Beliefs and Customs through the Ages in Newry and Mourne Exhibition at Newry and Mourne Museum 12th September 2011 – 13th May 2012 Artist’s impression of the Cistercian abbey at Newry as it may have appeared c.1300 © Newry and Mourne Museum (artwork by Philip Armstrong) Front cover: Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone, County Armagh © Newry and Mourne Museum (photograph by Christina Joyce) Réamhrá an Mhéara Mayor’s Foreword Ba mhaith liom an leabhrán seo a mholadh, leabhrán I would like to commend this booklet which a ghabhann le Nósanna agus Deasghnátha fríd na accompanies Beliefs and Customs through the Ages hAoiseanna i gCeantar an Iúir agus Mhúrn. Is é in Newry and Mourne, a temporary exhibition at seo taispeántas sealadach in Iarsmalann an Iúir agus Newry and Mourne Museum. Mhúrn. The exhibition provides an overview of the beliefs Tugann an taispeántas léargas de nósanna agus and associated customs in this region. Their dheasghnátha a bhaineann leis an réigiún seo. evolution over the centuries is highlighted in the Leagann an taispeántas béim ar a dteacht chun cinn display, from the Neolithic period to the present, thar na haoiseanna, ó thréimhse Neoiliteach go dtí and how these changes have shaped our lives, and an lá atá inniu ann, agus an dóigh a mhúnlaigh na our landscape. leasaithe seo saol na ndaoine agus ár dtimpeallacht. The exhibition also provides an opportunity for the Chomh maith leis sin tugann an taispeántas deis Museum to showcase the breadth of artefacts and don Iarsmalann, fairsinge déantán agus doiciméad documents relating to beliefs and customs in its ina cnuasach a bhaineann le nósanna agus le collection. deasghnátha, a nochtadh. The Museum engaged with many local churches, Chuaigh an Iarsmalann i dteagmháil le roinnt local groups and other museums who have mhaith d’eaglaisí an cheantair, grúpaí áitiúla,agus contributed loans of important material to the iarsmalanna eile a thug ábhar tábhachtach ar iasacht exhibition, which we are proud to display in the new don taispeántas atá muid thar a bheith sásta a temporary exhibition gallery. thaispeáint i ngailearaí sealadach nua. I would like to thank the staff of the Museum Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le foireann for their work and thank all who contributed na hIarsmalainne as a gcuid oibre agus le hachan information, artefacts, and photographs to this duine a thug eolas, déantáin agus grianghrafanna exhibition. don taispeáint seo. Councillor Charlie Casey Comhairleoir Séarlaí Ó Cathasaigh Mayor, Newry and Mourne District Council Méara Chomhairle an Iúir agus Mhúrn These stories portray the legendary heroes of Ulster such Beliefs and Customs as CúChulainn, who had pagan beliefs and looked to in Prehistory druids, a priestly caste, for divination and advice. Tales such as the Táin Bó Cúailnge (Cattle Raid of Cooley), portray There has been human habitation in Ireland for 9,000 druids as sorcerers opposed to the coming of Christianity. years, but it is only from the Neolithic period (4000 – 2500 BC) that archaeologists have found some evidence The druids were also associated with the rituals that of beliefs and customs. Known as the first farmers, accompanied the four sacred festivals that demarcated the Neolithic people built megalithic tombs. seasonal changes; Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasa and Samhain. Aspects of these festivals were later Christianised, for Excavation of these tombs provides insight into burial example the spring festival of Imbolc on the 1st and customs of the period and some archaeologists believe that 2nd of February was associated with the pagan goddess the tombs were also ritual centres celebrating solar and lunar Brigit. This became the feast day of Saint Brigid, whose events. This may be reflected by the commanding position of birthplace was Faughart near Dundalk. the passage tomb on the summit of Slieve Gullion. Over millennia, a rich oral tradition developed around The evidence for beliefs and customs is richer and more prehistoric monuments. This folklore was collected varied in the Bronze Age (2000 BC -500 BC). Burial in south Armagh by T.G.F. Paterson and Michael J. customs changed, with human remains placed in a pit or Murphy, and in south Down by E. Estyn Evans and stone lined cist. Monuments of this period such as stone Michael G. Crawford, representing a vibrant legacy of circles, henges, standing stones and rock art have been the beliefs and customs of the past. interpreted as possibly having some ritual or astronomical significance. The ritual deposition of metal objects, human remains and animal bones in lakes and rivers in the middle Bronze Age and continuing into the Iron Age, may indicate a type of water cult. These objects have been found in the King’s Stable, a man-made pool, and Loughnashade Lake, both near Navan Fort. It has been speculated that the origins Clontygora Court Tomb, County Armagh of some of the holy wells of the Early Christian period © Newry and Mourne Museum (photograph by Christina Joyce) may date back to these water cults. Known locally as The King’s Ring, the tomb was excavated in 1937 and small fragments of bone, pottery and flint tools discovered. The King’s Ring was a grand place once, but they took stones to build the lock Navan Fort was the Emain Macha of the Ulster Cycle on the Newry Canal…There’s times when there’s music in the ring. It’s quare music altogether. One minute it wud coax the heart out of ye, an’ the nixt it stories and was a major Iron Age ritual and royal centre. would frighten ye with the sorra that is in it. …’ From Country Cracks by T.G.F. Paterson (Dundalk, 1945) Goward Portal Tomb, County Armagh © Newry and Mourne Museum (photograph by Christina Joyce) Near Hilltown, in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains. The enormous capstone of the tomb has slipped from its original position and would have roofed the rectangular chamber. Investigations in the first half of the 19th century uncovered a cremation pottery vessel and a flint arrowhead. Known as Finn McCool’s Fingerstone, local tradition recorded by E. Estyn Evans relates that Finn threw the capstone from Spelga and that he sleeps underneath. ‘Ternoc son of Ceran Bic under the patronage of Peter the The Coming of Christianity Apostle’. Little is known about how Christianity first arrived in Ireland. The first missionaries may have come from Gaul (France) in the 4th and 5th centuries but their work was superseded from the late 5th century onwards by the mission of Patrick, the son of an official in Roman Britain. Much of the work of St. Patrick was focused on north- east Ireland and 7th century source material links him with south Down in particular. A strong local tradition Old Town Seal records St. Patrick with the planting of a yew tree ‘at the Newry and Mourne Museum Collection head of the strand’ above the Clanrye River which gave Local tradition credits St. Patrick with the planting of a yew tree ‘at the head of the strand’ above the Clanrye River which gave Newry Newry its name – Iubhair Cinn Tragh. This is mentioned its name – Iubhair Cinn Tragh. Recorded in the Annals of the Four in the Annals of the Four Masters. Masters, this may indicate St. Patrick adapting pagan tree cults to Christianity. As evergreens, yew trees symbolise the eternal cycle of life, death, transformation, regeneration and rebirth. Early Christian mission activity was probably very localised with royal patronage playing a major role. One of the most important early convents in Ulster was Scholars have suggested that place-names with established at Killevy, near Slieve Gullion, in the late domnach [donagh] may indicate early missionary centres. 5th or early 6th century by St. Moninne (also known Donaghmore, near Newry, may have been the ‘mother as Darerca, daughter of Erc). Like St. Patrick, a ‘cult’ church’ for evangelising the area known as Mágh Cobha, emerged in honour of St. Moninne from the 7th century the plain which gave its name to the Uí Echach Cobo, the onwards. A number of ‘lives’ of St. Moninne were ruling dynasty of west Ulaid (west County Down, later written and she was celebrated in two hymns composed the Diocese of Dromore). at Killevy in the 8th century. During the 6th to 8th centuries a number of other The Irish Church underwent significant reform in important ecclesiastical settlements were established the 12th century. One result of this was the introduction in the Newry and Mourne area, often under of new European monastic orders. Around this time the patronage of dynamic and well-connected th Killevy was converted to the Augustinian order and, in individuals. In the 6 century, a church was founded 1153, a Cistercian abbey was founded at Newry. A parish by St. Bronagh of Glenn Sechis at Kilbroney on the structure developed, with parish churches being built, north shore of Carlingford Lough and c.700 AD, such as the old churches at Kilkeel and Greencastle. an ecclesiastical centre was established at Kilnasaggart by Donaghmore Parish Church and High Cross, County Down © Newry and Mourne Museum (photograph by William McAlpine) The high cross, carved with images from the Old and New Testaments, dates from the 10th – 11th centuries. The present church opened in 1741 with the tower and chancel being added in 1828 and 1878 respectively. in 1660, Presbyterians and other Non-Conformists were Reformation and given greater freedom by William III. This led to the Consolidation establishment of the Synod of Ulster and the Toleration Act of 1719. Originally a theological and doctrinal challenge to the late medieval Catholic Church, the 16th century European The Old English and Gaelic Irish remained Catholic as Reformation soon became enmeshed in politics and they associated Protestantism with an alien government.