A History of the Parish of Arklow
650-1216 (Inber De) Arklow part of the Diocese of Glendalough
1216
Diocese of Glendalough
and
1264 Foundation of the Dominican Priory of Holy Cross on grant from Theobald Butler 4th
1279
1473 Boundaries of Parish established
1541 Suppression of Priory of Holy Cross
1630 Mass House erected at Ballyraine
1745 Public Catholic Chapel on II "Chapel Grounds"
1798 Chapels at "Chapel Grounds", Castletown & Johnstown burned by Yeomen (more below)
1803
Chapels erected on parade Grounds (existing site),
1861
Dedication by Paul Cardinal Cullen, Archbishop of
1974 Castletown parish constituted from Arklow
1993
Re-ordering of Sanctuary
of
2003 Opening of Arus Lorcain by Desmond Cardinal Connell
Note in Avoca Baptism Register 1867 – 1900
Below
is a copy of the text of notes in one of the Baptism Registers in Avoca
–
it refers to Archbishop Daniel Murray as curate in
Arklow.
–
This is courtesy of Mr. Padraig McCarthy Templerainey: -
Reminiscences of Dr Murray, Archbishop of
Mary Johnson née Murray of Mill Mount House, Ovoca.
In
June 1798 on the retreat of the Antrim Militia after their defeat
at Vinegar Hill, they attacked the Rev. Fr. Ryan PP Arklow and
shot him in his bed at midnight, then set fire to his house and destroyed
life and property on their way into Arklow where Dr Murray
was curate at that time. The soldiers proceeded to the chapel the
morning after the Parish Priest’s death for the purpose of taking the
Revd. Daniel Murray’s life. He had just finished Mass
when the
people shouted in great excitement, “The soldiers are coming on us.”
They had just time to raise the priest on their shoulders to a
corridor at back of altar from which he escaped to a bye lane.
Crossed the river at
about two miles from Arklow, where he procured a horse and
made with all speed to
any refreshment. The Archbishop’s brothers Thomas and Peter Murray
were at the time in Wicklow jail, where they witnessed the
execution of William Byrne of Ballymanus their
cousin; and
they were in daily expectation of a similar fate, as they and all the
prisoners were told that in the event of Wicklow town being taken
by the rebels, they would be instantly shot. Their suspense was
fearful as they could hear from their prison the drums beating
announcing the advance of the rebel army. Afterwards when the
country quieted down they were released.
Thomas Murray was my father. The soldiers
were so incensed at Dr Murray’s
escape
they pursued him to Sheepwalk, not finding him there
they set fire to
the ?outoffices, burning four horses in the stable
and a number of
cattle enclosed; several vehicles and other valuable property
were also destroyed, also a quantity of hay and corn in the haggard.
After doing all this mischief the military forced their way into the
Mansion, where a nephew of Dr Murray’s was at the time laid up in
high fever, an enemy more dreaded by those cowards than the rebels.
In smashing through the house in search of the male ?portion of the
family in order to shoot them, one of the soldiers was about to enter
the sick room, but on being told the nature of the disease, he instantly
fled and told his comrades not to run the risk of infection, but
so intent were they on the destruction of the house and its assets
they filled the kitchen from floor to ceiling with dry furze bushes,
straw and other combustibles they could lay hands on, set all
on fire, and when they saw them blazing, shut the door to secure the
accomplishment of their murderous designs. Immediately on the
departure of the soldiers Mrs Murray the Archbishop’s mother took
off her scapular of the Blessed Virgin and threw it on the fire, which
was instantly extinguished by the power of the mother of God.
The residence of Peter Murray who was then in
jail was called
Woodmount about a mile and a half from Sheepwalk this
was
the next venue of destruction by the militia. To save
Woodmount a handsome residence newly built by Peter
Murray
and richly furnished, the Earl of Wicklow, then colonel of the
Wicklow militia, had caused a notice to be posted on the
house, “This is my house”, signed Wicklow.
But not to be balked of their revenge on the
Murray family
the soldiers dragged out all the furniture which was new and burnt
it in a pile on the lawn also the horses, cattle, vehicles,
hay and corn as in Sheepwalk.
Mary Johnson Mill
25th March 1882
This account is on two sides of the leaf
before the title page of the Register.
Lines are laid out to follow the lines of
handwriting.
Where “?” precedes a word, this means that
the handwriting is unclear.
The word given is as in Fr. Patrick Dempsey’s
book “Avoca”, 1913 edition, pages 26 to 28, where he gives the text;
however, he has edited the text in places.
(Fr. Dempsey was curate in Avoca at the time.)