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HISTORY
Fr Myles McPartlan
Myles
McPartlan was born in Ceann Beg, in Inishmagrath, in 1669.
Around 1687 he travelled to Munster
to pursue a course of studies. He
may even have spent some time studying in the Irish
College in Louvain. He was ordained a priest in Cork
in1695.
By this time the Penal Laws were in full force and, as a result, Fr Myles, on
his return to his home parish, had to go on the run, constantly moving from area
to area in an effort to evade capture.
In the 1730’s Lady Townsend, who was well disposed to the local Catholic
population, gave permission to Fr Myles to build a church, on condition that it
remain unroofed.
Kilbride Church, built by Fr Myles McPartlan
The
Church was built in the townland of Killadiskert and is now known as Kilbride
Church. The date of the construction of
the church, 1735, is carved on the lintel over the doorway.
In general Fr Myles had to say Mass in a penal chapel near the lake shore.
A society known as “The Old Hibernians” was formed to keep watch over
and to protect the priest while he was saying Mass.
Fr Myles died in 1737 and was buried inside Kilbride
Church. He was parish priest of Inishmagrath for at least 33 years and
perhaps for
as long as 42 years.
The
Chalice of Fr Myles McPartlan
In 1817 Fr Myles had a chalice made. The chalice has
survived to this day and it is still used during the celebration of Mass in St
Brigid's Church, Drumkeeran. The inscription on the chalice can be quite
clearly seen in the following photo.
The full inscription, in Latin, reads as
follows:
MILESIUS McPARLAN PRESBYTER ME FIERI FECIT
AD 1718
We can loosely translate this inscription as
follows:
"Myles McParlan, Priest, had me made,
AD 1718"
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