The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-10-08
MEMORIAL CRCSS TO THE FOUR MAS
TIERS

I ~.
on site opposite the grand f. cade of the Ma
| ter Misercordie Hospital generously granted
| by his EmiDepce the Cardinal Archb snoP and
the Sisters of Mercy connected with the bos
| pital. More than two centuries and hall
| have elapsed since those industrious conserva'
tors and collectors of the remnant of oar ma
| tisnal history passed away; the wor d7rful re-
suit of their labors and Investigations lay
hidden in manuscripts we'll nigh forgotten and
| unknown, until another distinguished Celtic
scholar, DIR. John ODonovsn, nov also nc
more, nnai6ed by government patronage OF
subsidy, discouraged almost by the apathy Of
| his generation, undertook the berculean labcr
of editing and Publishing in o5l The Annals
| of the Fonr Masters,' enrichipg the text With
notes ard /elucdations, such as that great
master of Irish topography and literature alone
could supply. Our late respected and lamen-
ted fello W-cItiEen, Sir William Wilde, origipa-
ted this effort, which las been auspiciously
accomplished, of erecting o suitable and sp-
propIiste memorial to those verei able histo-
riaus, to wbose zeal ard Industry We owe the
grandest monument Of our national history.
Ihelr untlfiug labors i'll transcribipg and col
latlng such historical documents as survived
tho ravages of time and decay-was a work of
~earlsone difficulty and labor; especially at n
period OF cur national existence, the dar sest
and sadest of the many years of ruin and sor
row through which LELAND has passed. The
repeated slaughters Of her people, rapine and
confscation, had well nigh exunguished the
native landowners; the wonted patrons of our
Celtic literature and speech were beaten down
Tirconnell were exlles and mendcants shelf
cred under the agis of the successor of St.
Peter-the national cause and glories were at
the lowest ebb. At such q tine the Four
Masters were raised to rescue our all but lost
history, and to lay the foundation of q work by
which spirit of inquiry and of true natioua
pride would be resusctated and fostered.
Those learned antiquarisns were styled The
Four Masters" by Fr John Cogan. the author
of the 'Acts Sanctorum Hibern az" A sketch
of their history must be Of considerable Interest
Inc OClerys descended Of Guaire
Aidhue, The Hospitable." KING of Conraught
in the 7th century. Tney were originally
settled in Hy FIacragh Adhne, territory
terminous with the diocese of kilmacduagh
The De Burghos drove them from their pater-
nal lands, shortly after the English invasion,
and some Of them settled near Kilkenny where
their descendants were antiquaries. Cucogry
or Peregriue OClery, one of the Four Masters
assumed the name of Michael. He was born
about the year 1875, at kilbarron, near Bally-
shannon. He did not become clergyman, but
continued lay brother, pursuing his oocupa-
ton As an antiquarian and historian he was
sent to Ireland, aud continued fifteen years
literary and antiquarian materials,
of which FIR. John Colgan 80 fully awaited
himself in the two folio volumes, The Trias
and the "Acta Sanctorum Hi
bernie" Brother Michael O'Clery died in the
year 16i3 Conaire O'Clery, the second of the
Four Masters, transcribed the greater portion
of the Annals at the dctation of his brother |
nothing more is known of him. Fearfass
o QUESTIONABLE, the third Master, was q native |
of Roscommon, hereditary antiquare; no. |
thing is known of his subsequent history. |
Cucogry ODuigenau, the fourth of the Masters, |
was of the county of Leitrim, a mem Der, prob |
ably, of the ODaigenaus of k.lronan, heredi |
tary historians ana antiquarians. The Annals |
of the Four Masters were transcribed and COM
piled at the cost of Fergall O'Gara, Prince of
Coolavin. Tho first volume was begun Janu-
AIRY z2nd, II 1862 IN three years after the
second volume was transcribed, aud was con-
tnued TO l6i6. The whole transcript WAS
finished August 10Th, 1896. Tue place where
this remarkable compilation was digested and
arranged must have been somewhere in the
vicinity of the ancient convent of Donegal,
which was destroyed by the Eogiish uuder
DocwTa and the recreant NAL Gary o Donntn.
Earl RIari, before bis fight in 1867, did partly
rebuild it; but after that period 1t could not
have been inhabited by q community OF fciars
who wou'd have been regarded as traitors to
the English interest.
The memorial Cross which Is made of Dun
gaDncn sand stone, measures nine feet three
C4es in height. The base, of the came mate
liaf, is three feet high. II will stand on
stepped platform. The height of the whole
corr position will attain AT elevation of about
fifteen feet. Tbs cross Is mod eled on the
rent bat uuornSmented cross of kIiree, rear
hells, county Kilkenny, and IS of the same pro-
portions. The iuterlaced designs on tAe panels
of the front are copied from the large cross OF
MonasterOoice UEe crosses of Tuam and Kill
clspeen, near Carrtck on SUR, supply designs
FOR the panels on tie sides and back. The
shrine of ST. Msinchin, of Lenauahan, in tho
Kings County. On three sides of the base
suitable inscriptions are engraved The IRISH
inscription supplied by the classic pen of
well-known Celtic scholar, engraved the
Irish letters designed by the late George Petrle;
the ePiGrammatio Latin inscription is written
by distinguished prelAte; and the English
text is supplied by an ecoesiassio whose works
on various national historical subjects are
deeply appreciated by his countryInen. The
English inscription stands thus:
To The
Four 1llustriUus Masters
Ofthe
franciscan Order,
Michael OClery, Fearfass Naelchona!Ie.
Pergrine OClery
PerIgr!ne O'Duigepsu,
By whose untring IAbors.
At a time when hatred and persecution
Ragged against
The Catholic Religion
The Ancient Annals OF Irean dwere saved
From Destruction.
Grateful for such noble achievement,
And
To perpstuate its memory.
The Clergy and people by public subscription
Erected this Lross
In the Year of Redemption. 1876
Il is happy coincidence that at the time at
which this monument will be placed in posi-.
ton, the beautiful new Church Of the HOLY