The Grave of St. Patrick.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 31, 11 February 1875, Page 2

The Grave of St. Patrick.

Mr Barry PfennMJ^writin*g;4h' ;^Laii and Water,' Waf& #^| OneA <snises which I think wlrfS lmpr|§S/( mfc strangers with alfe'e.lih^o!f.disapfioin||i, surprise is a visit th^€^E^drdl 400. of Downpatrick. If is neithe^'the city itself nor the fine substantial cathedral on . the , hill _ that eyqke this feeling. They; ata w^lU kou^hj thriving, comfortable ? -ltfbkin ;^'oir ihe whole, and ineed^nqt'-f^ cathedrals or cathedral cities "of If But something more than disappointzm^iiV somfithin^like,, iij.^ig»aßt. jjgr-. prise, : takes ; .possession" of Tbh^ofi" hiiiig : ledup .to." what is. smtjojle' ;h J eld(^kacred as the gwe of igt : "Paixi6k,;snd;whie£. as such is "visited, 1 tm c tbfd, b^ •nfultitudes of American r sti¥h&Brs every year. It lies in the highest and mo^t. . central positibn in the otherwise deoe^tly itept churchyard^ surfbunding Downpatrick Cathedral, -^nd U the bhe spbt df eatth in the : whole place that appears giv'eh up to "complete neglect -and- -desecration; -': .--Arouiid r :ar&.„grave.s,.and g;rayes tones, ancient and modern, all well-ordered* "-aSd" : he&tly • • kepl^ -"■' some i .showing;, the,, recent touchy of „ hands i directed by lb vfrig care^'while^-he'dnei which stranger's .:. would' hava expected! .to find most honored and revered is the, only dishbnbr^gravd' arttoh'g- thehi "aii. ! '.The,*, unsightlys-lpoki-ng-j hde, yanm arked ; by cross or slab, now half-filled with; loose rubble of biMfen- bricks* stones,! and earth,- is ,a* disgrace to .the people of! Down, who, "be they 1 Pfbt'es'^ants' or Papists, in that. ? th6y ■ claim*, .t0... be : Christians, have an eqnal right to honor the resting-place of this faithful,; fearless : preacher, of Christianity,, -who; was the first to bring the Gospel of Truth 'into -Ir^andv^the'-fir'st- tb introduce [the -dawn, of civilisation : among*, her then wholly barbarous prmces and! people,- and whose' feet.first* t'oiiched^the Irish soil upon the shores of the County Down. I shall feel proud indeed '■' if these" olTservafioiis ~ writ" lead^any- one belonging -to the neighborhood or the county to -take some interest in the matter.''*