TOMBSTONES AND INSCRIPTIONS
Dr. Beryl F. E. Moore & Mrs. J. Maguire 1974
Healy says the dedication is St. Patrick and Dopping says the Blessing Virgin Mary. We give name, earliest date on stone, description and inscription. We begin on S side of church and work in rows from S boundary to ruined church, and from W end to E end.
Row 1
1) SMITH 1734… Very crudely shaped small stone with some good carving. A cherub’s head with outstretched wings in centre, but owing to the flaking of the stone on each side the inscription in centre can only be read. “Here lyeth ye body Jane? Smith … departed this life … Ye 31 … 1734 aged …”
2) ….This is a fine large stone broken into 2 large pieces but it seems to have no carving or inscription. A third piece is needed to complete it but we failed to find it.
3) TANNAIN 1793… Large stone tilting backwards covered in Lichen. A circle of foliage at top encloses a cross IHS and heart, and on each side of it is a cherub’s head with wings outstretched. They have a peculiar headdress. “This stone erected by George Tannain of Kilcock in memory of his ancestors whose remains lye here. Also for his beloved wife Catherine Tannain who departed this life March … 1793 aged 37 years. May their souls rest in peace amen”. We were unable to read the day of the month.
4) MAGAN 1859 … Large stone some 6 ft. high with Celtic type cross on top and in its centre a lamb on a cross. “The family burial place of Andrew Magan. Patrick died Oct. 1859 aged 21, Mary died Nov.1862 aged 17, Ellen died Oct. 1865 aged 25, the above Andrew died May 1870 aged 63, Bridget died Oct. 1874 aged 17, Anne died June 1876 aged 15, Mary wife of above died August 1876 aged 62, John Magan died August 1889, his wife Elizabeth died November 1919 and his son Patrick died May 1901 aged 19, also his daughter Rosanna died April 1902 age 14, and Mary died June 1903 aged 23, also his son Andrew died May 1904 aged 25 RIP”. At the bottom of the stone in front is ‘J.Grehan Baggot St. Dublin’.
Row 2
5) GILL 1816… Tabletomb broken into 3 pieces and now lying on the ground. The top piece carried the inscription. “1816. This tomb was placed here by Mr. William Gill of the City of Dublin in memory of his brother Mr. Richard Thomas gill who died 7th January aged 29 years, as also of his father Mr. Richard Gill died October 17th aged 63 years”.
6) ……. Large dark heavy stone tilting backwards. No ornamentation can be seen and inscription can’t be read except “Thomas … his father”.
7) CLARENDON 1861. Tall narrow thick stone. “Sacred to the memory of Thomas Clarendon Esq. Parnell Place Dublin and of Newtown Rathganley County Meath who died 13th Feb. 1861 aged 95 years, also of Elizabeth Clarendon his wife who died 28th Oct.1862 aged 69 years. Also their children Emily Clarendon who died 16th Sept. 1827, Thomas Edward Clarendon who died 5th July 1837 aged 19 years and John Clarendon 23rd July 1837 aged 4 years”. At bottom of stone is ‘Precious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his saints’ PS 116. 15.
8) BARRY 1764…. Very heavy stone with circular sunburst surrounding a cross IHS and heart with flames rising out of it. “This stone was erected by Thomas Barry for his posterity in memory of his father Willm Barry who died Ye 18th 1764 aged 70 years”.
9) BERRY 1773… Small stone lying against S wall of church porch with cross IHS and heart at top. “Here lyeth ye body of William Berry who died Ye 14th of September 1773 aged 54 years. This stone was erected by his wife Ann Hand”.
Row 3
10) BRIEN 1859… Tall narrow stone tilting backwards. Circular Sunburst around Cross and IHS, Chalice surmounted by a cross on each side. “Erected by John Brien in memory of his beloved child John Brien who died young on 15th of Sept. 1859”.
11) FLYNN 1862… Modern type stone with lead-filled letters. Cross on top. “Erected by James Flynn to the memory of his beloved parents Thomas Flynn Pierstown who died 2nd April 1862 aged 54 years. Also his wife Jane who died 10th May 1899 aged 80 years. Also her daughter Bridget who died 7th April 1900 aged 65 years. James Flynn old Carton Maynooth died 14th September 1929 aged 84 years. R I P”.
12) FLYNN 1916… Modern Celtic Cross with flaming heart symbol in centre. “In memory of Thomas Flynn late of Catherinstown Maynooth Co. Kildare died 24th Nov. 1916 aged 73 yrs. His wife Anne Flynn died 24th Aug. 1930 aged 85 years. Robert Flynn late of Piercetown Kilcock Co. Meath died 28th Sept. 1929 aged 85 years. His wife Frances Flynn died 5th Dec. 1951 aged 93 years”. At bottom of stone ‘J. Bennett Ardbraccan’. A small iron plaque surmounted by a simple iron cross is placed in front of the above with “Rememberance. Ellen Flynn Boherboy Saggart Co. Dublin died May 8th 1930 aged 62 R I P”.
Row 4
13) WEAKFIELD 1772… Old heavy stone tilting backwards with a large heart carved on top with 3 tulips on long stems spraying out of it’s top. “This stone was erecd. by John Weakfield in memory of his father Samuel Weakfield who died December the 10th 1772 aged 66 years.
14) CAMPBELL 1772… An oldfashioned stone with no ornamentation. It is difficult to read the inscription because it is tilting forward at such an angle. “This stone was erected by John Campbell of Porterstown in memory of his son William Campbell who departed this life May the 17th A D 1773 aged 23 years” The letters are very well carved.
15) TALLON 1910… Modern grey marble cross. “In loving memory of Edward Tallon died 19th Oct. 1918 aged 96 and his wife Jane died 7th Sept. 1910 aged 86. Mary wife of James Tallon died 1st April 1910. Also the above James Tallon died 23rd October 1941 aged 74”.
16) KENNEDY- No date… Small square uncarved stone less than a foot above ground which apparently is the lower portion of a headstone with the end of an inscription. “Aged 60 years. This stone was erected by Patrick Kennedy”. The ‘’A’ in ‘years’ was apparently forgotten and added above.
17) CONNELL 1787… Cross IHS and 3 Nails in a circular sunburst but the latter is almost completely worn away. A big old rough stone. “Erected by Patrick Connell in memory of his father Michael and mother Elizabeth alias Holligan who died 1787”.
18) MC GUINNESS … Tabletomb with an Irish and Latin inscription around the edge and the date 1575 under our Lord’s left arm.
19) O’HARA, JOHN A D 1746 …This is a tiny tablet let into the S wall of the church about 8 ft. above the ground just about the Tabletomb, but 2 years ago vandals knocked the McGuinness tabletomb over and smashed the tiny O’Hara tablet to smithereens.
Row 5
20) HEL—–1765… A very old stone slightly tilting forward and with no carving on top. “This stone…by Michael Hel—-in memory of his father Richard who dep… March 17th 1764 aged 60. Also his two daughters”. Unfortunately we couldn’t make out the full name.
Row 6
21) REYNOLDS 1908. Iron cross and on base a plaque with “Patrick Reynolds died 27th Dec. 1933 aged 24 years. Mary Reynolds died 18th July 1908 aged 5 years”.
22) … Small plain unornamented stone only 4 or 5 inch above ground under a Yew tree. Unfortunately we were unable to raise it and there was no inscription on the exposed part.
Stones on the E side of the ruined church have not been put in rows as they are not many. We begin at the East wall and work towards the fence.
23) …. Small stone with incised cross and no name or date. Propped against the E wall of the church. Could it have marked a monk’s grave?
24) WILLIAMS 1851 … A plain stone with inscription on a marble inset. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Rev. 14 V. 13. Sacred to the beloved memory of
Robert Williams Esq. of Arodstown House died on the 2nd of Aug.1851 aged 61 years and Charlotte Cayer Williams his wife who died on the 30th of Nov. 1866 aged 73 years. Also Mary K. Williams their daughter who died on the 10th May 1854 aged 29 years and Katherine L. Williams their daughter died the 5th Sept 1853 aged 27”
25) SHERIDAN 1834 … A tall plain stone (7ft. high) with a lamb lying on a cross at the top. “Erected to the memory of Mr. James Sheridan of Woodtown who died on the 23rd of November 1834 and his beloved wife Anne who died on the 17th of January 1848. Beneath also lie the remains of Bridget the wife of Mr. Thomas Sheridan of Kilcock who died on 22nd of May 1848 and Catherine the wife of Mr. Andrew Sheridan of Woodtown who died on the 17th of May 1849”.
26) PAYNE 1960… Small modern stone. “In loving memory of Kate Payne died March 12th 1962”.
27) CORCORAN 1885 … Plain cross. “Erected in memory of Mrs. Jane Corcoran who died 28th of October 1885 aged 83 years. Also her beloved husband David Corcoran who died 22nd March 1887 aged 67 years. And their beloved son Christopher who died 29th January 1890 aged 40 years.
28) WALSH 1829 … Tabletomb on 6 well-carved pedestal stones. This great slab has worn badly partly because it was enveloped in Elderberry, Ash and Bramble bushes. We had over an hour’s work clipping and sawing before we could attempt to read the inscription and even then we were only partly successful. “This tomb was erected by Thomas Walsh of Phepotstown in memory of his mother Mary Walsh who departed this life 19th November 1828. Deservedly regretted by all who knew her. She was …. Sarah Walsh died August 1820 Maria Walsh who died April 1827 and Margaret Brady who died May 1829”. At the bottom of the slab we get “yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
29) FORDE 1940… Modern stone with ‘Thy will be Done’ above. “Michael Forde Mullagh 19th March 1940 and his son Michael died 22nd June 1941”.
31) WHITTLE 1856. Large wide stone. “Erected by Stephen Whittle of Clonferth Co. Kildare in memory of his beloved wife Alicia Whittle who departed this life 15th Nov. 1856 aged 28 years”.
32) GREGORY, REV. TIGHE ….. I do not know the date of death or inscription as this tombstone is lying face down since the vandals uprooted it 2 years ago.
KILMORE CROSS… In the year 1837 the Rev. Tighe Gregory found the Kilmore Cross and erected it with the help of a mason in a large block of granite as he didn’t find the base. He also found the McGuinness slab, and I read the account in the RIA but though I paid 7 visits to the old graveyard I failed to find the Cross. Nobody seemed to know anything about it until I met old Mr. Thomas Goodwin in 1966 who had heard his father speak of it and said he thought a certain family might have hidden it in their family grave. He was able to point out the position of this grave which had no headstone and was under a Yew tree and enveloped in briars. Mr. Pat Clyne set to with a spade and we unearthed the cross. Mr. Etienne Rynne was at the time excavating at Kiltale and I asked him to come over and look at my find. He dated it 1575 and thought it was carved by the same sculptor as the McGuinness slab and several of the carved stones I found in the Langford estate. Mr. Rynne thought that at that period there must have been an excellent school of carving in the Summerhill area. Apparently after the death of the Gregorys and the dismantling of the Church this Cross was lost sight of and a certain family decided to hide it. Recently it was brought to Moynalvy Church and set up there but not in its original granite block.
The DUNCAN/ECHLIN Grave Slabs with fine heraldic carving were brought to the Protestant church in Dunshaughlin when the roof was taken off Kilmore.
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