The Irish standard., 1909-08-07
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF MELLERAY ABBEY
The Famous Monastery Near
- Cappoquin in the County
of Waterford Founded by
the Monks of St. Bernard
After the Foreign Members
ofthe Order Were Expelled
From France in the Early
Part of Last Century.


An elevated plateau it is, at the foot
of the Knocknealdown Mountains, and
but four miles distant fr,,m the rail-
way station of Cappoquin. Bleak, bar
rem. rugged, desola,e, in the old days,
it well deserved the name Of scrahan.
Today it is changed in name and ma
ture. It Is no longer bleak; no longer
barren. It is wooded, fruitful, smiling,
healthy, and known the world over as
Mount Melleray Abbey-the hallowed
retreat of the strict Cistorcians. It's
aprellation is derived from the famed
Abbey of Melleray in Brittany, which
dates rom the days of the great st.
Bernard himself. But though French
in name it is our own in foundation,
writes E. Bowling in the Irish In
dependent.
The nineteenth century had not yet
reached its prime when the then gov
ernment of France began it's relentless
scheme of persecution against the re-
nowned abbey. At that time the Irish
element was by tar the strongest in
the monastery. So when the authori-
ties expelled all foreign members, Ire
land It was that alone gave hope for
a new establishme 1T. The Prior Of the
day was Father Vincent Ryan A. set
tlernent in his native land had long
+ Been the cherished wish of this holy
man; and when at length necessity
compelled it, the Prior's project -receiv-
cd the Abbot's approval.
Accordingly on the 9th of Decem-
bef. 1880. Father Vincent and Brother
Msaachy set out on their momentous
journey. Arrived in Lo-don, their
funds amounted to but one shilling and
six-peuce. But for the charity of a
friend, the Journey was ended. And
when at length Father Vincent had
reached his destination, disappoint-
ment was still in store. For months
he had to travel the land up and down
seeking site, and the wherewithal to
build. At last a holy woman, Mrs.
Kelly, Of tho Presentation Convent.
Killarney came to the monks assist
ance. She prevailed upon a nephew
of hers, named McDonough, to give up
one Of his farms to Father Vincent.
In the month Of September the
French Abbey was suppressed, and its
monks ordered out into the highways
Of the world. But they. refused to go.
On the 9Th Of October al of French
origin were ruthlessly ton from the
walls that they loved, and flung out on
the roadside to die. The Irish, how
ever, relied on the protection of the
British Consul. He was indeed power
less to save them, and their expul-
sion was accomplished on the 9Th OF
November under circumstances of ex-
treme brutality. After their expulsion
they were marched under escort tc
Nantes, distant some twenty miles
confined in the barracks of st. JACQUES
and refreshed with bread and water
after the lengthy fast of thirty hours
s'on1e days later the British Consul
came to their aid, and on the goth OF
November they boarded the Hebe. g
French war vessel. and were carried
free Of charge to their own beloved
Erin.
They landed on the End Of Decem-
Der, and thanks to the efforts of Father
Vincent and his companions, met with
whole-hearted irish welcome. So
with hope renewed and courage re-
born. they started for Baltimore. Here
they prayed they might at last find
rest. But it was rot to be 50, as the
place proved unsuitable. So once more
Father Vincent was sent to seek a
home, and after six months Of inces-
sant travelling his mission was crown
ed with success. In May. 1882, through
the instrumentality Of his friend
Father Fogarty, then curate, of Dungar-
van. wealthy. landlord, Sir Richard
Keane, let the poor mendcant into
possession Of a trackless wild Of noun
tain land. Treeless and shrubless, II
was patched here and there with furze
wild heather and huge boulders Of
stone, as if the very demons them
selves, forseeing what might be, had
blasted and burnt oeyond the hope OF
reparation.
Q. poor as they were, and all but