Saturday 11 June 2016

Kilschire Abbey

From Thomas Walsh's History of the Irish Hierarchy:

Killschire in the barony of Kells bordering on Westmeath. This church was erected under the invocation of the holy virgin St. Schiria whose name it bears. She was venerated on the 24th of March while Corcaria Caoin, a sister of hers, is not met with in the calendars. They were the daughters of an Eugene who was great grandson to Fergus a brother of Neil Negilliach. St Schiria was living in 580.

A.D. 745 died the abbot Dubdaleithe Nagraifne.
A.D. 750 died the abbot Daolgus.
A.D. 866 died the bishop, the first and only one at Killschire, St. Conall son of Fiachna prince of East Meath and of the royal blood of Ireland. The memory of St. Conall was revered in the isle of Arran where he is interred with the three other beautiful saints of Ireland in the same tomb.  Many of the Irish saints when their last days were near repaired to this island in order to prepare for the journey to eternity and to have the assistance of those holy men who served God in this famed retreat of contemplation and sanctity.
A.D. 920 died the abbot Allgus.
A.D. 949 the Danes plundered and pillaged this abbey.
A.D. 951 Godfrid son of Sitric at the head of the Danes did again spoil the abbey.