Friends of Bangor Abbey - Trip to Sligo

The See of Clogher was founded by St Patrick, who is believed to have established the first monastery at Clogher in 493. St Macartan travelled with Patrick. It is said that one day as Patrick came from Clogher he was carried across the Ford of Ergal by St Macartan, who groaned, saying: "I am now an old man and infirm and my comrades have churches built but I am still on the road." St Patrick replied, "I will leave thee in a church and it shall not be too near for good neighbourhood nor yet too far to pay a friendly visit." He appointed St Macartan 1st Bishop and Abbot of Clogher, saying "Receive the staff on which I support my limbs on my journeyings and the shrine containing . . . holy relics."

St Macartan built a monastery and died in AD 506, probably on 24 March and was buried at Clogher.

Stained glass window "In memory of Alan Alexander Buchanan D. D. A much loved Bishop of the Diocese from 1858 to 1969 when he was translated to Dublin as Archbishop and Primate of Ireland."

Bishop Buchanan was Canon of St Patrick's, Dublin and Rector of Bangor. Son of Mr & Mrs Hugh Buchananm Fintona. Educated at the Masonic Boys School Dublin and TCD. Chaplain to HM Forces during the 1939-45 War. He was Archbishop of Dublin from 1969 to 1977. He died in 1984 and was buried at Fintona.

The Dominican Friary of Sligo generally known as 'Sligo Abbey' was founded in 1252 or 1253 by Maurice Fitzgerald, second Baron of Offaly.

The rood screen (bottom of picture) seperates the nave from the choir.

The remains of the church, which date from the 13th century consist of the north and south walls of the choir, the north wall of the nave and some parts of the sacristry and chapter house. An aisle and transept added on the south side and the cloister on the north side are unlikely to date from before the 15th century. the original lancets in the east wall of the choir were replaced by a 15th century east window, Beneath this is the 15th century high altar, (seen here) the only sculptured example to survive in an Irish monastic church. The altar consists of five slabs, four of which are original bearing an incised inscription - IOHAN . . . ME FIERI FECIT [John (missing word) caused me to be made]. The missing stone probably bore the name of the donor.

The O'Craian canpoied tomb 1506 - built into the a niche in the north wall of the nave and surmounted by a sharply pointed arch. the altar tomb consists of three plain slabs moulded on the edges above a frontal carved from a single stone.

In 574 St Columba founded a monastery here that is reputed to rank with Derry, Durrow and Kells as one of his principal religious houses.

The present parish church built in 1809 is part of the Church of Ireland.

Drumcliffe is best known world wide as the final resting place of William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939) whose great-grandfather John Yeats was Rector here in the early years of the nineteenth century. The poet died in France during the 2nd World War but it was not until 1948 that his body was interred at Drumcliffe. The headstone of the bard's grave is a simple limestone slab bearing the epitaph which he composed a year before his death.

'Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,

Enwrought with golden and silver light,

The blue and the dim and the dark cloths

Of night and light and the half-light,

I would spread the cloths under your feet:

But I, being poor, have only my dreams;

I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams.'

Under bare Benbulben's head

In Drumcliffe churchyard Yeats is laid.

An ancestor was rector there

Long years ago, a church stands near,

By the road an ancient cross.

No marble, no conventional phrase;

on limestone quarried near the spot

By his command these words are cut;

Cast a cold eye

On life, On death

Horseman pass by!