Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-07-17
IRISH CHURCH BELLS
THE EARLIEST ONES WEIGHED
ONLY 4 FEW OUNCES.
First Adopted About the Time Of ST.
Patrick in the Fifth Century
Were Made Of Ham.
mered Iron.

II was about the time OF ST. Pat
rick. In the fifth century. that bells
began TO be adopted In the Christian
church. though their use In other di.
rections was long anterior TO Chris
tianity. as Mr.. Layard records having
found some I'm the palace OF Nimrod.
The first Christian bells. like ST Pat
ricks. weighed only few ounces. and
from that they gradually increased
Till the greatest weight was reached
al Moscow with l9s tons OF beautiful
~ enriched work. n strange contrast
TO humble "C!ogsn-esdhaehts Petra
&C." OF bell OF Pstrick's well soms-
times referred 20 AZ re bell cf NJ
mach w''N 'ts d'm'nutive Dimensions
Vi s'% inches desp. .nAIs O. t...4 s..- )
OF hammered iron bent into n four
sided form. fastened with rivets and
brazed or bronzed This bell is AZ
once the most authentic and the old
est Irish relic OF Christian metal work
that has descended TO us. and is men
toned in the Annals" under the date
OF $50
Such as this were the bells OF the
early apostles OF Ireland. but the age
was progressive one. and advancing
art soon claimed the bells to work on.
and the hammered iron gave way TO
bronze castings. more skillful work
manship and 10 more perfect reson-
ance We are fortunate enough to
have on loan the finest example in
the Bangor bell of what the craft OF
bell making had advanced 10 by the
time the tenth century had dawned
For 500 years the iron bell OF Patrick
had done its duty. and now II had to
be laid by.
The same story applies 10 many
other famous bells OF Ireland and
their shrines. but the church loved
these ancient bells. and their associa-
lions rendered them most precious
relics They must be preserved. and
the far famous gold workers OF Ire.
land came TO the rescue and brought
the national art, then In the zenith OF
its perfection. to bear on the cases
to hold them called "shrines" and by
far the most beautiful OF all was that
for the bell OF the great patron saint
of ireland
The early church builders and
artiticers OF ireland were skillful and
bold and fearless In their creations:
with AN Independence OF thought. they
struck out original lines 10 work on.
We see It in the stone rooted
churches, the stately round towers.
the great crosses-a model OF one the
finest cross on earth. stands near the
case containing III. b Island by r.
preservation Of IT,, BELLS themse -
we see In the rel.quaries OF SIN es
another master thoueht. r~vea' q mo-.
where else and these remain n uug-lv
irish characteristics 4 few l3sn3 a
RESTING place In Scotland. but great
authority says they are attributed TO
Irish saints. and we naturally m.u to
ireland in search of the parent
group"
The shrine" was made to lncloss
the rude iTgn bell This fine example
OF the goldsmith's work must have
been executed between the years 1891
and 1l05, when Donen McAulev.
whose name is given in the inscrip-
ton. filled the see Of Armagh Ths
shrine is made of brass, on which the
ornamentei PARTS are fastened down
with rivots The front Is adorned wish
silver Pilt plated and knot w,rt IN
golden hi.cree. The silver worl e
partly covered with scrolls some III.
altorelievo and some iu b. relief II
IL also decorated with seus and crys-
tails, and on the sides are animal
forms, elongated and twisted into ln.
terlaced scrolls Since the original
shrine was made, in 1921, It has never
been lost sight OF. but has been hand.
ed down from custodian to custodian,
generally OF the same family.