Delving into the history of Dunsford and Ardglass parish

12 October 2016

THE rich history of a unique coastal parish has been brought to life in a new book.

‘Under the Shade of Our Lady’s Sweet Image’ tells the story of the Dunsford and Ardglass parish from the time of Saint Patrick to the modern era — where it remains home to the oldest Madonna and Child statue in Ireland.

It’s a statue with a chequered history. It was broken in the aftermath of the Reformation and parts were scattered throughout the area — including one piece which ended up as an accidental garden feature at Ardglass Castle until it was rescued by some enterprising locals.

It is just one of the stories told in Duane Fitzsimons’ book, which is being launched this Sunday in St Mary’s Church in Chapeltown following a mass to mark the 225th anniversary of the opening of the church.

Detailing a history, some of which has been hidden for centuries, the book moves through the Medieval period, when it held one of Ireland’s three ecclesiastical courts, to the destruction of the Reformation and the developments of the Penal era.

In particular detail are biographical sketches of the clergy and notable inhabitants, including the respected conservation Francis Joseph Bigger, known for his excavation of Ardtole church and the recovery of precious medieval stained glass.

It was Bigger, the Presbyterian and keen Gaelige revivalist who restored Jordan’s Castle in Ardglass in 1911, who is also credited with eventually putting the pieces of the Madonna and Child statue together. Others had failed and he even restored it at his own expense.

Local historian Duane explains that his book partly came about following a meeting with the current Dunsford and Ardglass parish priest Father Gerard McCloskey, who had an interesting story to tell about the famous statue.

In 2009 Fr McCloskey, who was attached to St Agnes’ parish in Belfast at the time, received a telephone call from a parishioner regarding his father Terry Hamill who was ill at the time. Terry knew of a family story regarding the statue and Ardglass Golf Club, which Duane recounts in the book:

“In 1905 the golf club’s greenskeeper, Joseph Hamill, Terry’s grandfather, was tasked with re-landscaping part of the greens. This involved relocating some steps within what had been part of Ardglass Castle’s front lawn. Late into the afternoon he overturned one of the steps and discovered that its underside was intricately carved. He immediately realised the significance of his discovery, so he replaced it and told no-one about it.

“That night he woke his ten year-old son John and, under cover of darkness, they went out to the steps with a wheelbarrow and a shovel. After hoisting it on the wheelbarrow and bringing it back to their house at Kildare Place, they decided it would be best placed under John’s bed. The presence of the fragment terrified John as he waited with bated breath for someone to come looking for it.

“Four to six weeks later, when they were sure the stone had not been missed, they decided what should be done. Joseph and John brought out the wheelbarrow and placed sacking around the wheel in order to deaden any noise. Having lifted the stone on to it, again in the dark, they wheeled it to Chapeltown, two miles distant, and left it at the church.”

This particular statue of the Virgin Mary and child is originally thought to have been fashioned at a quarry in Scrabo around the year 1300. How its torso ended up in the grounds of Ardglass Castle is a long story.

“The church at Dunsford is believed to have been among the most highly decorated in the district of Lecale,” Duane explained. “However, after the proclamation of the Act of Supremacy by Henry VIII, the situation the church found itself in became rather confused. The statue was broken up and left in pieces at the site. A few different citations point the finger of blame at a soldier of Oliver Cromwell’s army. The feet and torso were removed from the church at Dunsford and carried to the residence of the Rev Dr William Megarry, Parish Priest of Dunsford and Ardglass. He had been born at Crossmore and removed these pieces in order to conceal the fragments from destructive hands.

“Following his death in 1763 portions of the statue were carried to the Newark building in Ardglass, later developed into Ardglass castle.”

Aside from documenting the story of the statue, Duane’s book contains new research into why there were originally eight churches in the parish area, of which the only remaining is Ardtole.

The area’s unique connection to the birth of Methodist Church is also explored in a fascinating side story, with the founder John Wesley, then an Anglican preaching in a field at Dunsford in 1778.

Overall, Duane said he felt the 225th anniversary at Chapeltown was a timely point to look back on the journey of the church to this point, as it looked forward to the future.

“The great contribution of members from this parish through the years to the development of the church throughout this country, and on shores further afield, is a new angle that has remained undocumented this far,” he said.

He added: “A great deal of this work would not have been possible had it not been for that keen collector of local history snippets who was my grandfather. Henry Fitzsimons. He passed away in 2009 but it is thanks to his collection that I had a foundation on which to begin this work.”

‘Under the Shade of Our Lady’s Sweet Image’ will be launched following Sunday’s 10am mass at St Mary’s, Chapeltown, celebrated by Noel Treanor, Bishop of Down and Connor.

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