myrtle Grove.

The college house was plundered and laid in ruins in 1597 by the army of Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond, who also unroofed the chancel.

After the Desmond rebellion was defeated, Sir Walter Raleigh was granted over 40,000 acres of the Earl of Desmond’s land, including properties in Lismore and Youghal. In 1602, Richard Boyle (1566-1643), 1st Earl of Cork, bought Raleigh’s estates in Co Cork, Co Waterford and Co Tipperary, including Myrtle Grove, the former Warden’s House in Youghal, and Lismore Castle. Another account of this sale says Raleigh sold his property directly to Boyle.

The Boyle Monument in the Boyle Chapel (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

Boyle rebuilt Saint Mary’s Church at a cost of £2,000 in 1608, making good the devastation of the Desmond Rebellion, and erected a marble monument for himself and his family in the Boyle Chapel.

The Boyle monument was designed by the architect Alexander Hillis of London, and shows a reclining Boyle placed between his first wife, Joan Apsley, and his second wife, Catherine Fenton, with their children below them, including Robert Boyle, who gives his name to ‘Boyle’s Law.’

During the Civil Wars of the mid-17th century, Oliver Cromwell conducted his campaign from Youghal in 1649 and delivered a funeral oration from the top of a chest that is still seen in the church.

The effigies of Richard Bennet and Ellis Barry in their chantry chapel that later became the Boyle Chapel (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

A sword rest on the north side of the nave once held the ceremonial sword of the Mayors of Youghal, and dates from 1684. The pulpit dates from the 1730s.

The philosopher George Berkeley (1685-1753) became Warden of Youghal in 1734 when he became Bishop of Cloyne, and he conducted services in Saint Mary’s. When John Wesley visited Youghal in 1765 he attended Saint Mary’s.

The church was re-roofed in 1833, and large-scale restoration, including rebuilding the chancel, was carried out in 1851-1854, possibly by WH Hill.

The altar, sanctuary and east window in the chancel of Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

The stonework in the great East Window dates from the 1460s. It was restored in the 1850s, and the glass depicts the coats-of-arms of many leading families associated with the church.

A restoration of a remedial nature was carried out between 1970 and 1973. The Chapel of Remembrance was created in the North Transept in the late 1980s, using the furnishing of the closed church of Templemichael.

Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church is now a National Monument under the care of the government, and leased by Representative Church Body to the local council.

The early 14th century effigy in a wall tomb of Thomas Paris with a dove in his hands (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

The Collegiate Church has been a long history of choral music, and is a venue for recitals, concerts and festivals, including concerts in the East Cork Early Music Festival.

From 2005, music has been provided in Youghal and in Cloyne Cathedral by the Clerks Choral, who sing traditional Anglican repertoire and regularly feature on RTÉ Radio 1 and Lyric FM.

They have rendition of Compline in Saint Anne’s Church, Shandon, is a regular feature of the Cork International Choral Festival.

Heraldic details in the East Window in Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

The organ from the Church of Saint Michael-on-the-Mount-Without, Bristol, was installed in 2007 in the North Bay of the crossing of the Great Nave.

The unique bishop’s throne in the nave is for the Bishop of Cloyne, who remains nominally the Warden of Youghal. Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church is part of the Diocese of Cloyne within the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.

Canon Andrew Orr has the priest-in-charge of Youghal since 2018. The other churches in the Youghal Union of Parishes are Saint Paul’s Church, Ardmore, Co Waterford, and Saint Anne’s Church, Castlemartyr, Co Cork. Canon Orr is also chaplain of Middelton College. He is married to the Very Revd Susan Green, Dean of Cloyne.

The bishop’s throne and the organ in Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

The interpretive installation, ‘Voices of Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church,’ offers a choice of three types of tour, each unique, informative and entertaining.

It offers a personally guided tour through the church, highlighting the gems, a self-guided audio tour sharing the emotional reunion of the imaginary Roe family and they talk about the history of the church and their own family memories, and interactive information displays, in which visitors follow a timeline from 1220 to today, including the church’s archaeological dig.

The west end of Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church, Youghal, Co Cork (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

Finding one Saint Colman after another, and then a third Saint Colman

Saint Colman of Cloyne depicted in a window in Saint Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, Co Cork (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)

Patrick Comerford

Today (24 November) is the feast of Saint Colman of Cloyne, who gives his name to both Saint Colman’s Cathedral in Cloyne in the Church of Ireland, and Saint Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh in the Roman Catholic Church.

But when I was visiting Saint Colman’s Church and monastic site in Kilcolman, west Limerick, I was told that the Saint Colman honoured there is Saint Colman who is associated with Templeshambo, Co Wexford, and whose feastday is on 27 October.

Indeed, there is at least one more Saint Colman among Irish monastic saints, Saint Colman Mac Duagh, who is associated with Kilmacduagh, Co Clare, a diocese that is incorporated along with Kilfenora, into the Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe in the Church of Ireland and, along with Kilefenora into the Diocese of Galway in the Roman Catholic Church.

Saint Colman of Cloyne (left) among the saints in a stained-glass window in Saint Mary’s Church, Buttevant, Co Cork … the window is the work Franz Mayer & Co in 1886 (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)

Saint Colmán of Cloyne (530-606), also known as Colmán mac Léníne, was a monk, founder and patron of Cluain Uama, now Cloyne, Co Cork, and one of the earliest-known Irish poets to write in the vernacular.

Irish genealogies generally agree that this Saint Colmán was the son of Lénín, and descended from the Rothrige, a people who lived in the Déisi or present-day Co Waterford. Irish genealogies also try to associate him with the Éoganachta, the leading ruling dynasty in Munster.

He is said to have been educated as a bard or file, and became attached to the court of Cashel where he remained until he was about 48 years. He and Saint Brendan of Clonfert are said to have settled a dispute in 570 between rival claimants to the throne of Cashel. Aodh Caomh was acknowledged as king, becoming the first Christian king of Cashel, and was enthroned by Saint Brendan.

Saint Brendan then ordained Colmán, giving him his name which is a diminutive of Colm, derived from the Latin columba (dove). According to tradition, Colmán is named as one of the three ‘ex-laymen’ (athláich) of Ireland, along with Énna of Aran and Móchammac of Inis Celtra, suggesting that Colmán was ordained at a later age than was usual at the time.

After some time in Saint Jarlath’s monastery in Tuam, Co Galway, Colman returned to east Co Cork. He is described as a ‘religious and holy priest, who afterwards became a famous bishop.’

Saint Colmán is remembered as the founder of the monastery at Cloyne (Cluain Uama), Co Cork, on land given not given by the local king, but by the King of Munster. The Prince of the Déise, in Co Waterford, presented his child to Colman for baptism. Colman baptised him the child who became Saint Declan of Ardmore.

Saint Colman is also said to have founded a monastery at what became Killagha Abbey in Co Kerry, and many places in Co Cork and Co Limerick are associated with his name.

Many accounts describe him as the ‘royal poet of Munster,’ and his poems include a metrical panegyric on Saint Brendan. His surviving verses date from the period 565 and 604, and are among the earliest examples of Irish writing in the Latin alphabet.

He died on 24 November, ca 600, and was probably buried in Cloyne.

Saint Colman of Templeshambo depicted in a window in Saint Colman’s Church, Co Limerick (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)

However, the people of Kilcolman in West Limerick insist that bith the mediaeval church and modern church there take their name from Saint Colman of Templeshambo or Templeshanbo, near Bunclody, Co Wexford.

This saint was from Connacht, the son of Eochaidh Brec, and Fearamhla, but lived and laboured mainly in wat is now Co Wexford. He was a contemporary of Saint Máedóc or Saint Aidan of Ferns, who appointed him Abbot of Templeshambo, originally called ‘Shanbo-Colman’ or Saint Colman’s booth.

There are many legends about Saint Colman and of his holy well with its sacred ducks. He is said to have laboured zealously at the foot of Mount Leinster. He died ca 595 on 27 October, according to the Martyrology of Donegal.

Saint Colman’s Church of Ireland Parish Church in Templeshambo, Co Wexford (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

The third saint, Saint Colman mac Duagh (ca 560-632), was born at Corker, near Kiltartan, Co Galway, the son of Duac, a local chieftain, and Queen Rhinagh. He initially lived as a recluse, living in prayer and prolonged fastings, first at Saint Enda’s monastery on Inismore on the Aran Islands, then in a cave at the Burren in Co Clare.

With the support of his kinsman, King Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin of Connacht, who lived at Dungaire Castle, Kinvara, he founded the monastery of Kilmacduagh, (‘the church of the son of Duac’) in 610, and became its abbot-bishop. His monastery became the centre of the tribal Diocese of Aidhne, practically coextensive with the later Diocese of Kilmacduagh.

Local legend says Saint Colman declared that no person nor animal in the Diocese of Kilmacduagh would ever die of lightning strike. His abbatial crozier was used through the centuries for the swearing of oaths. It was in the custody of the O’Heyne family of Kiltartan and later the O’Shaughnessy family, and is now the National Museum in Dublin.

Other legends tell of Saint Colman and his love for birds and animals, and how he kept a pet rooster to call him in the morning, a pet mouse to call him to prayer in the middle of the night, and a pet fly who served as a bookmark.

When they died, he wrote about his loss to his friend Saint Columba, who replied: ‘You were too rich when you had them. That is why you are sad now. Trouble like that only comes where there are riches. Be rich no more.’

He died on 29 October 632. Although the Martyrology of Donegal assigns his feast to 2 February, tradition in the Diocese of Kilmacduagh pointed to 29 October, and an annual pilgrimage to his hermitage was associated with 21 October.

Saint Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh … he is the patron saint of the Diocese of Cloyne, and his feast day is on 24 November (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)

An Irishman’s Diary: SPG missionaries

George Berkeley: missionary as well as philosopher

Patrick Comerford

Some time ago, as we travelled through east Cork, I was determined to visit Cloyne Cathedral, with its round tower and Bruce Joy’s impressive monument to a former Bishop of Cloyne, George Berkeley, laid out in the north transept in all his episcopal finery.

As we approached the monument, my younger child asked: “Is he dead?” The bishop was dead since 1753, I replied. But Joe persisted: “Does he know he’s dead?” I presumed so. “Well, does God know he’s dead?” In three quick questions, a young boy had cut to the heart of Berkeley’s empiricist philosophy, which holds that everything save the spiritual exists only as it is perceived by the senses.

Berkeley was Bishop of Cloyne from 1734, but due to failing health he moved to Oxford in 1752. Although his monument may be seen in Cloyne, he does not rest there: he died in Oxford on January 14th, 1753, and was buried in Christ Church. Today, he is largely remembered for his work as a philosopher and mathematician, but is seldom referred to as a pioneering Irish missionary.

Educating colonists

In 1728, Berkeley sailed for North America in the hope of establishing a college in Bermuda for the education of colonists and American Indians. He settled in Newport, Rhode Island, returning only in 1731 after his plans and hopes were undermined and a grant of £20,000, approved by parliament, failed to materialise.

Berkeley’s plans and works in America were sponsored by the oldest Anglican missionary society, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG), founded in 1701 by the Rev Dr Thomas Bray with the support of the bishops of the Church of Ireland and the Church of England.

Between 1706 and 1761, 26 clergy served from the Church of Ireland served as missionaries with the SPG, all but four of them in the American colonies. William Smith was the first missionary to the Bahamas and the first colonial bishop from the Church of Ireland was Charles Inglis (1734-1816) from Glen Columbkille, Co Donegal. Inglis taught in Pennsylvania before he was ordained in 1759 for the parish of Dover in Delaware.

In Delaware, Inglis worked among the Mohawk Indians, and pressed for an Anglican bishop in the colonies. In 1765, he moved to New York as the curate of Trinity Church, where he became rector in 1777, during the early stages of the American Revolution. Trinity Church was destroyed by the rebels, Inglis was attained and all his property was confiscated.

In 1783, he moved with his family to Nova Scotia. During a brief return visit to these islands in 1787 he was consecrated at Lambeth Palace as the first bishop of Nova Scotia, with jurisdiction over Quebec, Newfoundland and New Brunswick. Two months later, in the first Anglican ordination in Canada, he ordained his nephew, Andrew Inglis.

Founder in Canada

Charles Inglis has been hailed as the founder of the Anglican Church in Canada. His son John became the third bishop of Nova Scotia, with a diocese that extended as far as Berkeley's beloved Bermuda.

Of the 106 clergy from the Church of Ireland who worked as SPG missionaries in the period 1824 to 1870, 67 (more than half) went to Canada, 19 to Australia, and six to South Africa. Among the remaining 14 was the Rev George Hunn Nobbs of Dublin, who worked in the Pitcairn Islands among the descendants of the Bounty mutineers and later joined their migration to Norfolk Island.

In Australia, Hussey Burgh Macartney, a former curate of Kilcock, Co Kildare, built St Paul’s Cathedral and became Dean of Melbourne. William Wright from Ireland was the first Anglican missionary in South Africa. His strong opposition to early racism led to a conflict with the Irish governor of the Cape, Sir Lowry Cole, and he left the colony in 1829. But later SPG missionaries in southern Africa included Francis Balfour from Townley Hall, near Drogheda, the first resident Anglican bishop in Lesotho, William Gaul from Derry who became Bishop of Mashonaland, Davis Croghan from Wexford, who was Dean of Grahamstown, and John Darragh, who was instrumental in building St Mary’s Cathedral, Johannesburg.

Social justice

It was men like these who shaped the Anglican Church in Southern Africa, giving it its high church ethos and its commitment to social justice and action against racism. Later Irish SPG missionaries did pioneering work in Burma, China, Japan and Korea, and provided bishops for dioceses in Lahore (Pakistan), the Gold Coast (now Ghana), and Gambia.

In 1965, the SPG merged with the Universities’ Mission to Central Africa. Today the society is known as the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG). To mark its 300th anniversary, a new history of SPG and USPG has been edited by the Rev Dr Daniel O’Connor, former principal of the College of the Ascension in Birmingham. The tercentenary celebrations, which began in St Chad’s Cathedral, Lichfield, on January 6th, will culminate with an international anniversary service of celebration in Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London, on June 15th.

This ‘Irishman’s Diary’ was first published in ‘The Irish Times’ on 18 January 2001.