Pilgrimage to St. Brigid's, Annacurra, Co. Wicklow

Your are cordially invited to join us for our first pilgrimage and Traditional Latin Mass of the new Year, the Year of Mercy, in St. Brigid's Parish Church, Annacurra, 3 km south of Aughrim, Co. Wicklow.  There is not, as Tom Moore's melody has it, in the wide world a valley so sweet as the vale of Avoca.  Set on the banks of the River Aughrim, a tributary of the Avoca River, Annacurra (or Annacurragh) possesses some of that sweetness in addition to charm of its own.  The lovely Church of St. Brigid celebrated its 150th year two years ago and this Saturday - Saturday, 23rd January, at 12 noon - it will host a Traditional Latin Mass for the first time in goodness knows how long.

Built to the design of Richard Pearse Jr., son of the noted Wexford Architect, the foundation stone for the Church was laid in 1859 and the opening ceremony took place on St. Patrick's Day, 1864.  The beautiful East Window depicting Saints Brigid, Patrick and Columba, was designed by Pugin and Ashlin, executed by McCann's of Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, and installed for the opening of the Church.  The bell was installed a year later and the organ in 1867.

Pilgrimage to Kilmuckridge, Co. Wexford

About 10 miles south of Riverchapel, Co. Wexford, where we had organised Mass in the Gregorian Rite in March, is Kilmuckridge.  St. Mary's is a hidden seaside gem built in 1796.  These stones, therefore, witnessed the rising of 1798 led by Fr. John Murphy, from nearby Boolavogue and the first victory of the 'men of Wexford' at Oulart Hill about 4 miles to the west.  On the Ember Saturday after Pentecost, 30th May, 2015, members and friends of our Association made their pilgrimage to Kilmuckridge.

Pilgrimage to Kilmuckridge, County Wexford

Pilgrimage to Riverchapel, Co. Wexford

I do like to be beside the seaside and in Wexford a pilgrimage to the seaside is almost obligatory. Several Churches in the Diocese of Ferns are dedicated to Our Lady, Star of the Sea, including this beautiful one at Riverchapel, Courtown Harbour.  One of the glories of the Church of Riverchapel is a collection of Harry Clarke Stained Glass Windows (more later).  It was a great privilege to be part of the first pilgrimage of the Catholic Heritage Association to Riverchapel.

Pilgrimage to Enniscorthy Cathedral

The town of Enniscorthy is steeped in Irish history.  The town's foundation can be traced to the monastery of St. Senan and an early base of the Normans who entered Ireland at the nearby Bannow Bay.  Nearby Ferns was the seat of the Kings of Leinster and the see of St. Aiden, patron of the Diocese.  Overlooking the town is Vinegar Hill, where the men of '98 held out until 21st June.

The Cathedral of St. Aiden itself is historic, built in 1843 to the design of A.W. Pugin.

Latin Mass in New Ross

With the kind permission of the Parish Priest and the generous cooperation of the Parish of New Ross and the Society of Saint Oliver Plunkett of the Diocese of Ossory, members and friends of St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association made a pilgrimage to New Ross, Co. Wexford, on Saturday, 25th January, 2014, the feast of the conversion of Saint Paul, with a High Mass celebrated in the Gregorian Rite in the Parish Church of Ss. Mary and Michael, at 2 p.m.

Medieval New Ross could boast five Churches, St. Mary's, St. Michael's, St. Saviour's, the Franciscan and Augustinians.  The present Parish Church built upon the former market place replaced an earlier building, now St. Michael's Theatre, in 1902.  The Architect, Walter Glynn Doolin (1850-1902), a student of J.J. O'Callaghan, was responsible for Churches in a range of styles in Southern Ireland: Sacred Heart, Killusty, Co. Tipperary (1882), St. Brigid, Pallasgreen, Co. Limerick (1882), Sacred Heart, Dunhill, Co. Waterford (1884), St. James, Kilorglin, Co. Kerry (1888), St. Carthage, Lismore, Co. Waterford (1892), St. Brigid, Clonakenny, Co. Tipperary (1899), St. Carthage, Castlemain, Co. Kerry (1900), Holy Cross, Ardoyne, Belfast (1900), St. Brigid, Dunaskea, Co. Tipperary (1901), Ss. Mary and Michael, New Ross, Co. Wexford (1902), St. Augustine, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford (1902), Sacred Heart, Roscommon, Co. Roscommon (1903), St. Mary's, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary (1910).  The Church in limestone with granite facings still retains its original Altars by Pearse and Sharpe of Dublin and stained glass by Meyer of Munich.

The site of New Ross traces its origins to the monastic foundation of St. Abban of Doonane. The town was founded under Isabella, daughter of Strongbow and granddaughter of Diarmuid McMorrough, and her husband William Marshall. In that sense, it is doubly a twin town of Kildare, whose medieval foundations are largely due to William Marshall. The town's Royal Charter dates from 1207.

As the last fording point of the River Barrow, it's strategic value has been a constant of its history. The discharge of shot by the armies of Cromwell against one of the ancient gates of the town, Aldgate, known thereafter as Three Bullet Gate, is the origin of the 'Bearna Bhaoil' or 'Gap of Danger' mentioned in Amhráin na bhFiann, the Irish National Anthem. In the 1798 Rebellion, the Rebels led by Kelly of Killane siezed Aldgate and the town, although with immense losses. The Ballad of 'Kelly, the boy from Killane' recalls the event:  

Enniscorthy's in flames and old Wexford is won 
And tomorrow the Barrow we will cross 
On a hill o'er the town we have planted a gun 
That will batter the gateway to Ross 
All the Forth men and Bargy men will march o'er the heath 
With brave Harvey to lead in the van 
But the foremost of all in that grim gap of death 
Will be Kelly the boy from Killane

In the following centuries New Ross became a major emigration port, commemorated in the visit of President John F. Kennedy to the point of departure of his ancestors in 1963. New Ross is the birthplace of Fr. James Cullen, S.J., founder of 'The Messenger of the Sacred Heart, the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart, and of 'Madonna' Official Organ of the Sodalities of Our Lady in Ireland.