A Lot of History in One Place

I am not sure I will ever make it as a top grade connector of historical dots of information.

I spotted this plaque at the altar end of the disused church at Aghingh Cemetery where I learnt of Adrian Carton de Wiart and also Bishop MacEgan. I took the photograph to share with TMG who resides near Blarney. I thought it slightly odd that reference to ‘dutiful son and affectionate brother’ took precedence over ‘faithful husband and loving father’.

A few months back, I had watched Réabhlóid – Death of a Pacifist on TG4 about the killing of Francis Sheehy Skeffington in 1916 but did not register the name of the officer who had ordered his execution.

Captain J. C. Bowen Colthurst was the son of Robert Walter Travers Bowen Colthurst but it was TMG reminded me of this. A younger brother, Robert MacGregor Bowen Colthurst died in WW1 on 15 March, 1915.

An interesting coincidence that both Francis Skeffington and Robert Walter Travers Bowen each added the name of his wife to their name.

This weekend, Stair na hÉireann reminded that Francis Sheehy Skeffington was executed on 26th April, 1916 on the orders of Captain J. C. Bowen Colthurst.

Three separate pieces of history in one small graveyard…..

ALSO IN MEMORY OF

GEORGINA BOWEN COLTHURST

WIDOW OF THE ABOVE
WHO DIED NOV 21 1921
AGED 65 YEARS

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF

ROBERT WALTER TRAVERS BOWEN COLTHURST

BORN 16TH MARCH 1840
FELL ASLEEP 16TH NOVEMBER 1896

AT OAK GROVE CO. CORK

WHOM THE LORD LOVETH, HE CHASTENETH AND SCOURGETH EVERY SON WHOM
HE REVEICETH
IF YE ENDURE CHASTENING GOD DEALETH WITH YOU AS WITH SONS FOR WHAT
SON IS HE WHOM THE FATHER CHASTEBETH NOT (HEBREWS X11 6:7)

 

A DUTIFUL SON AND AFFECTIONATE BROTHER
A FAITHFUL HUSBAND AND LOVING FATHER
IN EVERY RELATION OF LIFE RESPECTED HONOURED AND ESTEEMED
LIVING AND DYING IN GOOD WILL TOWARDS ALL MEN
TRULY IRISH IN HIS GENEROUS CHARACTER AND GENIAL NATURE
DEVOTED TO THE GOOD OF HIS COUNTRY
AND COUNTRYMEN
LOVING HANDS BORE HIM TO HIS LAST RESTING PLACE
THE REMEMBRANCE OF HIS SIMPLE INTEGRITY TO HIS UNDAUNTED COURAGE
HIS CHEERFUL ENDURANCE AND SUBMISSION DURING YEARS OF BODILY SUFFERING
WILL REMAIN A BEAUTIFUL AND ENCOURAGING EXAMPLE