Holy Island and its many local links
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A group of young visitors to Holy Island enjoying the sunshine beneath the round tower. From left: Ava Nolan, Chloe McDonald, Moya Loughran, Clodagh Murray, Holly Hudson and Avril Morris. PHOTOS: BRIDGET DELANEY BRIDGET DELANEYImage 2 of 5
Geoghegan grave inscription in St Caimin’s Church, Holy Island. The Brdget Stritch mentioned was an Ogonelloe ancestor of local photographer Bridget Delaney. BRIDGET DELANEYImage 3 of 5
Tombstones in one of the cemeteries on Holy Island. BRIDGET DELANEYImage 4 of 5
St Mary’s Church, one of the seven churches on Inis Cealtra. BRIDGET DELANEYImage 5 of 5
Ava Nolan, Mountshannon (whose mother is an O’Meara originally from Dunkerrin), reading the Nenagh Guardian on the boat trip back from Holy Island. BRIDGET DELANEYPilgrims flocked to Holy Island for hundreds of years up to the mid-nineteenth century, and the sacred Lough Derg attraction continues to draw droves of visitors seeking to learn about its fascinating history.
Among them are visitors from North Tipperary exploring the island's many local links, particularly those of Terryglass and Nenagh. St Colum of Terryglass (c 490 - 548), appears to have been the founder of the monastery on Holy Island (or ‘Inis Cealtra’, island of the churches). He made frequent voyages of Lough Derg and settled on the island with a large number of followers.
Gerard Madden, who has been operating boat tours out to the island from Mountshannon for 30 years, tells us that Colum's body was secretly buried on Holy Island following his death in 548. His followers maintained that Colum's remains were still in Terryglass; they were eventually transferred back to the Tipperary side of the lake some years later.
Another saint associated with Holy Island is St Conlon, sometimes referred to as Cunlán or Coelan, among other spellings, the patron saint of Nenagh, and to whom the holy well at Youghalarra is dedicated. He is credited with writing the Life of St Brigid of Kildare, which probably accounts for the naming of Holy Island's twelfth century St Brigid's Church.
Among other local ties to be seen is the church at Dromineer, construction of which is believed to have been started by the monks of Holy Island around the tenth century. Mr Madden said doorway features still visible on churches on the island and Dromineer verify this connection. There is also a similar connection with the island of Illaunmore.
PILGRIMAGE SITE
Holy Island was one of 12 ‘notable shrines’ in Ireland to which Pope Paul V attached a Plenary Indulgence in 1608; Monaincha and Modreeny were among the others. While the Pope's intervention enhanced the island's reputation, its monastery had been a centre of pilgrimage for hundreds of years beforehand.
There are seven churches on the island, along with bullaun stones from pagan times, a ring fort from the Iron Age, eighth century grave markers, tenth century high crosses, several cemeteries (including a children's burial ground), pilgrim paths, a holy well and kissing stone. The standout feature is the impressive round tower, which was probably built by Brian Ború around the year 1000. Today its stands some 24 metres tall, though it most likely reached to 30m when it was built.
Some of the grave markers on the island are unique in Europe in that they are still visible a thousand years after they were laid.
Mr Madden has written about these and many other intriguing facets of the history of Holy Island through some 15 publications. Further information can be found at www.holyisland.ie.