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February 14, 2006
AN TOSTAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME 1953 - CHAPTER 6
Chapter 6 of the An Tostal Programme of 1953 explores the history of Kildare Town as an ancient centre of learning. $MTEntryExcerpt$>SCHOOL OF KILDARE
From the earliest times the Church aimed at providing suitable education for aspirants to the priesthood, generally in a school under the personal supervision of the bishop. Such a school was established at Armagh by St. Patrick himself, and many others were founded all over Ireland. Angles and Saxons and students from other countries came in large numbers across the sea. [, - sic] to enjoy what was then recognised as the finest education Europe could offer, and were supplied gratuitously with food, books and tuition, a fact to which Venerable Bede bears express testimony. At Kildare a school of renown came into being, begun by St. Brigid herself. St. Conlaeth founded at Kildare a school of metal work and decorative art in which chalices, patens, bells and shrines for his churches and monasteries were made. Illumination of MSS, sculpture and architectural ornamentation were carried to great perfection. Notwithstanding the ravages of the Danes our annals record the deaths of many Professors of the School of Kildare. Cosgrach, the Ard-Ollamh, died in 1041. Cobthac, another Professor of Kildare, who died in 1069, was noted for his universal knowledge of ecclesiastical discipline. Ferdomhnach the blind Professor of Kildare, who died in 1110, was eminently skilled in Holy Scriptures. Thus in spite of Norse and Danish ravages, Kildare, a sacred city set on a hill, flourished as a centre of light and learning until the coming of the Normans.
(spellings and grammar retained as in original, indicated by - [sic] - square brackets and sic )
Posted by mariocorrigan at February 14, 2006 08:05 PM