Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/116

Rh GLASGOW. 108 GLASLOUGH. Church, the Reformed Preshyterians, Original Seceders, Independents, Independents not in connection with the Congregational Union, Old Independents, Baptists, Evan- gelical Union, Church of England, Scottish Episcopalian, Catholic Apostolic Church, Wesleyan Methodists, Wes- leyan Association, Primitive Methodists, Congregational Presbyterians, Society of Friends, Universalists, Uni- tarians, and Roman Catholics. The last named have an immense church, dedicated to St. Andrew, in Clyde- street, besides other places of worship, and two convents, viz. that of the Sisters of Mercy in Abercromby-street, and that of the Immaculate Conception in Charlotte- street. Glasgow also possesses a public washhouse, and a gymnasium, situated upon the Green near the suspension bridge, and there have lately been built public eating-rooms, at which refreshments can be obtained of the best quality, and at a very moderate price, by the working classes. These establishments, although the articles supplied at them are charged at a very low tariff, are found not only to be self- supporting, but even to return a small profit to their projectors, and the example set by Glasgow in originating them has been copied, and will, it is to be hoped, be yet still further copied, in some of the large towns in Eng- land. The railway termini in Glasgow are situated as follows : The Edinburgh and Glasgow in St. George' s- square ; the Caledonian at the extreme end of Buchanan- street ; the Grecnock, Ayr, and Paisley on the S. side of the river, at the foot of Glasgow bridge. A scheme has just been set on foot, and has received the sanction of parliament, for uniting all these railways at a general terminus on the E. side of St. Enoch's-square, and the site of the college is to be converted into an immense goods station. The municipal government of the city is in the hands of a lord provost, 8 bailies, a dean of guild, a deacon-convener, and 37 common councillors, who are elected by the 10 ratepayers. The arms of the city of Glasgow are very peculiar. They consist of a tree with a bird perched on one of the branches, and having on one side of it a bell, and on the other a salmon with a ring in its mouth, the motto being " Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the Word." This coat and legend are said to have arisen from events in the life of Kenti- gern, the son of Ewan Eufurien, King of Cumbria, who, having devoted himself to a religious life, took up his abode in Glasgow (A.D. 580). His life was so holy that he obtained the reputation and appellation of a saint, and although his own name was Kentigern, he received the sobriquet of Mungo, by which title he is more com- monly known. He is said to have been so great a favourite with his preceptor, Bishop Servan, that the latter was in the habit of addressing him as Mongah, which in Celtic signifies " beloved friend," and this familiar appellation was the one by which he became eventually known, on account of the benefits he con- ferred upon those among whom he lived. St. Mungo had not long settled in Glasgow before he was driven away from it by the heathen king of Cumbria, and took refuge in Wales, where ho founded the see of St. Asaph. Upon his return to Glasgow he began to preach to the people, and such a multitude collected that what he said only reached those who were nearest to him. A miracle, however, enabled all the crowd to hear his discourse, for the ground on which he stood became suddenly elevated into a small hillock, and thus every one who was present both saw the saint and heard his words distinctly. With regard to the arms of Glasgow, the tree is said to have originated from the fact that once, when the lamps in the monastery of Culross were suddenly extinguished, St. Kentigern broke a large frozen bough from a neigh- bouring tree, breathed upon it, and it immediately became ignited and broke forth into vivid flame. The bird perched on the bough represents a tame robin which was the favourite of St. Servan at Culross ; but having been accidentally killed and torn to pieces, its limbs were re-united, and it was restored to life by St. Kenti- gern. The salmon with the ring commemorates the following event: The Queen of Cadyow had a ring presented to her by her husband, as a token of his affec- tion. This ring she unfortunately chanced to lo The king, suspecting her to have given it away, ' about to put her to death, when in her distress applied to the saint, and begged his prayers for its re very. St. Kentigern agreed to intercede for her, i after his devotions, he went to walk upon the banks of the Clyde. While there he observed some men engaged in fishing, and desired that the first fish taken should be brought to him. This was accordingly done, and upon opening the mouth of the salmon, the ring which the queen had lost was found there, and restored to her by the saint. The bell represents a bell that was brought from Rome by St. Kentigern. It was called St. Mungo's bell, and was tolled upon the death of any of the brethren, to warn the citizens to pray for the soul of the departed. It was preserved up to the time of the Reformation, but was carried away by the Iconoclasts and those who destroyed so many precious works of religious art at that period. This account, however^ is of course fabulous. The tree in all probability typifies the forest which surrounded the old portion of the city ; the bell the cathedral ; the ring the episcopal dignity which Glasgow enjoyed ; and the salmon the abundance of that and other fish which was at that early period taken in the Clyde. The continually increasing wealth and population of Glasgow are daily adding to its resources and its extent. The old buildings and the densely inhabited portions of the city are undergoing constant improvement, and its institutions of every kind are not only liberally endowed and supported, but in many instances afford examples of economic administration combined with great usefulness, which might with ad- vantage be imitated by the managers of similar establish- ments in other cities and towns of the United Kingdom. The chief magistrate of Glasgow is styled the " lord provost." The property of the corporation is very extensive, and arises from feu-duties, bazaar-rents and dues, rents of seats in the Established Church, and various miscellaneous sources. Its amount is about 20,000 annually. Fairs are held in various parts of the city for live and dead stock on certain days in every month except in August, September, October, and December ; and the fast days appointed by the Estab- lished Church are kept on the Thursday before the second Tuesday of April and the Thursday before the last Tues- day of October. GLASH, an island in Lough Corra, bar. of Tyrawley, co. Mayo, prov. of Connaught, Ireland. It is interesting as having been the retreat of Bishop Balefadda. Remains of his grave and of an old church exist. GLASHARE, a par. in the bar. of Galmoy and Clar- mallagh, cos. Kilkenny and Queen's County, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 3 miles N.E. of Johnstown. Rath- downey is its post town. The surface consists of a poorish soil, watered by a small stream falling into the Nore. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Ossory, val. with Rathdowney, 763, in the patron, of the bishop. There is a private day school. In the Roman Catholic arrangement the parish is included in the Kirke district. GLASLOUGH, a post and market town in the par. of Donagh, bar. of Trough, co. Monaghan, prov. of Ulster, Ireland, 5 miles N.E. of Monaghan, and 82 from Dublin. It is seated on the bank of a picturesque lake, from which it derives its name of Glaslough, or " Green Lake." The cross roads from Emyvale to Tynan, and from Caledon to Monaghan, meet here. The village consists of well-built houses, and presents an attractive appearance. Glaslough House is the seat of the Leslies, who own the manor, and to whom the place is indebted for most of its improvements, and for the encouragement of the flax and grain trade. Here is a dispensary within the Monaghan Poor-law Union. The mansion of Glas- lough was anciently a castle with moat and drawbriJye. Drumbanagher rath is near the town, the seat < battle in which James II.'s forces were routed in 1688 by the Protestants, who lost their colonel, Matthew Anketell. The parish church stands in the town, and j has a monument to Anketell. Friday is market day,