FAR AND NEAR

Anyone interested in the history of the Irish Dominicans will have been aware of the series of articles by Fr Benedict O’Sullivan, published in The Irish Rosary between 1948 and 1953. I often intended to photocopy them. No need now, as Fr Hugh Fenning has edited them for the Four Courts Press in a handsomely produced book.

Intended for a popular readership, they appeared without any critical apparatus, and Fr Fenning’s enormous contribution has been to supply footnotes which indicate the sources used by Fr O’Sullivan and point to more recent publications from which further information may be derived. He also added a preface and bibliography, which greatly enhance the value of the work. This book is important because it covers the earliest period of Irish Dominican history, from 1224 to 1532, which is dealt with only by Daphne Pochin-Mould in the first sixty pages of The Irish Dominicans.

In the first three chapters, Fr O’Sullivan gives the background to the coming of the friars to Ireland. They were probably introduced to Ireland by the then Archbishop of Dublin, Henry of London, who would have met St Dominic at the Lateran Council in 1215. The first friars would have been English and were in all probability led by one Robert Archer, OP.

The author paints a good picture of the political and social structures of the new colony and points out the essential differences between the Anglo-Norman world and that of the native Irish. In particular among these is the absence of towns before the coming of the Normans and also the peculiar structure of the Irish church which under Norman influence gradually became feudalised, a process that harmed the Church and its mission. The new orders, including the friars, played their part in this.

Speaking of the Archbishops of Armagh, he says: ‘The account of Gelasius’ visit to Dublin to meet Henry II in 1172 describes the venerable old man coming to the camp of the invaders driving before him a white cow, whose milk afforded him his sole nourishment. This sight, which caused great amusement to foreigners, makes a different impression on us, and the patriarchal simplicity which it connotes points to a prelatial style more in keeping with the Gospel counsels than that followed by Episcopal barons in the centuries that followed’ (p 28).

By the way, notice from the above the fine style of O’Sullivan’s writing. As Fenning notes in the preface, our author was an excellent preacher and lecturer and these skills are reflected in his writings. He himself wrote (p 22): ‘The imagination is given plenty of scope starting from these facts, and we allow it to move on at its pleasure since there are no evidential particulars to tie it down’.

In chapters 4 to 11, he gives the history in chronological order of the 38 pre-Reformation convents in Ireland, their founders and the circumstances of the foundation. Along the way many fascinating ideas are explored, e.g. the close relationship of the friars with the Canons regular, the possible link between the killing of Simon de Montfort and the founding of Rosbercon, the legendary letter of St Dominic to the O’Donnell and the founding of Derry, the possible connection between the trial of the Templars and the setting up of a convent in Carlingford.

With the Gaelic resurgence, a new surge in the foundation of convents began. Of the 26 houses founded before 1356, nearly all were established under Anglo-Norman auspices. Of the remaining thirteen houses, all but two were founded under Gaelic auspices. He deals with Kilcorban, the only house belonging to the third order, near the end of this section of the book (chapter 11).

Chapters 12 to 22 will be for many readers the most interesting section of the book. Here he deals with the daily life and domestic arrangements of the medieval friars. By a clever analysis of the extant names of friars (203), of whom 84 had Gaelic names, he is able to deduce that 24 can be assigned to erenagh families, 14 to the hereditary learned castes, 34 to the ruling families and the remainder to families of undefined social status. He derives from this information ‘a certain satisfaction, that as far as facts go, the Dominicans of that age were recruited from classes who, by birth and tradition, might be antecedently expected to live up to the ideals of the Order’ (p 98).

We know that there was often tension between religious of the two different races in medieval monasteries and convents. One need only read an tAth Colm Cille’s Comhcheilg na Mainistreach Moire to be aware of the violent depths to which religious men could sink, even within the same community. On the whole, the Dominicans appear in a creditable light and what conflicts there were, occurred between the Anglo-Norman friars and their English counterparts. In an interesting aside, Fr Benedict takes issue with the old tag ‘Hibernis ipsis Hiberniores’, which he calls ‘that pleasant soporific’ (p 101) and maintains that the townsfolk as well as the nobility held aloof from the Gael whom they regarded as barbarians.

His chapters on the siting of the convents (generally outside the walls), their layout, furnishings, farms, mills, fishing rights, founded Masses and so on, are fascinating. In these matters the Regestum de Athenry, edited by Ambrose Coleman in 1912, is indispensable. Speaking of the costly funerals of the rich and their desire to acquire a last resting place within the church, he points out that on the continent and in England the enemies of the friars accused them persistently of undue eagerness in cultivating the rich and powerful. He then adds: ‘Criticism of the clergy has, however, never been a popular pastime in Ireland, and our medieval literature offers in this respect a striking contrast to what we find elsewhere’ (p 160)

Tempora mutuntur, et nos mutumur in illis. Material on the quest is very interesting and some modern friars will find a grim satisfaction in his acerbic reference to the ‘magni fratres’ who considered themselves above the quest (p 165). Provincial Chapters, especially from the 14th century onwards, were welcomed as social gatherings rather than deliberative assemblies. In 1482 the number of friars attending the chapter was 280, ‘at least three times as many as were legally entitled to be there’ (p 175).

Finally, chapters 23 to 27 deal with the juridical status of the convents, the vexed question of the Irish Vicariate vis-a-vis the English province. In fact the Irish Vicariate functioned almost like a province and the 1314 charter drawn up by the Master Berengar de Landorra practically gave provincial status to Ireland, while withholding the name. In the final chapters Fr Fenning’s footnotes are particularly enlightening and enrich the text considerably.

Our author covers the difficult 14th and 15th centuries in a clear if summary fashion. This period saw the Bruce invasion, the Black Death, the Avignon split and the reform instigated by Blessed Raymond. For a period of time in the early 16th century we had in Ireland two parties of Dominicans, one reformed, the other unreformed, styled Observants and Conventuals.

Master David Brown(e) was appointed provincial of the newly-erected Province of Ireland in 1536. By that date Henry VIII had completely broken with Rome and the long dark night of the Irish Church and of our Order, was about to begin.

This is a fine historical work and a good read, a fitting tribute to the memory of its learned and urbane author. It is not the last word: much has yet to be discovered, but, in the words of the editor, it is ‘still the only one to hand’.

(from top left, clockwise) Pat Lucey and (the late) Ray Watters, photographed in the Campo, Siena, late in 1979. Donal Mehigan and Joseph Dineen pictured during a studentate pilgrimage to Dominican places in France, in the early 1980s. Standing outside the church at Newbridge College, three brothers who joined the Order the same day in 1971 and were ordained in Tallaght in 1978: Thomas McCarthy, Eddie Conway (who was assigned to Newbridge when this picture was taken) and Vivian Boland. The late Richard McLoughlin, captured during one of those enjoyable outings to snow-clad Wicklow (this one in the 1980s also).

What happened next? - The Editor

Don’t you love those teasers during televised quiz programmes? The quiz master introduces a clip of film that will be played for the contestants – and for the viewers’ enjoyment too. It might relate to an item that appeared in the news bulletins, a couple of years ago, or even to a sports event. The contestant is enjoys watching the short clip of film, but at what the commentators would call a ‘crucial’ moment, the reel is ‘paused’, and the question to the prospective quiz champion is – well, you have read this editorial’s title!

In the last issue of Far & Near, a photo was included, that showed a ‘procession’ of five student brothers of our province, within the grounds of Newbridge College. And the accompanying note promised a fuller outline of what exactly was going on in those mid-December days of 2008. Brother John Harris, Regent of Studies and also national spiritual direction of ‘National Council of Youth 2000’, came to the rescue and describes the event that saw hundreds of young people (not pupils of the College) spend days and nights in Newbridge as the local excitement turned to the preparation of Christmas.

And now, what could happen next?

There is a fairly new opportunity for preaching, and it might be of interest to great preachers in our province who can no longer either drive to a mission or retreat, or perhaps even take the train. For this preaching moment, you don’t even have to leave your room – but this does not mean you invite your listening congregation into your room! No, this one is what is called The Word, an internet site where Dominicans (friars, contemplative nuns, apostolic sisters and Lay Dominicans) offer a word of encouragement and spiritual nourishment, based on the readings (or one only) that are prescribed for that day in the Lectionary. You will need to prepare your words, have the lectionary (or Bible) to hand and call an American number of the phone! That’s it. It is a site that offers computer users a reflection on the Scripture readings for each day of the year, in your own voice. The text will not appear on any internet site; no, rather it is a site that people listen to, and your own voice is there preaching away!

Like to try it? Or perhaps like to listen to others’ attempts first, before diving into this new opportunity? Log on to http://word.op.org and listen! [Those who are Irish Dominican brothers and whose voices are already to be heard on this site include Brothers Jim Donleavy, Fergal MacEoinin and Vivian Boland.]