Statue

SAINT KILIAN AND ST KILIAN’S GERMAN SCHOOL

July 15, 2023 by infomatique

ACCORDING TO GOOGLE’S BARD AI

This modern statue is located at St Kilian’s German School on Roebuck Road in Clonskeagh.

I am still experimenting with Google Bard and used it to research St Killian but some of the information was somewhat doubtful. For example I could not confirm that the Town Of Killarney [referred to as a city by Bard] is named after St Killian. The Irish for Killarney is Cill Airne meaning the “Church Of Sloes”.

Saint Killian [also spelled Cillian or Killian] was a seventh-century Irish missionary who is credited with bringing Christianity to Franconia, a region in what is now Germany. He is also the patron saint of Würzburg, the capital of Bavaria.

Killian was born in Ireland in the early seventh century. He was educated at the monastery of Clonmacnoise, one of the most important centres of learning in Ireland at the time. After his education, Killian traveled to Gaul (modern-day France) to preach the Gospel.

In Gaul, Killian met with some success in converting pagans to Christianity. However, he also made some enemies, including Duke Gosbert of Franconia. Gosbert’s wife, Geilana, was a pagan, and she was opposed to Killian’s mission.

In 689, Killian and his companions were murdered by Geilana’s followers. They were killed in Würzburg, and their bodies were buried in the city.

Killian’s death did not end his influence. He was soon venerated as a martyr, and his cult spread throughout Germany. In 742, his relics were exhumed and placed in a new church in Würzburg. The church was dedicated to Killian, and it became a major pilgrimage site.

Killian is remembered as a courageous and dedicated missionary who helped to spread Christianity in Germany. He is also celebrated as a martyr who died for his faith.

In addition to his missionary work, Killian is also known for his contributions to the development of the Church in Germany. He was instrumental in establishing the diocese of Würzburg, and he is credited with introducing the Gregorian chant to the region.

Killian’s feast day is celebrated on July 8. He is the patron saint of Würzburg, the diocese of Würzburg, and the city of Killarney in Ireland.

Killian is a significant figure in both Irish and German history. He is remembered as a courageous missionary who helped to spread Christianity in both countries. He is also celebrated as a martyr who died for his faith. Killian’s legacy continues to inspire people today.

Here are some additional facts about Saint Killian:

His name means “little champion”.
He is often depicted in art with a sword, a symbol of his martyrdom.
He was born in Ireland around the year 640.
He studied under Saint Columban at the monastery of Luxeuil in Gaul.
In 686, he set out for Franconia to preach the Gospel.
He was killed by Geilana, the wife of Duke Gozbert of Thuringia, in 689.
He was canonized in the 9th century.
His feast day is celebrated on July 8.
He is the patron saint of Würzburg, Germany, and missionaries.

St. Kilian’s German School in Dublin was founded in the early 1950s, developing from the work of a Dublin charity, the Save the German Children Society, founded in 1945. The school was originally a Sunday school, offering German classes to children who came to Ireland as part of the programme run by the Save the German Children Society.

In 1954, the school was named St. Kilian’s and three years later relocated to a site on the Stillorgan Road in Dublin, which could also accommodate a Kindergarten. The school expanded and grew in the following years, and in 1961-2011, it had a delegated Headmaster from Germany and a Deputy Principal supported by the Department of Education in Ireland.

In 1974, the school moved to its current campus in Clonskeagh. In 1976, the school was recognised by the Irish Department of Education and given a roll number. Two years later, the first group of St. Kilian’s students sat the Leaving Certificate.

In 1989, the school introduced the Sprachdiplom Exams, a significant step in establishing the higher pedagogical benchmark for the teaching and learning of German in the school. In 1992, St. Kilian’s became a member of the European Schools’ Association.

Today, St. Kilian’s German School is a thriving institution with a student body of over 500 pupils from over 30 different countries. The school offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities, and its graduates go on to study at leading universities around the world.

Here are some of the key milestones in the history of St. Kilian’s German School:

1952: The school is founded as a Sunday school.
1954: The school is named St. Kilian’s.
1957: The school relocates to Stillorgan Road.
1961-2011: The school has a delegated Headmaster from Germany and a Deputy Principal supported by the Department of Education in Ireland.
1974: The school moves to Clonskeagh.
1976: The school is recognised by the Irish Department of Education.
1989: The school introduces the Sprachdiplom Exams.
1992: St. Kilian’s becomes a member of the European Schools’ Association.

THE CABBAGE PATCH AND NEARBY

May 3, 2023 by infomatique

NEW STREET GARDENS AND CATHEDRAL LANE

The Cabbage Garden, also known as the Cabbage Patch, is a former burial ground in Dublin, Ireland. It is located off Upper Kevin Street in Dublin’s south inner city. Used as a cemetery from 1666 until the 1890s, it is now laid-out as a public park.

The name of the plot can be traced back to the arrival of Oliver Cromwell in Dublin during 1649, whose forces rented the land from a local landowner, and planted cabbages as a food source.

The ground was consecrated by James Margetson, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh in 1668. It consisted of a plot of land which was set apart by the Dean and Chapter of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 1666 for the purposes of a cemetery for the inhabitants of St. Patrick’s Close and of the parish of St. Nicholas Without, as their cemetery had become overcrowded. Later part of this plot was reserved for the burial of Huguenots, who worshipped in the Lady Chapel in the cathedral.

The burial ground was closed in 1878 to all but 14 families. The last interment took place in 1896 and the cemetery closed early in the 20th century. Towards the end of the 20th century, part of the ground was converted into a public park while the rest was covered by public housing constructed by Dublin Corporation at the junction of Cathedral Lane and Upper Kevin Street. Dublin City Council opened the park in 1982.

The park, which is referred to by Dublin City Council as the “Cabbage Patch”, can be reached by way of Cathedral Lane (until 1792 called Cabbage Garden Lane).

SUFFOLK STREET IS HOME TO MOLLY MALONE AND THE O’NEILL PUB

March 22, 2023 by infomatique

THE DAY AFTER ST PATRICK’S DAY 2023

For many the two attractions on Suffolk Street are the Molly Malone Statue and O’Neills Pub.

“Molly Malone” (also known as “Cockles and Mussels” or “In Dublin’s Fair City”) is a song set in Dublin, Ireland, which has become its unofficial anthem. A statue representing Molly Malone was unveiled on Grafton Street by then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ben Briscoe, during the 1988 Dublin Millennium celebrations, when 13 June was declared to be Molly Malone Day. In July 2014, the statue was relocated to Suffolk Street, in front of the Tourist Information Office, to make way for Luas track-laying work at the old location.

The song tells the fictional tale of a fishwife who plied her trade on the streets of Dublin and died young, of a fever. In the late 20th century, a legend grew up that there was a historical Molly, who lived in the 17th century. She is typically represented as a hawker by day and a part-time prostitute by night. In contrast, she has also been portrayed as one of the few chaste female street hawkers of her day.

There is no evidence that the song is based on a real woman in the 17th century or any other time. The name “Molly” originated as a familiar version of the names Mary and Margaret. Many such “Molly” Malones were born in Dublin over the centuries, but no evidence connects any of them to the events in the song. Nevertheless, the Dublin Millennium Commission in 1988 endorsed claims made for a Mary Malone who died on 13 June 1699, and proclaimed 13 June to be “Molly Malone Day”.

O’Neill’s is a genuine traditional Old Irish pub renowned for its friendly staff and patrons, its great atmosphere and world-famous food. It looks like a regular pub from the outside, but inside it’s a pleasure to drink in, with its various nooks and crannies, upstairs and down. Whether you want to enjoy the great pub atmosphere or find a quite corner for yourself, O’Neill’s have it all.