The Carmelites came to Ireland in 1271 and their
first friary was built on the right bank of the Barrow River at Leighlinbridge,
Co. Carlow towards the end of the reign of Henry III (+ 1272). The Black
Castle, now in ruins, which dominates the river crossing, was an Anglo-Norman
fortress built in the previous century when the Normans coming up the coast to
the Avoca River from their early base near Bannow Strand had invaded and taken
much of the surrounding lands. The Carmelite friars who were to make up the
community at Leighlinbridge were Normans from the Carmelite Province of England
where the two principal friaries were at Aylesford and Hulne. The Carmelites had
appeared in the Western Church only a few decades before, when then living as
hermits on Mount Carmel some time between 1206 and 1214 they received a Formula
Vitae or Rule of Life from St. Albert, who was the Patriarch of Jerusalem. At
the time he was resident at Acre near Mount Carmel, due to the Muslim incursions
into the Holy Land. Because of the same invasions the Carmelites about 1238 were
forced to migrate to Europe - to Cyprus, Sicily, Italy and eventually to
England. It is clear that some Carmelites joined Crusaders returning to their
own home countries. In 1242 some were brought to Hulne in England by Sir William
Vesey and to Aylesford by Sir Richard Grey of Codnor. The two knights were on
the Crusade under Richard of Cornwell who landed at Acre on 11 October 1240 and
had set out on their return journey for England on May the following year. The
Carmelites were brought by their patrons before the King around Christmas and
were granted permission to remain in England and to make foundations. Aylesford
Friary and Hulne were then established and quickly followed by others in Kent
and Norfolk. The later close connection between the King and the Carmelite Order
is clear from grants made to the Carmelite friaries in England and Ireland
during the following centuries. A royal mandate was given to the Carmelites to
pray for the King and royal family.
It was from these friaries, by this time forming the English Province of the
Order, that the first Carmelites came to Leighlinbridge and built their house
near the Black Castle on a site supplied by the Carew family. From the beginning
their situation must have been perilous. Already from 1260 native Irish
opposition to Norman control increased in different parts of the country, the
Normans holding strongest sway within the Pale. Since the River Barrow separated
Irish clans like the O'Kavanaghs from the Norman forces, the Carmelites at the
ford crossing would have soon experienced the effects of the military operations
by the Irish. Theirs was an anomalous position, serving the peoples on both
sides of the river, and as mendicants depending on them for support and in their
mission, yet patronised by the Norman overlords whom they also served. From the
time of their coming they appear to have been 'Bridge Builders' or maintainers,
always ready to repair bodies and souls as well as the wood or stone of the
actual bridge.
The first Carmelite friars who made up the community at Leighlinbridge were
Normans; but the Irish would have joined them very soon because of the nature of
their mission in the Church. However Irish members were not appointed to higher
offices. Before the end of the thirteenth century, at the invitation of local
powerful families or individuals, Carmelite foundations had been established at
Dublin in 1274, at Ardee about 1280, at Ballinasmale, Co. Mayo about 1288, at
Kildare 1290, Drogheda about 1297, Burriscarra, Co. Mayo in 1298 and Loughrea
and Thurles about 1300. While the communities were still part of the English
Province, they could not have a Prior as such but the leader was called
'Procurator' , one who "was not permitted to undertake obligations or incur
debt without consulting the Provincial." Peter O'Dwyer, O.Carm., suggests
that initially the friars lived in huts about an oratory, dedicated to Our Lady.
Later they would have lived in the type of friaries, evidenced from their ruins,
as made up of a centre chapel, to which the domestic buildings were attached,
including a dormitory (which in the case of the Carmelites contained cubicles
for the members), study, kitchen and meeting rooms. According to P. O'Dwyer, the
number in the community in Leighlinbridge at the beginning would have been at
most twelve and later fewer. The Carmelites took with them from Mount Carmel the
Rite of the Holy Sepulchre for the liturgical celebrations. The revised
Constitutions of 1357 prescribed that the Provincials were to ensure that all
communities had copies of the Ordinals and that the Salve Regina was recited at
the conclusion of each liturgical Hour. This is what the first Carmelites did.
The Carmelite Order retained the Jerusalem Rite until the Council of Vatican II
when for pastoral reasons they accepted the Roman Rite.
In the thirteenth century the Carmelites in Leighlin were reimbursed by the
Government for maintaining armed men within their close to protect them against
the Irish who had destroyed the bridge in order "to prevent the transit of
the King's faithful people." By the beginning of the fourteenth century,
the Carmelites like other mendicants had made more foundations throughout the
country. In 1302 John Cheffyn wished to give a half acre and William Bolyt a
quarter acre to the Carmelites at Leighlinbridge. The Justiciary, John Wogan,
had to hold an inquiry on 3 December 1302 to ensure that "such a gift would
not be at a loss to the King", indicating that the land was government
property.
In the fifteenth century the Irish Carmelites seem to have been experiencing a
difficult financial period especially around the 1430s since the contributions
asked by Rome were the smallest. For some reason the Province had no
representative at some of the General Chapters during this century. At the
General Chapter held in Avignon in 1451 John Soreth was elected Prior General
and held the post for twenty five years, working indomitably for the reform of
the Order. He is acknowledged as one of the greatest Prior Generals of the
Order. He was beatified in 1866.
The Leighlin friary was restored in 1730. The Irish petitioned the General
Chapter 1731 to be given the status of Province because there was now a
sufficient number of convents, residents and religious. The Province was
officially restored by Pope Clement XII on 10 October 1737. The first Provincial
Chapter of the newly erected Province was held in Dublin 25 - 31 May 1741. The
Friary at Leighlin was inhabited and Raymond Burk was elected Prior. The
programme for the clergy at the time was to teach Christian doctrine to the
young, celebrate Mass and hear confessions, visit the parish or village and by
going to the houses teach what was necessary for salvation.