St Abban founded a monastery
here in Killabban about 650AD, in which he is said to
have been interred: there are some remains of its
church. There are also remains of the old church of
Arles, and of the ancient castle of Hovendon, over the
entrance to which are quartered the arms of the
Leinster and Ormonde families. Near Castletown church
is a well, which supplies water, enough to turn a mill
in its immediate vicinity.
Courtesy of Portlaoise Public
Library 1999.Parish in Killabban
The
ancient and more proper title for this parish is
Killabban. It receives its present name from the
parish church being placed in modern times at Arles.
This name Arles is derived from Ard-glas, i.e. "the verdant
hill;" or, according to some, from Ard-lios, i.e. "the
forted hill." The earliest place of worship here
appears to have been a chapel built in 1686, of which
there is a description and an illustration (Pl. 34,
Vol. II.) in Grose's Antiquities.
It is there
described as having been "built, according to
tradition, by a lady of the family of Hartpole. It is
erected in the form of a cross, and is thatched. In
one arm of the cross is a small chapel, the place of
interment for the Grace family. A long Latin metrical
epitaph to Dame Frances Grace, alias Bagot, wife to
Sheffield Grace, who died 3rd May, 1742, aged 32, is
given; and another, in English, to Mrs. Martha Grace,
wife of Michael Grace, who died Nov. 28, 1736, in the
55th year of her age." Grose's illustration shows this
chapel to have been a very plain structure, with the
thatch sadly in need of repair. An inscribed stone,
let into the wall of the present church, records the
name of the builder of the old chapel: "Madam
Scurlock, alias Walsh, alias Hartpole, built this
chapel, A.D. 168-" (last figure broken away).
According to the annals of the Grace family, this
chapel was pulled down in 1795, and was replaced by
that which existed until the present beautiful church
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was built, towards the
erection of which the late Mrs. Grace Grace was a
munificent contributor. The Grace mausoleum is a
conspicuous object in the adjoining grave-yard. It was
built in 1818, in place of the original one-erected in
1687, by Oliver Grace, Chief Remembrance of the
Exchequer; by Mrs. Alicia Kavanagh, daughter of
Michael Grace of Grace-field; Sir William Grace, Bart;
and his brothers Sheffield Juris consult, and Percy,
Admiral of the Royal fleet, for themselves and
posterity, on the site of the southern wing of the
church of Arles.
The following is the inscription upon it, recording
the above:
"Hoc sepulchrum Alicia Kavanagh, filia Michaelis
Grace de Gracefield, Arm.; Gulielmus Grace,
Baronettus, et fratres ejus Sheffieldus,
jurisconsultus, Perceus Regiae Classis Praefectus,
poni curaverunt, A.D. MDCCCXVIII., sibi
posterisque. Quo loco fuit olim Australis ala
aedis Arlesianae ab Olivero Grace de Shangano sive
Gracefield, Armig. Anno Salutis MDLXXXVII.
aedificata, jamdiu vetustate collapsa."
This mausoleum is fully described and illustrated in
the family Annals, compiled by Sheffield Grace, who
traces their pedigree to Raymond Fitz William,
surnamed Le Gros, who accompanied Strongbow to
Ireland, and through him further back to the Ducal
House of Tuscany.
(Above copied as was written)
Source: Rev M Comerford "Collections relating to the
Dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin" Vol. 3 (1886)
Killabban
Church
(now a
monastic site)
