OF THE

HISTORY AND POSSESSIONS OF THE ORDER

IN IRELAND.

The Order of Knights Templars was introduced into Ireland about the year 1174, by Richard, surnamed Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, or Strigul. A Priory was founded by him in that year, under the invocation of St. John the Baptist, at Kilmainham, in the County of Dublin, for Knights Templars, (see Archdall's Monasticon Hibernicum, pages 222 et seq.) and King Henry II. granted his confirmation. Hugh de Cloghall was the first Prior, and enjoyed that office till about the year 1190. The noble founder had enfeoffed the Prior in the whole lands of Kilmainham; and dying in 1176, was interred in Christ Church. The two Orders of Knights Templars and Hospitallers were confirmed the same year. After this, Hugh Tirrel bestowed upon the Prior of this hospital the lands of Chapel-Izod and Kilmehanock, "free from all secular services and burthens, with all liberties and free customs, in wood and open country, in meadows and pastures, in roads and paths," &c. &c.

Kilmainham continued to be the Grand Priory or Preceptory of the Templars, till their suppression in 1312; and the Superior of the Order, according to Sir James Ware, sat in the House of Peers as a Baron, a privilege enjoyed, as regarded the military orders, only by the Grand Priors of Kilmainham for the Templars, and of Wexford for the Hospitallers. He is styled by Archdall, quoting different ancient records, sometimes Prior, and sometimes Master, as in the case of Maurice de Prendergast, 1205 and 1210; sometimes Preceptor, as "D. Walens, Preceptor of the Templars, 1247;" sometimes Grand Master, as "1266, Robert was Grand Master of the Templars in Ireland this year." In 1288, we find "William Fitz-Roger was Prior this year, and Thomas de Thoulouse Master of the Templars;" in 1296, "Walter le Bachelour was Master, and William de Rosse was Prior, who the same year was made Lord Deputy of Ireland." He continued in these offices till 1302, when he was made Chief Justice; and appears in this year also to have preferred his complaint against the sheriff of Dublin for an illegal seizure, as "the Master of the Templars." And in 1309, Gerald, son of Maurice, Lord of Kerry, is spoken of as "the last Grand Prior of the Order."

The subordinate governors of the Order appear to have been styled indiscriminately Preceptors or Commanders; and their castles or estates Preceptories or Commanderies. These were (according to Ware and Archdall) at Clontarf, in the county of Dublin, founded in Henry II.'s reign, as it is supposed by the Nettervilles; St. Sepulchre, in the city of Dublin or its suburbs, near the place where the Archbishop's palace stands; Kilsaran, in the county of Louth, founded in the 12th century by Maud de Lacie; Kilbarry and Killure, the one about a mile and a half from Waterford, and the other two miles east of that city, in the county of the same name, both founded in the 12th century, the founders unknown; Crooke, in the harbour of Waterford, four miles east of the city, founded in the 13th century, by the Baron of Curragmore; Clonaul, in Tipperary, as also one at Thurles, in the same county, where a castle now standing was, according to the tradition of the country, for no record exists, the castle of the Knights Templars; Teach-Temple, or Temple House, in the county of Sligo, founded in the time of Henry III.; Mourne, in the county of Cork, founded in the reign of King John, by Alexander de Sancta Helena; Killergy, or Killarge, in the county of Carlow, "founded in the reign of King John, by Gilbert de Borard, for Knights Templars, under the invocation of St. John the Baptist; Kilclogan, in the county of Wexford, founded in the 13th century by the family of O'More, which appears to have had a large estate attached to it, from the report made in the thirty-second year of King Henry VIII., quoted by Archdall, page 748; and Dundrum, in the county of Down, where is a strong castle, now in ruins, said to have been built by Sir John de Courcy."

All these Commanderies and Preceptories were, together with the Grand Priory of Kilmainham, granted on the abolition of the Order, to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, in whose possession they continued till the dissolution of monasteries in the reign of King Henry VIII.

It may not be uninteresting to add the account of Archdall regarding the circumstances which attended the persecution and attempted destruction of the Order in Ireland.

"In 1307, Walter de Ewias, or de Aqua, being Prior, the King (Edward II.) transmitted to John Wogan, Justiciary of Ireland, the order made for the suppression of the Knights Templars in England, on the Wednesday after the feast of the Epiphany, enjoining him to have it executed in Ireland without delay, and before the rumour of what was done in England could reach this kingdom. The mandate was accordingly obeyed, and on the morrow of the Purification the Templars were everywhere seized."

"1309. The King, by writ, dated September the 29th, did further command the said Justiciary to apprehend, without delay, all the Templars that had not yet been seized, and them safely to keep in the Castle of Dublin, together with those who had been before apprehended."

"1311. On the petition of Henry Danet, or De Tanet, the late Master of the Templars, and the other members of that Order, the King, by writ, dated December 4th, did grant for their support the manors of Kilclogan, Crooke, and Kilbarry."

"1312. This year, on the morrow of St. Lucia the Virgin, the moon appeared variously coloured, on which day it was finally determined that the Order of Knights Templars should be totally abolished."

"The trial of the Templars was conducted with great solemnity in the city of Dublin, before Friar Richard Balybyn, minister of the Order of the Dominicans in Ireland, Friar Philip de Slane, lecturer of the same, and Friar Hugh St. Leger. Amongst other witnesses against the Knights, were Roger de Heton, Guardian of the Franciscan Friars; Walter de Prendergast, their lecturer; Thomas, the Abbot; Simon, the Prior of the Abbey of St. Thomas-the-Martyr, and Roger, Prior of the Augustinian Friary in Dublin. The depositions against the Templars were weakly supported, yet they were condemned; but more indeed through blind compliance with the prevailing practice throughout other parts of Europe, than any demerits being proved against their persons. Their lands and possessions of every kind were bestowed upon the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem by the Pope, which grant was confirmed by the King, who at the same time entered a protest of his rights against the assumed power of the Pope."