Blog Posts - Reading the Signs

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John Flanagan Was Killed

19/12/2020

Grey Abbey, Kildare

An rud is annamh is iontach is an Irish saying which translates as ‘that what is rare, is wonderful’.

The word ‘killed’ is a rarity found on headstones, from my experience of visits to cemeteries. It does cause this writer to step back, consider, and, in the case of John Flanagen, do some further investigartion.

‘Kill - to make a person or other living thing die (transitive/intransitive verb)’ – Macmillan Dictionary

‘Kill - to cause the death of (an animal or person); to put someone to death; to murder; to slaughter; to destroy someone or something (transitive/intransitive verb)’ – Chambers Dictionary

Kill – ‘If a person, animal, or other living thing is killed, something or someone causes them to die’ – Collins Dictionary

‘Murder - to commit the crime of killing someone deliberately (transitive verb)’ – Macmillan Dictionary

‘Murder - to kill someone unlawfully and intentionally’ – Chambers Dictionary

‘Murder - To murder someone means to commit the crime of killing them deliberately.’ Collins Dictionary

Register of Death

I was unable to find any press report as to the traffic incident or the inquest. The death cert and the headstone differ slightly – Jackie derives from Jack which in turn derives from John – so that is understandable.

I have previously written as to the use of the word ‘kill’. I had difficulty in its use in a non-intentional setting. It is interesting that among the options available as to outcome of an inquest, the only ‘kill’ is ‘unlawful killing’ – that is one way of avoiding any confusion as to the interpretation of the word ‘kill’.

Some enjoy a visit to Kildare Village. My preference, by far, would be the adjoining cemetery.

The adjacent headstone is to Evelyn Flanagan, who died aged 7 weeks, in August 1934. If Evelyn was Jackie’s sister, one family would have lost two children in less than three years which may be enough to use ‘kill’ rather than ‘died’.

Remembering The Cillíní & Those Buried There

30/7/2020

Shanrahan Cemetery – Part 5

According to P.J. and his lady wife, whose evening stroll I interrupted, when in Shanrahan Cemetery last week, this small section was a Cillín, where unbaptised babies were buried.

I remember first learning of a Killeen or Cillín or Ceallúrach over 30 years ago in a book by Mary Leland, which I have just borrowed from the library to relive that moment of amazement.

Cromane, Co. Kerry

Cromane, Co. Kerry

“Substantial numbers of cillíní exist in Ireland, some 1,444 across both jurisdictions; this distribution, however, is an uneven one, with 66% (954/1,444) of sites located in the west in counties Kerry, Galway and Mayo. Dating evidence derived from excavated cillíní would tend to suggest that in the majority of cases they were early modern date (87%; 20/23), and it can be suggested that the proliferation of cillíní appears to be directly associated with the reinvigorated Catholicism of the Counter-Reformation in Ireland,”

Donnelly, C. J. and Murphy, E. M., ‘Children’s burial grounds (cillíní) in Ireland’, in Ryan, S. (ed.), Death and the Irish: a miscellany (Dublin, 2016).

Killorglin, Co. Kerry

Kilklorglin, Co. Kerry

The amazement at the existence of such burial grounds was heightened by the fact that, to my knowledge, I had never seen a Cillín. This continued for many years, until 2014 when I spotted the above plaques in Cromane and Killorglin in Co. Kerry. Subsequently, I noted a plaque at Ballygarvan in Co. Cork and have spotted mention to some Cillín’s that have gone on my To Visit map

Ballygarvan, Co. Cork

Ballygarvan, Co. Cork

It appears that it has taken many years for Ireland to be no longer ashamed of Cillín, possibly facilitated and assisted by the passing of time since 1994 when the Catholic Church lifted the prohibition on unbaptised being buried in consecrated ground – only 26 years ago.

The Schools Collection of the National Folklore Collection has many references to ‘Cillín’ and ‘Killeen’ which hopefully I will study in the coming weeks. The Irish Examiner noted in 2014 of some Cillíní being brought back and recognised by the community. It is reported that there are 1,444 Cillíní on the island of Ireland – my expectation would have been a significantly greater number.

If you are aware of any plaque or memorial erected at a Cillín, I would be delighted to receive any details as to where, when, by whom – please use the Contact page

“As the lane curves around towards the graveyard there is a small patch of ground on which lumps of rough-hewn stone are scattered. They are small, each less than the size of a football. There is a sign that reads: ‘Don’t pray for us/ no sins we knew / But for our parents/ they’ll pray for you.
This is the Ceallurach, the burial ground of the unbaptised children of the Famine. In Hannah Purtill’s time there was no sign here to mark the land. They didn’t need one. Everybody knew. My grandmother went to school when they were still living survivors of the disaster. Even then, when people sought every patch of ground to work, the little field was left to become overgrown: outside the burial rites of the church but sacred in its own forbidding, heartbreaking way. Nobody would ever use the land.”
Fergal Keane – Wounds: A memoir of War & Love

‘A lady was found drowned, it seems, on the Island Strand at the time when Santa Maria de la Rosa floundered. According to old stories about her she was a wealthy woman; she wore many rings and bracelets of gold and was buried at Castle Point where the graveyard is today. She was not buried, strange to say, in the graveyard proper but outside it. Years ago an old man showed me the spot.’
O’Crohan, S., A Day In Our Life, (Oxford,1992).

‘The weeping and the wailing grew loud again as the coffin was lifted on to the shoulders of four men, carried out of the house and down the steep and slippery path that led to the island harbour. On the way they passed the tiny graveyard at Castle Point, which was used for children who had died before they were baptized. The adults buried there were unidentified shipwreck victims, soldiers, suicides, and a few souls whose funerals had been confined to the island by storm.’
Moreton, C., Hungry For Home – A Journey From The Edge Of Ireland, (London, 2000).

The Fairy Tree

29/7/2020

Shanrahan Cemetery – Part 4

Trinity Well, Newmarket, Co. Cork

Holy Well of St. Colman MacDuagh, Oughtmama, Co. Clare

I have read of and encountered Rag Trees at Holy Wells.

Most people would have heard of the planned motorway in Co. Clare being rerouted so as to avoid knocking a Fairy Tree.

Until last week, I had not heard of the song, The Fairy Tree sung by John McCormack among others – or heard of Kate Ryan who features in the song’s lyrics.

As we were making to leave the cemetery for the first time, local residents, P.J. and his good wife, out for their evening stroll, educated me as to The Fairy Tree and brought me to the grave of Katie Ryan where the headstone records the name of the deceased and the song.

It is a bad day when one does not learn something new.

“They’ll tell you dead men hung there
Its black and bitter fruit
To guard the buried treasure
Round which it twines its root
They’ll tell you Cromwell hung them
But that could never be
He’d be in dread like others
To touch the Fairy Tree “

“From moonrise round the thorn tree
The little people play
And men and women passing
Will turn their heads away
But if your heart’s a child’s heart
And if your eyes are clean
You’ll never fear the thorn tree
That grows beyond Clogheen”
Temple Lane

Speaking Of Andrew Abraham – While We Still Can

28/7/2020

Shanrahan Cemetery – Part 3

There are three deaths. The first is when the body ceases to function. The second is when the body is consigned to the grave. The third is that moment, sometime in the future, when your name is spoken for the last time.

David Eagleman – Sum: Forty Tales From The Afterlives

I first spotted this quote online in a tweet by Louvain Rees – it immediately resonated.

Subsequently, I borrowed the book from the library and have had it for a Covid-extended loan period.

On my adventure through Shanrahan Cemetery, with P.J. and his good wife who were out for their evening stroll, I shared the quote when we were near the gate and the headstone to Andrew Abraham which, like the Browne headstone in Ballyhooley, is slowly but surely being absorbed into a tree.

Within a decade or so, it may be that the name Andrew Abraham may be spoken for the last time at Shanrahan Cemetery – the hunger of the tree shows no respect for the dead.

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.

Statue Protection – Irish-Style

13/6/2020

During the past day, I have seen images of the statue of Winston Churchill in London’s Parliament Square boarded up to protect it ahead of a planned protest.

It reminded me of a different statue in Co. Limerick.

A few weeks back, I spotted similar protection was offered to the statue of the Sacred Heart at Croom Hospital to avoid damage….

….. from building activities.

Can You Show Me A Metre?

13/6/2020

Can You Show Me 2 Metres? Cork Metres?

Tuckey St - 2020.06.11

As part of the marketing campaign for the change from Imperial to Metric measurement systems, there was television advert with a message that went down in memory – Can You Show Me A Metre.

Among those of a certain vintage, it is still dropped into conversation on occasion.

Cork City Council have re-invented the slogan, but with a twist, availing of some shrinkflation.

This yellow sign is on a traffic barrier at junction of Tuckey Street and Grand Parade. The two metres is actually just over 1.2m

Is there such a thing as a Cork metre?

Nobody Listens Anymore

12/6/2020

This piece of sculpture was in place for 10 years before I realised it existed – unfortunately the time I had to enjoy it was very limited.

2018.08.19

In May 2016, Micko told of his encounter walking the dog one evening. Coming up the quays by Penrose House, and approaching the bridge, he heard someone talking but there was no one nearby. Some investigation revealed that the four stainless steel structures were responsible for the sound of voices – only two of them actually.

Today I spotted a retweet from the Crawford Art Gallery that reminded me of the chat, my subsequent visits to the Listening Posts, and my promise to self to write a short blog on art installations not just being for the unveiling ceremony and plaque unveiling – some art needs some maintenance, a little love and affection.

A few days after the chat with Micko, I went down to Penrose Quay. Two of the pieces were damaged and being used as litter receptacles. The other two were broadcasting lists relating to exports and passengers from the Port of Cork. I stopped and listened for a while – some nice chill out time. After this, I went a bit out of my way a few times to hear the messages – but then they were gone.

4, Hopefully 5, Brave (and Lucky) Pigeons

23/5/2020

Dowcha Boy, White Vision,

Paddy, The King of Rome

& IHU 15 67080

“Few people can claim that they owe their very existence to a pigeon”

This is the opening line of story that I heard last November on Sunday Miscellany. Gail Seekamp tells the story of White Vision after her heroic experiences during World War II, 60 miles in 9 hours. She was renamed White Saviour.

The Dickin Medal is the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross. White Vision was one of the first three recipients in December 1943. Nine months later, Paddy was similarly honoured. I read of Paddy in Ireland’s Own. A plaque was erected in his honour at Carnlough, near Larne, and is on my To Visit list. It looks like there may be two plaques and a song - and another song, of sorts. In 2010, there was a flypast in commemoration.

A Bishop Lucey Park pigeon

This week I read of Cónal Creedon’s excellent book, Begotten Not Made, being selected for an Eric Hoffer Book Award in the U.S., and was reminded of Dowcha Boy whose exploits in World War I pre-dated the Dickin Medal. Feted on returning to Cork, the Legend of the Northside, a small but critical figure of the book, has not been forgotten by this reader.

Sunvalley Drive

The Northside

Fly, Dowcha-boy1 Fly like the wind

Paddy lived until he was 11. White Saviour lived for 10 years after her rescue night. Based in Rialto in Dublin, IHU 15 67080 was ringed in 2015, which I think may also be year of birth. I hope that she is now competing in races for pigeons with disabilities. On Thursday, a ringed leg was spotted in the grounds of St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral.

Dowcha Boy survived being shot. White Vision survived the stormy night flight that her fellow pigeon did not. Maybe IHU 15 67080 is flying, and hopping, about quite contentedly having evaded the peregrine around the golden trumpets mentioned in a tweet this morning.

“In the West End of Derby lives a working man
He says "I can't fly but me pigeons can
And when I set them free
It's just like part of me
Gets lifted up on shining wings"

"Come on down, Your Majesty
I knew you'd make it back to me
Come on down, my lovely one
You made me dream come true"

June Tabor

Orla Peach’s tweet and listening to The Unthanks earlier, was enough of a co-incidence about pigeons in one week to warrant this rambling blog.

For further distraction from Cónal Creedon, take a few minutes HERE

If it is good enough for Dowtcha Boy

Paddy Comerford on the Northside Pigeon

We are waves of the same sea…….

22/5/2020

‘We are waves of the same sea,
Leaves of the same tree,
Flowers of the same garden’

There is such a range of messages on premises with regard to the Covid lockdown but I think that this on Probys Quay must be near top of the pile.

I have not been to Tiramisu previously but expect to be there when they re-open.

Dog Poo Sign With A Difference

21/5/2020

We spotted this stencil art when up around.

Maybe the dogs are reclaiming the streets during this lockdown.

Thuesday

21/5/2020

Tuesday or Thursday – or Both

This was spotted when out for our walk today – Thursday.

I will have to check on Tuesday next if the sign is on display again. Maybe there is an effort from the Marketing Dept. to create a new word to mean both days.

Make Friends With Murphy

20/5/2020

I spotted this old advert this afternoon.

It is not my drink of choice, but I would dearly love an opportunity to make friends with Murphy.

Oh! For this lock-in to end………

Religious Pizza

19/5/2020

It is not often that I get my religion in a Supermarket. I have never before spotted it in the frozen food section of a Centra.

A pizza made by the Fellows of God – and a reduced price on last Sunday.