Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-12-17
DUBLIN's ANCIENT CHURCHES
How they Were Restored Through the Liber.
atty of Wealthy Brewers.


corner of Werburg and Castle streets,
Dublin, and watched with interest the
demolition OF the delapidated east wing
of the grand old church of the Holy
Trinity, wherein lies the dust of Strong.
bow, and the remains of many distin.
guished ecclesiastics, and from whose
pulpit the Established Religion and Lit
urgy were first announced on Easter Sun
day, 1850. The common name of the
edifiCe is Christ Church." The church
was founded by Sitric, King of Danes,
with the aid Of Donat, Bishop Of Dublin
There are two cathedrals in Dublin-the
Holy Trinity and st. Patrick's-b belong.
ing to the Established Religion The
latter is upon the site of church said to
have been built by St. Patrick, and is
the largest and most imposing of all the
ecclesiastical edifices, in the Irish capital
1t was obyiated from q parochial to
cathedral church in $780, There is no
Catholic cathedral in Dublin, nor par
ish church called after ST., Patrick, not
withstanding that there are ten Catholic
parish churches and nine regular. ST.
Marv's in Marlboro street is called the
Metropolitan church, on account of its
being the one in which the Archbishop
otficiates
Twenty-Five years ago the successor of
old Arthur Guinness, who in the early
part of this century commenced to man.
ufacture his famous XX porter which has
gone round the world like the sons of the
land in which il is brewed, conceived
the idea after visiting the ancient editce
to thoroughly renovate it, This was
Sir Benjamin Lee Guinnis, Bort, who
died in 1868 The cost of the undertak.
ing was e300000 (S1, 4s3 000) So mag
n1ticently did the great brewer do his
work, ti..t inc who visited the environs
thirty ears AGO and to-day would be sur
prised al the change
Let Us take glimpse a. the interior
OF the venerable fame, now that it has
been r2titted and rebuilt almost The
extreme length of the body of
the building, incloding the nave, the
choir and Lady Chapel is 800 feet, that
of the transept 100 feet, its breath 50 feet;
internal length Of the nave, choir and
Lady Chapel, respectively, 140, 80 and So
iNNlt llt navy 4ibll dAli dIC
divided into center md side aisles, which
arc separated BY 4 series Of low arches
s4ringing from plain octagonal and also
clustered columns, with rich capitals and
over the areades in the centers, triforia
are carried around The ceiling of the
nave is open, that of the choir is groined.
The banners, etc, OF the living Knights
Of ST Patrick are only displayed in the
chui,.
4 quarter OF mile from ST. Putrick's
cathedral, on the high ground which
runs from the east Of High street to the
west d Castle street and fanked by
MichAcl's Hill Oh the east ald Fishamble
street on the west, stands Christ Church
cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity9
II is built upon the brow OF the hill, re-
c dies to the north 200 feet, and is (wasl
the most picturesque of al the old
churches in Dublin IT was devoted to
\ dcadery and chapter in 15t1. Like st.
Pauic!>'s this vencralable minister was
suffered 10 get into a state of decay, but
the deans did all they could to stay the
hand OF time. Among the many monu-
menls the most beautiful is that of Rob
ert Fitzgerald, nineteenth Earl of Kildare,
Strongb0w'S bones lie there, SO thst YER
acious historian Geraldus Cambrinus in.
forms us This was the daring repre-.
sentative of England's King Henry H.
He married when in the autumn Of his
life, the beautiful Eva, the daughter OF
Dermond McMurrough.
The vaults are Of great width and depth
and many story of how visitors got lost
in them and were never heard of any
more, being eaten up by rats, while away
the long winter evenings at many Il Dub.
lin tiresidc One story / remember OF an
officer, captain OF infantry, who visited
the vaults with small dog. The cap
tain got lost. When found only his skel
eton remained His sword was broken,
hundreds Of skeletons Of dead rats lay
near him, and the bones of his faithful
dog.
The finishing touches had not been over
ten years on ST. Patricks when il was
limited that rich merchant was about to
renovate Christ Church. The rumor was
true Fifty years ago, a few doors west
Of Murphy's feather store, on the top
floor Of which Lard Edward Fitzgerald
secreted himsefand from which he was
taxed prisoner, George Roe commenced 70
distil whisky. For while the Father
Mathew temperance movement almost
bankrupted him; but he pulled through.
and thirty years ago he was the second
distiller of whisky in Ireland, John
jameson being first He became very
wealthy man, and was elected Lord
Mayor Of Dublin TO succeed Daniel
O'Connell, in 1S43. Thirty years after he
was Lord Mayor he placed $500 900 (s2,
$4,000 70 the credit OF the Dean, to be
used in the thorough renovation of the
church When the architect sent in his
plans and Specifications it was found that
it would cost near 100000 to complete
the work. TO on then, sir; let it be ei0O
600" was the sententious remark of the
distiller. Six years have been consumed
in the work Of restoration. The magni.
ficent interior and the stately exterior ore
pronounced superior specimens Of work
manship.
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