Arles Parish Today
The present
parish of Arles was
originally known in olden times as the Parish of Killabban and in
fact the district is still referred to as the Parish of
Killabban in most legal documents. Until very recently
the local Protestant Rector was known officially as The
Rector of Killabban. The parish derived it's name from the
Gaelic 'Cill Abbain' or Church of Abban. St. Abban was the
founder of a monastery at the site where the old abbey
ruins now stand in the village of Killabban. Those
ruins are situated almost in the centre on the village,
(they are said to date back to the early part of the
sixth century), and are one of the greatest examples of
Medieval Architecture. It is a great pity that they have
not been better attended to, and preserved for future
historians.
Arles to day, being the head
of the Catholic parish of Killabban, (now known as Arles Parish)
had a new chapel, The Sacred Heart Church of Arles, built in
1865. Its design is that of the late nineteenth century, with a
broach spire by Pugin and Ashlin. The firm of Pugin & Ashlin of
Dublin which was founded by E.W. Pugin, specialised in Catholic
ecclesiastical buildings at the time.
Electrification finally
arrived in both Arles and Ballickmoyler in the November of 1955.
- OSi Map of Arles c.1850
Follower of St.Fiachre
St. Abban himself was a follower of St. Fiachre
(St. Fiac's successor, Fiacre, was his son), who had his
monastery in Sleaty which is located between Knockbeg
College and the town of Graiguecullen near Carlow.
Historians tell us that St. Abban founded his monastery at
Killabban sometime earlier than 575AD. In the 8th and 9th
century the present townsland of Killabban was referred
to by historians as the town and city of the same name.
However the only surviving link between now and that far
off age of Saints and Scholars is the ruins of the Abbey
itself. When the community at the monastery in Killabban
was flourishing, Abban sent one of his monks, St. Evin, to
establish a monastery where the town of Monasterevin now
stands, while he himself went and established another
monastery at another location called Adamstown in the Co. Wexford.
Every Catholic church in this
area from St. Abban's time through the various ages and
troubles have been called The Church of St. Abban down to
the present Church of St.Abban at Killeen. The present
church is built but a very short distance outside the
boundary of the townsland of Killabban.
Legend tells us that when St. Abban
died his monks of Adamstown and those of Killabban
decided to fight a battle on the border's of Co. Carlow
and Co. Kilkenny near Graignamanagh. The winners would
then bury his body in their own monastery. The battle
never actually took place as a monk from Graignamanagh
got two coffins, put the Saint's body in one and a weight
in the other to have them of equal weight. Having sealed
the two coffins he then gave one to each group and sent
them home to bury their coffins In this way neither group
would know which one had the actual body.
There are many other historical links with the past around the area.
There are the ruins of the Castles of Shrule
and The Grange,
which are said to have been linked by an underground tunnel. These date
back to pre Norman times. There are many old graveyards also bearing
witness to our historical past. Some of those graveyards such as Shrule
and Grange are no longer used. Others are only used when some members of
the locals pass away. Killabban and Tankardstown would be in this
category.
Emigration a problem
Like every other area
in Ireland during the 1840's and 50's, this parish lost a lot of its
son's and daughter's to emigration. The most notable family involved to
our knowledge is the Grace families of Gracefield and Sheffield. The
Grace family's burial vault stands beside the present parish church at
Arles. (Visit
Arles Village) to read more about the burial vault).
One of the Grace family emigrated to America in the early
eighteen hundreds and founded the fruit firm that we know
today as the W.R. Grace Corporation.
We have all heard and read
about the Penal Days and Penal Laws in Ireland when every
priest had a price on their heads. At that time Mass
could not be celebrated in a church, nor any catholic
religious services be held. Mass was celebrated in
secret, away in the most remote places one could think of.
There is one such place which to this day is masked by a
"Massbush". It is situated in a field owned by
Miss O'Gorman, the third field on the left side of the
road as one travels from Cullenagh Cross (OS #61 map ref.:
6787) to Ballylynan (OS #61 map ref.: 6488).
Limestone Quarries
The building which stands next to the
ruins of St.Abban's Abbey in Killabban was once used as
the National School from the year it was built in - 1847
(the year of the Great Famine) - until 1949 when the
present National School was erected a short distance away
in the townsland of Killeen. The old school is now in
private hands
The farm land in this parish is
considered to be the best in province of Leinster. This
is not surprising as it has a considerable mass of
limestone underneath. Evidence of these deposits of
limestone can be seen by the number of disused limestone
quarries to be found in the area. Limestone from those
quarries was used in the making of roads and erecting
buildings in the whole of Laois.
In keeping with the historical
background of the parish the present inhabitants are
noted for their dedication to the preservation of their
heritage and to the progressive and intelligent
utilisation of their resources, particularly their farm
land to provide for themselves and their families. At the
time of the Great Famine a 'Soup Kitchen' was in
existence at Ballinagar House now owned by Mrs. Moran,
where meals were provided for the poor of the area at
that time. The remnants of the huge pots used in cooking
at the time in the soup kitchen were still to be seen at
Ballinagar until recently.
(By John Byrne. Courtesy of
Peter Walker)
Parish Records
Arles (Killabban) Baptisms., Marriages., & Deaths; The entries are
arranged under town- lands and appear to cover the period from 1821 to
1856, but are more frequent in the early years of this period.
Film No.
NLI No.1331
- Baptisms Mar 1831 - Jan 1843
- Marriages Sept 1831 - Feb 1843
- Baptisms Jan 1843 - Aug 1861
- Aug 1843 - July 1861
- Baptisms Jan 1849 - Dec 1858
- June 1850 - Nov 1858 - (The entries are not the same as those in
the previous register which also covers this period.)
All the above records are held by the Parish Priest of the Parish of
Arles.
[ ARLES Church
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