A Little Bit of Ireland
Fahey, J., D.D., V.G. The History and
Antiquities of the Diocese of Kilmacduagh with Illustrations.
Dublin: M.H. Gill & Son, 1893.
"THE PARISH OF BEAGH"
The parish of Beagh comprises the south-eastern
districts of the diocese. It therefore comprises the old Belgic settlement of
the Clan O'More, at and around Lough Cutra, and the splendid castles of Fiddane
and Ardameelavane, which still speak of the departed power of the chiefs of
Kinel Aedh. It also includes some mansions of the last century, which are now
fast sinking into decay. They were occupied by the Butlers, the Fosters, the
Clovans - who sprang up under the old chiefs about two hundred years ago, and
who, like the chiefs, have disappeared from the districts.
The Butlers had mansions at Bunahow and Ballygegan, and
seem to have been descended from junior branches of the Ormond family. Theobald
Butler married Helena, daughter of Sir Roger O'Shaughnessy. This witty lawyer
was better known as Sir Toby Butler, and was one of the most prominent men at
the Irish bar in the time of James II.
The following brief extract may be transcribed here as
illustrative of his character:-
"Sir Toby Butler, the Solicitor-General of our
second King James, who 'lost Ireland,'...was a clever lawyer-ready, witty,
faithful, eminent. He drew up the Articles of Limerick, a document of wonderful
ability, but soon after to be torn in shreds by those who pretended they would
abide by its terms....Pleading one day before a certain judge of very bad
character, in the county town of 'rare Clonmel,' the learned judge in a half
jocose way remarked that Sir Toby's ruffles appeared rather soiled.
"' Oh yes, my Lord,' said Sir Toby, in the
blandest manner possible; 'but,' showing his hands, 'you perceive, my lord, that
my hands are clean.' The judge reddened and would have roasted Sir Toby amidst
the laughter which the retort courteous elicited in a rather crowded court. Sir
Toby was true to his king and true to his party." 1
It was probably by intermarriage with the
O'Shaughnessys that the Cregg property was acquired.
After the confiscation of the O'Shaughnessy property,
he purchased the O'Shaughnessy forests for £2500, which were, it is said,
valued at £12,000. The splendid woods were quickly destroyed, and the grad old
trees sold at sixpence each.
The Fosters, whose principal residence was at Ashfield,
claim an English descent. We learn from deeds preserved in the Record Office,
Dublin, that they obtained the Ashfield property by royal grant from Charles II;
and Ashfield continued to be the family residence from the period of the
Restoration to our own time. They were Catholics, and patrons of the humble
"mass-house," which, during the entire of the last century, stood
within the cemetery which adjoins the present parish church. A mall portion of
this old chapel remains to the present day.
The Foster estates in Beagh have passed from their
hands within the present generation. The family is now represented by Mr.
O'Donnellan Blake Foster of Ballykeale, Kilfenora.
A solicitor named Mac Nevin was their agent before the
famine years. He too resided in Beagh, in a pretty villa called "Rosepark,"
and acquired property. His son became eminent as a writer and speaker amongst
the gifted young men who in '48 opposed O'Connell. His History of the
Volunteers was well received. Sir Charles Gavan Duffy gives the following
graphic sketch of young Thomas MacNevin: 2
"He had distinguished himself, as we have seen, in
the College Historical Society, as a competitor with Butt, O'Hea and Torrens Mac
Cullagh, for its honours and applause, and preceded Davis and Dillon in its
chief executive office. He was below the middle size, but well made, well
poised, and agile, with auburn hair and clear blue eyes, which he believed he
inherited from Danish ancestors. His face was mobile, and possessed the power,
not given to one man in ten thousand, of expressing a wide range of feeling
without exaggeration or grimace. He was a born orator of the florid and emphatic
school, and he had studied elocution as an art under Vandenhoff and Sheridan
Knowles. Joyous, exuberant, and fond of display, but of upright and fearless
character, it is the supplement of this nature to say that in foresight and
judgment he was not strong. He was indeed rash and impetuous, but as amenable as
a child to friendly counsel. By age, for he was a little over thirty and by
culture he was associated with the young men; but by personal relations and
family ties, with O'Connell."
And Davis 3 thought Mac Nevin "a
man of real genius, with great capacity for public affairs, but as one who wants
a great deal of discipline. A couple of years' training in the House of Commons,
where he would probably at first encounter many disappointments, would lop off
some of his exuberances and chasten his action, which is too theatrical. In the
meantime, if he gives himself up to hard, solid work, such as his analysis of
Kane, we will make of him a statesman of whom Ireland will hereafter be
proud."
Alas! poor brilliant, interesting, and clever Mac Nevin! Such
were the high hopes entertained by his friends of the author of the Volunteers,-
hopes which were not realised. He was "not strong in foresight" of the
practical kind. His friends' anticipations were never realised in his regard.
Their possessions have passed from their hands, and the pretty villa of Rosepark
knows them no more.
The Rev. Thomas Talmon was parish priest of Beagh in 1798.
The next of his successors whose name we can record is Father
M. O'Shaughnessy, a man of exceptional abilities. The population of the parish
in his time was over a thousand families, though the number in 1871 stood at 543
families. The need of erecting a suitable church was therefore urgent. It was
about 1840 that Father O'Shaughnessy undertook the erection of the present
church. It is in outline a cruciform building without a chancel. It is nicely
situated on an wooded eminence immediately adjoining the site of the old church.
The site was granted by the Foster family. The work was completed within a
comparatively short period, a fact which showed at once the zeal of the
clergymen and the interest of the people in the completion of the work.
Improvements have been effected in the church since, especially by the present
respected pastor, which shall be noted further on. The improvements, however,
have effected no change in the outline of the church.
Father O'Shaughnessy, who was transferred to Kilbecanty, was
succeeded in Beagh by the Rev. M. Tully. He was a native of Ardrahan, a student
in of the Irish College, Paris, and held pastoral charge till his death on the
1st of October 1859. He is buried in the little cemetery adjoining the church.
The Rev. John Barry succeeded Father Tully, and retained
pastoral charge till his death on the 14th of April 1870. His gave adjoins that
of his predecessor. On the death of Father Barry, the present respected parish
priest, the Very Rev. M. Connolly, was transferred from Clarinbridge to take
charge of Beagh parish, and was, as we have seen, on the occasion also appointed
Vicar Forrane of the diocese. His church has been recently much improved by the
erection of an altar in Sicilian marble. It is the gift of Mrs. Tierny, Gort,
and is erected in memory of her amiable daughter, lately deceased.
Some readers may perhaps notice with surprise the omission of
all reference to the ruined church which stands in the village of Beagh, on he
river's banks at Lady's Grove. it is regarded by many, though we think
incorrectly, as the Franciscan monastery of Beagh, of which Archdall speaks in
his Monasitcan. It should be remembered that Archdall describes the Beagh
monastery as amongst those of Clare county. And we know that in the
present parish of New Quay there is a Beagh townland in which there are some
ancient ecclesiastical remains, which it may be more justly assumed are the
ruins of the monastery of which Archdall speaks.
On the island of Lough Cutra lake there are also some
interesting ruins- a church and castle amongst others, on the history of which
no light has yet been cast. We find, from an "Inquisition" taken
before John Crofton, Esq., at Athenry, on the 1st of October 1584, that Richard,
second Earl of Clanricarde, was then seized of "Beagh and 4 qrts of land,
and the ruined castle of Lough Cutra, with an island in the Loug
aforesaid." It may be desirable to add that the Beagh referred to is the
old ruined church on the Gort river, about two miles east of town, which had
been long previously the parish church of Beagh. There can be little doubt that
the lands referred to were its confiscated property.
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1. Clare Journal, 1872
2 Young Ireland, vol. i, p. 74
3. Young Ireland, vol. i, p 177.