Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum; Or, Ireland's Ancient Schools and ScholarsHealy, John
History
Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum; Or, Ireland's Ancient Schools and Scholars
Healy, John
Education -- Ireland -- History
Thus we have in the single townland of Killeany no less than seven or
eight churches and oratories, grouped together around the oratories of St.
Enda and of St. Benignus. It is remarkable that these two alone now
survive--perhaps because the islanders would not allow the vandals, who
carried off the stones of the other churches, and of the round tower, to
build 'Cromwell's Fort,' to touch these two more ancient and more holy
oratories. There was also a Franciscan monastery on the sea shore, and it
may be some of the stones were carried off for its construction also.
The oratory of St. Enda, called Telagh-Enda, is of course the most
interesting of all these ruins. It is still wonderfully well preserved,
and, although some repairs took place at different times, there is no
doubt that the greater part of the original building still remains. The
grave-yard in which 127 saints are buried surrounds the church. The grave
of the founder himself, according to O'Flaherty, was a few paces to the
north-west from the door of the church. The holy spot is sometimes quite
covered with the drifting sand; at other times Enda's grave, and the
_leac_ or flag covering it, can be pointed out by any of the islanders.
There were other primitive churches founded by Enda which still bear his
name both in Clare and Galway; and we find that even in Meath, Limerick,
and Queen's County, there are parishes, as there were once, no doubt, old
churches, dedicated to his name. Killeany of Arran, however, was the most
celebrated of them all--there he lived for more than sixty years, 'in his
prison of hard narrow stone,' and there he sleeps beside the sea,
surrounded by the loved ones whom he taught and sanctified.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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