----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2002 9:20 AM Subject: [MEATH] Re: Kilskeer - a bit of history, etc. > Geraldine et al, > > I've seen a few references to Kilskeer recently, and I thought there might be > some interest in the history of the place. By the way, the Irish name for > Kilskeer is "Cill Sci/re" (the virgule is sometimes used to show a fada on > the previous vowel - when RTF or HTML is not properly represented, as on > Rootsweb text-only lists). The "i" with fada would be pronounced as "ee" in > English, so I have no idea where the previously-mentioned Killskyre variant > arose. > > But back to history (I'm doing this in my cool cellar, while the heat rages > outside - hence this marginally OT posting). The name goes back to the > virgin Schiria of Kill-Schire, in the time of St. Colmcille. It was perhaps > a double monastery of men and women, but from the eighth century only men are > recorded as abbots, etc. The church was plundered by Gothfrith and the > foreigners of Dublin in 951. The army of MacMurrough with his knights from > England burned Cill-Scire and other places in 1170. The church was later > parochial. All of the stuff in this paragraph (except the cellar part <g>) > is from Gwynn & Hadcock's "Medieval Religious Houses - Ireland". I've spared > you all the references, etc. G&H state that "remains exist", but do not > guarantee that the ruins are original. > > >From the recent "Archaeological Inventory of County Meath", much of the G&H > material is repeated (but the authors think the Vikings hurried-up and > arrived in 950 vs. 951.......maybe due to the "date of Easter" controversy > <g>). They do refer to the "overgrown remains of church probably medieval. > Monument to Hugh O'Reilly, dated 1686, to E. of church." > > When I was there in Sept. 2000, I did find a fine medieval tomb - which may > or may not be the one mentioned above. I tend to think it was a bit earlier, > but perhaps not. After clearing away the brambles, grass and nettles (and a > bit of minor dirt removal), I found two "weepers" along the base of the tomb > (carved figures, perhaps representing mourners) to go with the pair of nice > armorial-type plaques on the wall above the tomb. All in all, a wonderful > discovery. I only get one or two of those per trip to Ireland, usually. > > It's still hot outside, I'm listening to RTE live from Ireland now (5-7 Live) > on the computer......but I won't bore you with any more of this. > > Pete Schermerhorn, in the glorious Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts > > Pete... What part of the "glorious Berkshire hills of westerm Massacusett" are you from? Ray Cassidy, from the thriving metropolis of Ashfield, MA.