School: An Ráth Mhór (Clochar) (roll number 13742)

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1. Description of Cathair Crobh Dearg (continued)

   

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   it be right to make it a feast day throughout all the Millstreet deanery, for the whole Kerry diocese, for all Ireland?). But in spite of all the hard knocks it has got, it is still a very flourishing institution. An institution that has not been nullified by the opposition of 13 centuries must have had behind it the momentum of a mighty antiquity of encouragement probably 5 or 6 times as long as the period of unsuccessful opposition. When a train cannot pull up in 13 yards it is safe to surmise that its momentum has not been got up in less than 70. To continue the train metaphor the more momentum a train has the more ground it will cover before a jolt is readjusted. The City Feast got a jolt when the Gregorian Calendar was introduced in 1751 making May 1st May 12th. Such was the momentum of the City institution derived from its remote antiquity that even now after a century and three quarters the feast has not yet readjusted itself to this jolt, many celebrating the festival on May 12th instead of May 1st. We are convinced that it was at the City the last stand of Irish paganism was made against the advancing forces of Christendom

   (1) The City is in the ancient parish of Cill Cuimin. From this we conclude that Cuimen was the first apostle of the district. St Patrick lived from 389 to 461. St Cuimin lived from 589 to 661. The similarity of their dates is very unusual and very convenient for memory purposes. But the point we wish to emphasise is that the apostle of this district lived two who centuries after the national apostle.

   (2) Probably it has happened sometimes that a parish has been called after some famous saint who lived long after its conversion to Christianity. But as regards Cill Cuimín we believe the contrary is the case.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Location

   Gortnagane, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Eugene O' Curry

   Gender

   Male