The hospitality of Fr. Comyn, Kilkee, 1831.
Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2025 11:41 am
Ignatius Murphy, in his article “Building a Church in 19th Century Ireland” (The Other Clare, Vol. 2 (1978)), tells us that Fr. Comyn began collecting money in 1829 for a chapel* in Kilkee. Kilkee had lately become a popular seaside resort with many visitors during the Summer months, but the nearest chapel was in Lisdeen, two miles away. The nearest Protestant church was in Kilfearagh, just slightly nearer, so both communities, Catholic and Protestant, set about building. Fr. Comyn got to work immediately. The ordinary parishioners were too poor to contribute much, so Fr. Comyn advertised in the Limerick papers and made personal visits to his Limerick friends and received subscriptions from both Catholics and Protestants there. By 1831 the shell of the chapel, which was to serve for 132 years, was built. A lot remained to be done to the interior. Fr. Comyn relied on charity sermons to bring more contributions. At that time people loved to hear a powerful sermon, especially if delivered by a famous preacher. The first such sermon was delivered by Fr. Furlong** (a native of Limerick) on Sunday 21 August, 1831, and was described as “sublime” in the Limerick Evening Post. There was High Mass, with piano-forte played by a Mr. Osborne, who happened to be in Kilkee at the time; violin played by Dr. Allen of Kilkee, and violincello by Mr. Grace of Nenagh. Over £80 was collected.
Ignatius Murphy gives us a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of what the “sublime” event really entailed: he quotes from a letter written by Fr. Comyn’s mother, in the course of which she says, “… the collection was £80 which he sent to Mr. Spaight the day after. A trifle to what is still due to him. Michael [Fr. Comyn] asked every person who attended to dinner which consisted from 40 to 50 persons. Twenty three dined in the parlour, twenty two or four in the Coach house, another table in the drawing room. You may judge what trouble I had turning the house upside down and dragging beds from every house in the neighbourhood to accommodate some of the company, many of whom could go to their lodgings. But Michael is not to be reasoned with when his fits of folly comes (sic) on him. It would be all well if it was only one day but he kept it up for three weeks".
* the word “Church” was reserved for the established church (Protestant).
** In her article “Rev. Jonathan Furlong – Sagart na Gaeilge – (1799-1857)” (The Other Clare, Vol. 27, (2003)), Eilís Ní Dheá (writing in Irish) explains that Fr. Furlong was a Limerick man, but was appointed a priest in the Killaloe diocese because of a shortage of priests there in the early part of the 19th century.
Sheila
Ignatius Murphy gives us a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of what the “sublime” event really entailed: he quotes from a letter written by Fr. Comyn’s mother, in the course of which she says, “… the collection was £80 which he sent to Mr. Spaight the day after. A trifle to what is still due to him. Michael [Fr. Comyn] asked every person who attended to dinner which consisted from 40 to 50 persons. Twenty three dined in the parlour, twenty two or four in the Coach house, another table in the drawing room. You may judge what trouble I had turning the house upside down and dragging beds from every house in the neighbourhood to accommodate some of the company, many of whom could go to their lodgings. But Michael is not to be reasoned with when his fits of folly comes (sic) on him. It would be all well if it was only one day but he kept it up for three weeks".
* the word “Church” was reserved for the established church (Protestant).
** In her article “Rev. Jonathan Furlong – Sagart na Gaeilge – (1799-1857)” (The Other Clare, Vol. 27, (2003)), Eilís Ní Dheá (writing in Irish) explains that Fr. Furlong was a Limerick man, but was appointed a priest in the Killaloe diocese because of a shortage of priests there in the early part of the 19th century.
Sheila