Category: Cemeteries - Reading the Signs

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Finding A Lost Séamus Murphy

27/7/2020

Maybe Not Lost Lost – Just Lost In Plain Sight

Shanrahan Cemetery – Part 2

Those of you who drop by here regularly will be well aware of my appreciation of and interest in the work of the Cork Sculptor, Séamus Murphy.

The book published by the Crawford Art Gallery continues to be a source for some detours on my various journeys to visit his headstones, statues or plaques that I have not yet photpgraphed and touched – touching of stonework, especially headstones, is very important.

The book does not list any headstone in Clogheen or Shanrahan. It makes no reference to Edward Sackville-West.

When in Shanrahan last week, I decided to look out for headstones, the subject of Photo Requests on the Find-A-Grave website. Three requests proved elusive. William Wade was spotted close to the O’Callaghan mausoleum.

The date of death of 1965 suggested that the headstone of Edward Sackville-West would be easily found in the new part of the cemetery and it was. His Find-A-Grave biography does read of an interesting life.

That evening I met P.J. and his lady wife who were out for a stroll and advised that they understood that Edward was descended from the family that gave its name to Sackville Street – now O’Connell St. in Dublin. The referred me to a book by local historian Ed O’Riordan – Lonely Little God’s Acre on Shanrahan cemetery which has now been requested through the Inter-Library Loan.

On a Tuesday evening, outside Clogheen in County Tipperary, I was smiling broadly once the carver’s name was spotted. The headstone was admired, and touched.

The Timing Of Commemoration

26/7/2020

Earlier this week, a long day’s work after an early start finished in Cahir just after five and I decided to treat myself to a Supertramp evening – I took the Long Way Home , the road not previously travelled.

I have recently started putting my ‘To Visit’ locations on a Google Map so that it is easier to cross-check diversions and distractions when time may permit on a journey.

I recently learned of Fr. Nicholas Sheehy via Tipperary Studies on Twitter. He was hung drawn and quartered in Clonmel in 1766 and buried in Shanrahan Cemetery, outside Clogheen in Co. Tipperary where he is also remembered with a monument outside the church and in the name of the local GAA Club – An t-Athair Sithigh.

Fr. Sheehy’s grave is in a reasonably prominent position in the graveyard – a double grave adjacent to the old church, shared with Rev. Dr. James Glison.

It is interesting to note that the plaque was erected in 1898, the centenary year of the 1798 rebellion and 132 years after his death. The tomb conservation was in 2013. The final project of my Local History course is on remembrance and commemoration – the To Do list not contains questions:

why the delay in commemoration
were there no 1798 local heroes to commemorate at the centenary in 1898
why 2013 for the conservation works?
When was GAA Club formed?

As ever, some knowledge leads to more questions.

Remembering Mary Kate O’Leary

18/5/2020

From Old Kilcrumper Cemetery outside Fermoy.

I have seen many headstones with references to I.R.A., Old I.R.A. and Volunteers but I think I can only recall one with reference to Cumann na mBan.

I suspect there will be time spent checking photographs of other cemeteries as lockdown continues.

The Gun Runner, The Hermit of The Glen & The Priest’s Car

21/4/2020

Today, there were a number of tweets to remember that on this day in 1916, Roger Casement landed at Banna Strand in Co. Kerry having travelled on The Aud with arms for the planned rebellion of Easter 1916. He was arrested shortly after landing and became the last of the ’16 Men Dead’ when executed in Pentonville Prison in August.

This reminded me of the remnannts of an old and very small cottage that I spotted when travelling the roads around Ballymacelligott, a few years ago. I saw a fingerpost sign for the Captain Monteith 1916 Memorial and went searching.

Killed – Not Guilty

16/1/2020

Following on yesterday blog about Breda O’Connell who died when struck by a car and whose headstone includes the words ‘Killed In Athlunkard St.’, I spent some time searching.

The internet revealed that Patrick Manifold of Anne Street, Limerick was in a motor accident on the way to Shannon Airport on 2nd June, just eight weeks earlier, but this was not mentioned in reports on the inquest. The Cork Examiner of 6 August reported on the case at Ennis District Court where Patrick Manifold of the same address was on trial for dangerous driving, where he was fined £3.

Killed By Motor Car

15/1/2020

‘Kill’ is not a word that I have often seen on a headstone. A word like that does prompt the inquisitiveness in me.

This headstone at Kilmurry, Limerick did intrigue. The internet, and Limerick City Library, provided some information that Breda O’Connell died after being struck by a motor car driven by Patrick William Manifold on Athlunkard Street, Limerick. The inquest believed that Mr Manifold was unfit to drive. Mr Manifold was returned for trial but my web searching will need to improve to try and find the outcome of that hearing.

Whiddy - Remembering The Victims Whose Names Are Known To God Alone

15/1/2020

Last week was the anniversary of the Betelgeuse disaster on Whiddy Island in Bantry Bay. There were a number of tweets reminding of the 51 who died in 1979. I remember that my mother wanted to drive down to Bantry and see what was being shown on the television. The young me thought that wish very odd. The current me is disappointed that she didn’t get there and bring us with her.

In 2018, I visited Bantry graveyard and was well impressed by the monument designed by a J. L. Fontaine, who does not appear on a web search.

I had not realised that two victims were unnamed.

Margaret Jones d. 29.12.1870

29/12/2019

Another from my visit to the cemetery at Aghada in East Cork. The headstone to Margaret Jones who died aged just 20, on this day 149 years ago did cause me to stop, ponder and leave with some thoughts and queries.

The engraving has stood up a lot better than others that I have seen.

What does 21st Co. R.E. mean? My best would might be 21st Company Royal Engineers.

The spacing of the engraver with regard to YEAᴿˢ.

The apparent expectation of remarrying – How Few Her Equal Shall I Find.

I suppose the world of any period is frail to any bereaved.

Sacred
To
The Memory
Of
MARGARET JONES
The Beloved Wife Of
J. F. JONES 21st Co. R E Who
Departed This Life
29th Dec. 1870 Aged 20 Years

I Mourn Her Loss.
The Fond. The Kind.
How Few Her Equal Shall I Find
In This Frail World Today.

How Soon Thy Self Must Like Me Be

26/12/2019

Whoeer Thou Art That Comst This
Way. Pray For Me. O Dear r Prayyr.
How Soon Thy Self Must Like Me
Be. Think And How Late I Was
Like Thee.

I have spotted this sentiment before on headstones but I think this must be the earliest.

John Verling rests at Aghada Cemetery in East Cork and died in 1734.

A Pillow Stone

24/8/2019

Another first spotted at Killiney Cemetery in Castlegregory, Co. Kerry.

I cannot recall before seeing a headstone in the shape of a pillow – caused me to stop for a while and smile.

Sleep well, Timmy O’Connor

Stone Art

12/8/2019

Having spent our holidays on the Dingle peninsula over the past years, we are well used to the Irish summer weather. We have had to have distractions and other activities for the not-so-great days.

Collecting sea glass and making art pieces has been a form of entertainment. Another has been Stone Art – where stones collected on the beach (on a marginally better day) are then painted.

This summer, in both Kilshannig and Killiney Cemeteries, near Castlegregory, I noted painted stones. It appears that the weather may not be restricted to the summer months and others have some mindfulness with StoneArt.

A selection of images of the painted stones:

A Cure For Seasickness

10/8/2019

I do not think that many consider the purpose of a headstone is to bring a smile – it looks like Josephine Deane held the minority view, thankfully.

KIlshannig Cemetery must have one of the best aspects of any graveyard that I have visited and Jospehine’s headstone occupies prime real estate.

So the visitor gets a smile and a view.

Well Done, Rita Donnellan – I like

9/8/2019

In Killiney Cemetery in Castlegregory, it took me a few seconds to spot the headstone. At first I just saw grass and the bush.

The oval shaped stone was then spotted. It could easily be a stone from the neighbouring beaches, repurposed to accommodate the essential information of name and date – Rita Donnellan, 27 – 11 – 1986.

I like this on so many fronts – using materials that are near to hand, and free; the understated nature; the fact that someone thought of this 33 years ago; and, the skill of carving on a carving on a curve.

The Yank

4/4/2019

‘It wasn’t that I was ungrateful to America because America had been good to me, and still is, but even the very bird prefers the area where it was hatched’
Tomás Ó Cinnéide – The Wild Rover
(trans. Pádraig Tyers)

Last July, heading for a weekend on the Dingle peninsula, I detoured at Cordal and took time-out, a few minutes of me-time in Kilmurry Cemetery. There, for the first time, I met with John O’Donoghue who had died 35 years earlier, about the time that I was receiving my Leaving Certificate results.

I have seen many nicknames on headstones on my rambles through cemeteries. The term ‘The Yank’ struck. Maybe it was because I had not long finished the book by another returned Yank, Tomás Ó Cinnéide. Maybe it sparked a memory of the tales told of Kruger.

As possibly the only returned emigrant in the area, use of ‘John O’Donoghue’ was likely to cause confusion in the area, whereas there was, most likely, just one ‘Yank’.

This morning, I spotted a tweet about a recently released book by Sinéad Moynihan on the ‘Returned Yank’ that will probably be requested of my local library in the near future.

It brought back that minute on two standing with John O’Donoghue on a lovely quiet Kerry morning.

James Daly – d. 2 Nov, 1920

2/11/2018

“My dearest Mother, I take this opportunity of writing to you to let you know the dreadful news, that I am to be shot on Tuesday morning, the 1st of November. What harm, it is all for Ireland. I am not afraid to die, but it thinking of you I am. That is all: if you will be happy on earth I will be happy in Heaven. I am ready to meet my doom. The priest is with me when needed so you need not worry over me… I am the only one of 62 of us to be put out of this World, but I am ready to die”
Private Jim Daly, leader of the Mutiny
Mutiny For The Cause – Sam Pollock (1969)

The day after Kevin Barry was executed, James Daly met a similar fate.

Growing up I would have learned of Kevin Barry, the former Belvedere student who was due to sit an exam as part of his U.C.D. Medical Studies but participated in an I.R.A. attack, was captured, court-martialled and hanged. Years ago, I would have heard the song sung by Paul Robeson, Leonard Cohen and others.

It was much more recently that I learned of James Daly.

He was a member of the Connaught Rangers who refused to soldier when they heard of the treatment of Irish men and women at the hands of the Black & Tans. Patrick McGrath, a colleague of his from India, lies in Castlehyde Cemetery. His headstone prompted my reading of the Indian Mutiny.

James Daly led a group of the Connaught Rangers in an attempt to regain their guns which they had handed over. Two soldiers died. As leader, James Daly was court-martialled and executed.

Last month, I had to travel from Dublin to Roscommon so I availed of the opportunity to travel the old main road west and make a visit to Tyrellspass and leave one of my stones on the grave of James Daly.