The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-14
JsOlde's Chapel Found e.

The discovery, or rather. we should
say, the Identifies ton OF IsoIDE's chapel
ISOLDE of the burning love story
which has glowed through Il thousand
years In many tongues and varied
forms of prose and verse--is surely an
event OF unsurpa ssable sentimental In
terest The myth. the fable. the tradi-
ton. whatever 1t is, that has brought
tears and 1ushes to millions Of lovers
of love through the ages has been
drawn down from the blue upper air.
where fancy has its gossamer exist
ence. and anchored to massive pile
of ancient stone n couple of miles out
side the city Of Dublin.
A basis of truth for the Tristram
legend somewhere back In prehistoric
darkness has always been suspected.
The idea has gained substantially In
recent times through the new and preg-
nant study of place names. When at
tention was once given to this source
of archaeological lore. so significant a
name as Chapelizod could not long es-
cape attention. Chapel Of 1zod. lso!,
Isold, Isolde---fOr In all these ways the
name figures In old chronicles. not to
speak Of the Norman and English
Iseult-at once the legend had local
habitation. Dovetalling into the dis
covery came recognition of the fact
that Grangegormnn, a name covering
at one time that very portion of the
County Dublin in which Chapelizod,
now a town OF 1000 inhabitants. Is sit
uated. and still used TO describe quar-
ter In the northern part of the city OF
Dublin. was the grange or territory OF
GoRMAN or GoRMUND, and, as all the
world knows, GoRMUND was the Celtic
King who first eXacted tribute from
King MARK of Cornwall and later sent
him his daughter, the golden haired
ISOLDE. to wife.
Why did no one think Of 1t sooneri
In HAMMERS "Chroncle of Ireland,
written in 1871, 1t appears that MARC
King of Cornwall, ammo 40. married
with h, Bel IsODE, that built Isode's
Chapel Tor Chapel Isode)." And
again in 1877, STANIuURsT wrote
There is village hard by Dublin
called of the said La Beale 1soud.'
But the fascinating consequences that
might be drawn from these hints never
appear to have occurred to any one un
III the first years Of the present CEN
fury, when Mr.. JULIAN MOORE made
mn attempt to show that the gray
towered Protestant church Of the vii
lage might be the one that gave the
place its name.
This theory was short lived. 1t was
easily proved that the present building
dates back only to the early seven
teenth century and that 1t was built
for the benefit of the Vice-Regal Lodge
in Phoenix Park, which Is only short
distance from it. 1t became later the
parish church Of Chapellzod and tool
the name of the village Its chance
was added only three years ago.
In 1892, In a paper on "Ante-Normar
Churches in Ireland" published In the
journal of the Royal Irish Society OF
Antiguaries, Mr.. w. +. WAKEMAN de
scribed very ancient chancelled shrine
| located near Palmerston, which Is an
other village less than n mile from
Chapelizod. This was the foundation
of the great discovery which was made
last year by Mr.. w. 4. HENDERSON,
student Of Irish antiquities. Coin:
over the account Of the Dublin Nega
| Visitation of 1915, he came upon thu
description of ''Chappel lsot' as "ecce
| STA cancella bene." His mind at once
identified the description with that Of
the chancelled chapel at Pnlmerston
An Inspection Of the pile confirmed hi'
conjecture and he confidently an
nounces his discovery as indisputable.
The tiny oratory. ms 1t really Is
stands in very ancient cemetery abou
n mile distant from Chapelizod village
opposite Knockmaroon. and beautifully
situated on the southern bank Of thu
Lifrey. The dead Of at least sever