School: Clochar na Toirbhirte, Tuaim (roll number 12234)
- Location:
- Tuam, Co. Galway
- Teacher: An tSiúr M. Proinseas
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0040, Page 0379
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- The bells from the earliest days in the Western Church were blessed, or as it came to be said late on, they were baptised - that is sprinkled with holy water and salt, and anointed with the Holy Chrism, and had a special name given to them. The very oldest form of blessing that we have shows that the bells were not only used for calling the people to the Divine Offices in the Church, but their sound was regarded also so powerful to drive away demons, and repel storms and lightning.In Ireland these bells were especially esteemed; and one of them was always regarded as an essential part of the equipment of Bishop or Abbot. He was to have a bell, a book, a crozier or buchul, and a menistir or chalice, with its paten and altar stone, and when St Patrick and St Fiacc consecrated Bishop of Sletty, he gave him a case containing all these four articles. This explains why the voice of the blessed bell was so powerful, and why the demons could not bear its sound or its presence. The voice of Patrick's Bell on the Holy Mountain was, as it were, the voice of God proclaiming the routing of the demons and the(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Dr T. B. Costelloe
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 70
- Address
- Tuam, Co. Galway
