Liberty of St. Patrick’s – as it was and as it is.

Liberty of St. Patrick’s – as it was and as it is.

30 Jan 1901

YE OLDE CITIE

LIBERTY OF ST. PATRICK’S – AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS.

A most excellent suggestion was made weeks ago by a correspondent in tie columns of the “Daily Independent”. It was to effect that the memorial cross to
THE FOUR MASTERS
now hidden by an overgrowth of tree at the North side of the city, be places in a prominent and variable position.
St Patrick’s Park appeats to fulfil all the conditions and the historic association of this locality would full justify the selection as a site for the memorial. See Plan No. 1.
The original laying out of the grounds may be seen at a place on reference to Plan No. 1 The products of St. Patrick’s in Insula was at first part of the Lordship of St. Sepulchure’s Archbishop John Comin granted it to the Cathedral, describing it as “Eight void spaces adjoining the cemetery”. The amount of ground to granted to about 4 acres and 2 roods.
The division of the Northern Liberties, as seen on the portion given in the pike, was in existence for many centuries. Prebendaries Canona, and other connected with the Cathedral resided on their several allotments but gradually they removed to other parts of the neighbourhood, and tenants came successively to reside in their houses, or proceeded to build their own dwellings on obtaining leases from the Cathedral economy.
THE PRECINCTS WERE AN ACKNOWLEDGED SANCTUARY
It is difficult to discover from what early period the Right of Sanctuary was enjoyed, as the oldest records have been lost. It is however called a sanctuary in the Roll of 34., Edward I.
From the same document the clear distinction between the Liberties of St. Patrick’s and those of St. Sepulchre’s can be inferred. “The Sheriff of the county being required to attach Walter Kenely, and having communicated the writ to the Bailiff of St. Sepulchre’s, he received for answer that the aforesaid Walter was resident in the Sanctuary of St. Patrick’s nor had within the liberty of St. Sepulchre’s anything to distrain.
The portion to the west was occupied by the Deanery and garden, the Archdeacon of Dublin’d ground, the churchyard, etc. of which a separate description most fellow latter for the sake of brevity and clearness.
In the year 1824 M was purchased by the Commissoners for widening the Dublin streets and removed.
ST PATRICKS OF THE VALE is mentioned in a close roll dates November 7, A.D 1200. The valley of the Poddle promises to become as notorious as that in the county Wicklow – at any rate, the many meetings and partings of the its waters would furnish good maternal for a modern poet of the slums; it’s sweetness is beyond dispute.
Seriously, the Poddle has associational historical, ecclesiastical and Pagan, second to no stream in Irelan, form its source in mysterious spring near Tallaght to the junctions with the Anna Liffery. I have met with many historical remains and traditions of exceeding interest. And, further, the connection madebetween the Dodder and the Poddle for the purpose of supplying Dublin with water dates as far back as the year 1244, or a littler later as appears from the Corporation records.
Lord Iveagh is the magician whose “golden wand” in transforming – and, I venture to any will further transform – the old valley. Mr O Kayill says “Sure he is only one”,
“More’s the pity” I answer.
In the year 1665 a statute of the Parliament held in Ireland reads so like what might be written of this portion of the city in its remaining unimproved parts that I may venture to quote it.
STATUE AD 1665.
“Whereas several pieces of ground now in a manner lying waste commonly known and reputed yards and gardens belonging unto the houses of the precentor, other called the chantor and the treasurer of the Cathedral Church of St. Patrick’s Dublin, and abutting on the street commonly called St. Bride street, withing the suburbs of the said city of Dublin which said street, although already build and paced on the east side, is become very noisome is a … to his Majestys’ subjects that are frequently passengets through the same by reason the other side… is not built or paved, or have convenient passage for water and common shote, which is how a very great and apparent annoyance and whereas there is a parcel of ground, known and reputed, the yard and garden belonging to the Archdeacon of Dublin, lying and being on the Poddle, a place unprofitable to the church, and offensive to the neighbouring inhabitants and unto passengers that way … also for beautifying that part of the suburbs of the city of Dublin. Be it enacted … that it shall be lawful … within the space of five years next ensuing the making of this Act to set demise or make leases of any part of parcel of the said yards and gardens belonging unto each of them, … and not exceeding the term of three score years”.
A very good reason “why” the suburbs of Duvlinn, Black Pool or Poddle Town became so derelict was because of the constant rads made by the “Wilde Irishe” from the neighbouring mountains. According to some deeds executed in the latter portion of the 13th century, the English colonist had their exchequer in the neighbourhood; a raid Boer fashion was made upon it, and the treasure appropriated. Thereupon the treasury was removed to a safer place within the city walls.
The Rev. WG Carroll in this book on St Bride’s Parish, confirms a previous suggestion – “Swift was not born in Hoey’s court at all, and that he was born in Bull Alley of Bride Street”.
He adduces the following evidence: –
1. St. Bride’s Burial Register and Vestry Accounts show that about this time and for many years after Counselllor (Godwin) Swift and his family lived in Bull Alley.
2. There is no contemporary evidence to show that Godwin Swift ever lived in Hoey’s court.
3. Dean Swift, in this essay upon the life of Dr. Jonathan Swift, says expressly that his grandfather, Counsellor Godwin Swift, received the widow with great affection into his family, where, seven months after her husband’s death, she became the mother of her second shelved, the famous Jonathan.
4. Spence in and article reproduced in “Notes and Queries” in 1861, accepts Mr. Deane Swift’s natural and probable version withers hesitation.
5. Nichols, in his “Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century” vol p381, prints Mr Deane Swift’s letter to himself as determining the question. The litter, it should be remembered, was written with a view to silencing the scandal about the Dean being the illegitimate son of Sir William Temple – the same sort of scandal as was current about Stella. Mr. Deana Swift effectually displaces the scandal by an account of time – i.e., by asserting, as a fact known in the family, that the Dean’s mother directly on her widowhood, was received into Godwin’s house. He speaks of the family house as if he knew it as well as any man would know his grandfather’s houses. The uncle Godwin was certainly living in Bull alley while Swift was at Kilkenny School and while he was at college: and Godwin’s family was living there after Swift, had received, and reformed his first Irish prebend. It was probably in this house that Godwin’s son. Deane was born, and when Deane afterwards moved to Roper’s Rest he brought his don Deane, the author of the Essay, to be baptises in the St. Bride’s our of remembrance, no doubt of the house that he regarded as the cradle of the family. The house in Bull Alley was assuredly the house that Swifte knew as his uncle Godwin’s and the same house was the one that Dean Swift junior knew ad the house of his grandfather Godwin.
6. The “Quarterly Review” (1876) in a well-informed article reviewing Forster’s “Life of Swift”, says that the Dean was born in one of his uncle’s houses in Bride street, and if this be so, the Uncle Godwin’s house must have been one of the corner houses of Bride Street and Bull alley

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