The History of Kilmainham and Inchicore by Michael O'flanagan
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THE HISTORY OF KILMAINHAM AND INCHICORE By Michael O’Flanagan Contents Introduction The Oblates in Inchicore St. Michael’s Parish Biography of St. Mhaighneann Biography of Jim Mitchell Biography of William Partridge Biography of Peadar Doyle Biography of Joe Carr Biography of Bully Eagan Biography of John Aspinal The Royal Hospital Kilmainham History of Kilmainham Gaol Sale of Old Kilmainham Gaol Origins of The Grand Canal Origins of the Railway in Inchicore History of St. Jude’s Parish History of The Inchicore Co-Op History of Richmond Barracks. History of The Little Sisters Of The Poor at Kilmainham Goldenbridge and The Sisters of Mercy Michael O'Flanagan and The New Ireland Forum Introduction Inchicore and Kilmainham are two of Dublin's most historic districts, and feature in many prominent episodes in Irish history. We're indebted to Michael O'Flanagan of Emmet Road for supplying much of the historical and heritage information that follows... Inchicore is bounded on its western side by the Grand Canal, an 18th century mode of transport, as well as the Luas, Dublin's 21st century tram system which opened in 2004. To the north between Inchicore and Phoenix Park is the Irish National War Memorial Gardens, which was built to commemorate those Irish soldiers who died in World War I. Inchicore Railway Works is the headquarters for mechanical engineering and rolling stock maintenance for Irish Rail. Established in 1844, it is the largest engineering complex of its kind in Ireland with a site area of 73 acres (295,000 m²). Near Inchicore is Kilmainham Jail, the scene of the execution of many Irish Republican Army leaders captured after the Easter Rising in 1916. Inchicore was the hometown of Timothy Coughlin, one of the three anti-Treaty members of the IRA who in 1927 assassinated Kevin O'Higgins. St. Michael's National School was previously known as Richmond Barracks, and it was to this site that prisoners were initially taken after the surrender in 1916. Inchicore is home to two Roman Catholic churches: the Church of Mary Immaculate (built by the Oblates), and St. Michael's. It is also home to two community centres; St Michael's and BERA. Behind the Oblates' Church is a full size replica of the Grotto of Lourdes, which was opened in 1930. The grotto is 50 feet high, 130 feet wide and 40 feet deep, and is built of reinforced concrete. Pilgrims visit the shrine all the year, but it becomes particularly busy for the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes (February 2 - February 11). The grotto houses the famous Inchicore Crib. Goldenbridge Cemetery, where former President of the Executive Council W. T. Cosgrave is buried, was the first Catholic cemetery built in Dublin after Catholic Emancipation. Famous Inchicoreans: The list includes: Thomas Kinsella, poet Jim Mitchell, politician Michael Hartnett, Limerick-born poet who lived in the area for many years The Oblates and Inchicore: Saint Eugene De Mazenod was born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782. He entered the seminary of St. Sulpice in Paris, and he was ordained a priest in Amiens on December 21, 1811. On February 17th 1826, Pope Leo XII gave approval to De Mazenod’s new Congregation, the "Oblates of Mary Immaculate" Five years later, he was appointed to the See of Marseilles as its Bishop. At the same time his followers ventured into Switzerland, England, Ireland. In 1854 Eugene de Mazenod, was invited by several Irish bishops to establish an Oblate mission in Ireland. Subsequently, while Oblate Father Robert Cooke was in Dublin giving a mission, he came in contact with Archbishop Cullen and was asked to look at the possibility of the Oblate order ministering to the spiritual needs of the people of Kilmainham. The Oblates came to Dublin in 1856 and bought a farm close to the Railway Works in Inchicore. Eugene de Mazenod himself came to Inchicore in 1857. He celebrated Mass in a small wooden church on this site. Many of the workers at the Railway works had helped build this first church and it served the community until 1876. Some of the land originally bought by the Oblates was sold to the then Dublin Corporation on the condition that it be used to provide housing for local people. The proceeds of the sale helped fund the building of the new church. This new church was opened in 1878 although not fully completed due to a lack of funds. The new church was consecrated in 1903 and the towers and trancepts completed in 1930. The high altar in the church was made by Padraig Pearse’s father. Also part of the Oblate presence in Inchicore is the primary school, Scoil Mhuire gan Smal which was established in 1857 in some of the farm buildings and in which some Oblate Brothers taught. In 1864, plans by clerical and civic leaders were made to build a new school on the site for the area with an Oblate superior acting as manager. This school served the community for 70 years and the existing school was opened in 1939 as a Catholic co-educational schools which caters for approximately 260 pupils from infants to 6th class. The parish also has a social hall which was built on the site of the old original wooden church. This became a centre for entertainment and social activity in Inchicore and was redeveloped with the assistance of FAS in 1997. The Oblate House of Retreat was offering retreats to lay people by 1863 and at various times during its history was a seminary and also became a place of asylum for those clerics fleeing religious persecution in France. Perhaps what most people know about the parish apart from the striking towers are the crib and Grotto. The Crib was built in 1856 and large wax figures were ordered from Paris. The original site was in the old wooden church but this was destroyed by fire in 1948. Again local people were to the fore as they had been in the early days of the original church and volunteers helped restore the crib in its present site at the back of the Grotto. The Grotto was established in Inchicore after Father William Ring led a pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1883. The first torch lit procession was attended by 3000 people in 1927 and the following year work began on constructing the present grotto which was an exact replica of the Lourdes grotto. Again, men from the Railway Works helped and the work was finished in 1930. Later that year, the grotto was blessed by Archbishop Byrne of Dublin at which 100,000 people were present. A Rosary Square was added and plans are currently underway to refurbish the Grotto and build a new Rosary Way. There is a sports hall in the grounds which was opened in 2002 to replace one destroyed by fire in 1997. The original hall had been built in 1971 and catered for basketball and other sports and served to encourage young women in the area to participate in social activities. Currently it also houses FAS offices and LINKS and Turas programs which offer support and help to recovering drug addicts. HISTORY OF ST. MICHAEL’S PARISH St. Michael's Church is really unique. It was built as the garrison church of Richmond Barracks early in the 19th century. When the barracks closed it was reopened and blessed by Archbishop Byrne on April 26th 1926 and the first Catholic Mass was said. Fifty years later, Rev. Fr. Pascall Dillon, the newly appointed Oblate Provincial, celebrated Mass on 26th April 1976, to comemorate the 50th Anniversary that occasion. On the 14th March, 1933, St. Michael's became a Parish Church and the Rev. Fr. James Doyle was appointed the first Parish Priest. He was later elevated to Canon Doyle and he dedicated 23 years of his life to improving the church and building the parish. In 1927, he was responsible for making plans for the right hand extension to the building. By his efforts, and the generous response of the parishioners, this work was completed in the early 1930s. The extension was badly needed to accommodate the huge increase of people coming to live in the newly built Bulfin Estate In 1939 St. Michael's Church consisted of two wooden altars, railings and pulpit, and a mortuary porch There were four porches with double doors on either side which was rather unusual, providing easy access and exit for the large volume of soldiers in Richmond Barracks when it was a garrison church. Likewise for such a small church, there are five gate entrances. In the 1940s Rev. Fr. Michael Clarke was a wonderful influence. He was extremely interested in the senior choir, and was choirmaster, until he was transferred to Christ the King Church in Cabra. He was responsible for having the windows replaced by the very beautiful stained glass windows over both altars, designed in the workshops of the late Harry Clarke. He also had the organ installed, and the marble railings erected to match the two lovely altars Canon Doyle had designed to replace the wooden ones. The beautiful Statue of Our Lady in pregnancy is most unusual, and Canon Doyle was very proud of all the improvements to St. Michael's through the years, which naturally also gave great pleasure to the parishioners. Another feature which often frightened visitors to the Church was the Statue Of St. Michael in the north porch driving a spear into the devil. The devil was depicted as black and the statue was removed in the 1970s when it was regarded as not politicially correct.