122-year-old letter found in church sheds light on a very different era

KENTSTOWN Church was re-opened last year by the Bishop of Meath, Most Rev Dr Michael Smith, following a major renovation. But, during the restoration of the Church of the Assumption, workers made an interesting find. 

A letter, dating from January 1885, was uncovered under the floorboards in the room above the vestry.

While the contents of the letter are probably insignificant, Paschal Marry of the Kentstown Parish Support Group believes that, as regards local history, this letter is of immense importance.

He has undertaken a great deal of research into the origin of the letter written by a 19th century clergyman to the local sacristan. The letter was written by Michael Tormey to Bridget Wall, who was 30 years-old in 1885.

Addressed from Rathindon Cottage, Leighlin Bridge, Co Carlow, on 26th January 1885, it reads: "My Dear Child, Many thanks for your kind inquires about my health. My friendly correspondents, and they are not a few especially about dear Kentstown, were to all appearance justly entitled to complain that I delayed to answer their affectionate letters. But after I had gone to Blackrock where I was very ill for a great many days, I was forbidden to answer letters - I was not able, nor indeed well able to read them.

"I made it a point not to let my friends know my ailing state. This came very hard on myself but it was unavoidable. Now I am just able and no more to do this scribbling you see before you. Thank God, I am growing stronger. I was reduced to the last degree of weakness before I gave up working.

"You must be half killed with all the high masses you have had. I was really very sorry for poor good Mrs McNamara, I always found her particularly kind to me. May she rest in peace. I propose leaving here for Westmeath next week - that is, should the weather grow milder.

"Whenever I feel able - few things would give me more pleasure that to revisit the many good friends in your quarter - who now that they know my address are so frequent in their inquires after my health. Believe me - my dear child Always, yours sincerely, Michael Tormey.

"Miss Wall PS, There are a good many souls about you who might expect a letter from me and to whom I have not written, so least they would be jealous, please say nothing about this letter but keep it to yourself. -  M.T."

Micheal Tormey was quite famous, and in today's terms, he would be regarded as a national figure. He was an eminent theologian and a committed nationalist. Fr Tormey disappeared from Irish political and clerical life in 1885 and he died in 1893 in complete obscurity. There were no political figures or members of the clerical hierarchy at his funeral.

In Paschal Marry's research, it has been suggested that Fr Tormey's disappearance was due to "the cooling of his relationship with Dr Nulty, Bishop of Meath" because of his support for the Land League. He was still a curate in 1884 at 64 years of age. However, the letter does prove without any doubt that he was a very sick man and it is obvious why he was unable to participate in political life and carry out his clerical duties.

Michael Tormey was appointed CC to the parish of Blacklion in 1879. He was born in 1820 in Tuitestown, a townland in the parish of Collinstown, Co Westmeath. Fr Tormey was ordained in 1849 and taught classics in St Finian's College in Navan after completing a post-graduate degree at Dunboyne House. He was regarded as a brilliant student.

As part of his studies, Fr Tormey was required to write an essay on a theological subject. He chose 'The Immaculate Conception', a dogma soon to be proclaimed by Pius IX in 1854 as part of divine revelation. He was requested by his supervisors at Maynooth to publish this essay, which he did to great success in book form in 1854.

The founder of the 'The Tablet', Frederick Lucas, introduced Fr Tormey to political life when he decided to seek election as a MP for Meath. When Lucas went to Rome in 1854, he left Fr Tormey as editor in his absence.

Michael Tormey had two talents, which provided him with a swift road to the top of the Irish Land League. Firstly, he was an effective orator - the rhythms of his phrases, the striking balance of his sentences and paragraphs and his excellent voice - absolutely necessary in pre-microphone days - all communicated confidence, vision and leadership to his large audience. Secondly, he had a wonderful gift for penning patriotic ballads. His ballad 'The Ancient Race' was published by 'The Nation', simply signed 'T'.

Michael Davitt quoted a stanza from 'The Ancient Race' at the launch of the Land League, and it was to become the national anthem of the Land League and probably the country's first national anthem as its words reverberated throughout a changing Ireland.

On 12th April 1875, Charles Stewart Parnell launched his career in Irish politics. In The Square in Navan, a short, portly, sharp-nosed, middle-aged man rose from his seat. Fr Michael Tormey spoke to the crowd about why he believed CS Parnell should represent Meath. Eight times he was interrupted by the enthusiastic crowd but none was to match the great roar of approval that he ignited as he concluded by proposing Parnell as a fit and proper person to represent the county of Meath in parliament.

That day a great friendship was created and sealed between a nationalistic Roman Catholic priest and a Saxon Protestant landlord, a member of the hated gentry.

Locally, Fr Tormey was also active politically. In February 1880, landlord Harry Bourke evicted a widow called Farrell and her daughter from the Hays estate in Yellow Furze.

Harry Bourke sought to drive the people from the Harristown, Dean Hill and Hays areas of his estate. He was met by the opposition of Fr Thomas Lynch, PP, and Fr Michael Tormey, CC, Blacklion. Fr Lynch was president of the Meath Tenant Defence League and the row got so intense that there was a warrant issued for the arrest of Fr Tormey. The landlord did not get his way in arresting the former curate or clearing his estate. Blacklion was the old 17th century title of the parish known as Beauparc today.

The letter uncovered in Kentstown Church is very simple but it does show how popular Fr Tormey was with parishioners. The Mrs McNamara whom he mentions in the letter lived in the house opposite the church beside the pub, now a shed.

Bridget Wall lived in the house where Johnny and May Wall live today (no relation) with her father Christopher and mother Margaret (nee Carter, a relation of Dick Carter). She had three siblings, sister Mary and brothers Paddy and Christopher. Christopher, known around Kentstown, as Kit Wall, was born in 1870 and died in 1960.

From the letter, it is known that Bridget was the sacristan at the church. Unfortunately, that is all the information that seems to be available on her. There is no record of her marriage or her death in the parish records.

The letter was found directly under the bell tower, which Paschal Marry says posits two scenarios. One, the letter fell out of Bridget's pocket as she rang the Angelus bell, or she placed the letter between the cracks for posterity and to keep it a secret as requested by Fr Tormey. He prefers the latter scenario!