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| GOWRAN ABBEY, CO. KILKENNY. -The partially restored ruin which appears in the sketch is that of Gowran Abbey, situated in the town of that name, which lies on a branch of the Great Southern and Western railway, connecting the city of Kilkenny with Bagnallstown in the neighboring county of Kildare. It is a curious, but can hardly be called an imposing specimen of the Norman-Gothic style of church architecture, and its low, square, battlemented tower and massive walls give it a somewhat stunted look. It fact, it has a great deal the appearance of some of those old Spanish "Missions," to be found in Texas and the two Mexicos-half church, half fortress. Lying within the oft-raided territory of the English Pale, it suffered the vicissitudes of all such edifices during the long and ruthless wars between the Saxon, or, more properly, the Norman, and the Gael. During the "Reformation" period it was subjected to ruin, but again revived under the fostering sway of the Catholic Confederation, which preceded the cyclonic path of the conquering and remorseless Cromwell. After that great scourge of Ireland swept by it, the abbey was again but a remnant and remained so for many weary years. Pious hands, enabled to work for the glory of God under less savage laws, finally renovated and restored it, so that it is once more a place of Catholic worship. |
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