Tullaghanogue graveyard is situated three miles from Athboy just beside the Athboy – Trim road. Tullaghanogue parish consisted of only two townlands and has long ceased to exist as a separate entity.
Tullaghanogue means the hillock of the young and O‘Donovan says “Near the centre of this townland is an old church or chapel built by three pious women commonly called the three sisters”.
The rectory of Tullaghanogue was appropriated to the priory of St. John the Baptist, Newtown, Trim. In 1641 it was the property of Patrick Browne. Only two Protestant clergy are recorded for the parish –1666 John Crookshank DD and 1670 John Harper- before it was united with Trim parish in 1732
On the Roman Catholic side the parish was united with Moymet and the Church in this parish is now at Kilbride.
All that remains of the old church is now part of one wall. The graveyard itself is surrounded by mature yew trees and is situated in the middle of a field adjoining the Trim – Athboy road
The rectory of Tyllanoge was impropriate to the priory of St John the Baptist in Newtown Trim, and it is listed amongst the possessions of the priory at the Suppression in 1540. Ussher (1622) describes the church as utterly ruined. This is confirmed by the Dopping (1682-5) and Royal (1693) visitations, which provide the information that it was dedicated to St Columba and was not enclosed. Cogan (1862) records the church as measuring ’54 feet by 25 feet internally (c. 16.45m x c. 7.6m)’. The south west gable and the sunken area of a building orientated survive. There is a base-batter and a destroyed window embrasure are evident in the south west wall but the northwest and southeast walls are not traceable. The parish church of Tyllanoge or Tullaghanoge is within a subrectangular graveyard defined by masonry walls, but it was not enclosed in the late 17th century.
Tobernuaglas/St. Nicholas’s Well Tullaghanogue church, located between Trim and Athboy, was dedicated to St. Nicholas. To the east of the church is a well called Tobernuaglas which was dedicated to St. Nicholas. John O’Donovan translated the name as the new green well. Cogan said the well was being visited in the 1860s. Stations were performed at the start of the harvest on the first Sunday in August. The stonework at the well bears the inscription: “Pray for the soule of Robert Lord Baron of Trimlestowne 1687.”
Lower down is another inscription “Pray for ye soul of Mrs Alice Griffin; her husband Mr. J. Griffin. Erected by her family – 1764” A schoolchild writing in the 1930s said that the well was dedicated to St. Nicholas and the waters were said to have a miraculous power of curing nervous diseases. The well was also said to have the cure of headaches and vomiting. This well appears to be located at the centre of a circular earthwork feature and is located off the farmyard entrance to Tullaghanogue House, formerly called Shamrock Hill.
1641 Rebellion
The rebellion, which began on October 22, 1641, led to more than a decade of violence and was one of the excuses used by Cromwell for coming to Ireland. The Eleven Years War, also known as The Irish Confederate Wars were fought between the Irish forces, the English forces and the Royalist forces and concluded as a war between the Irish and the forces of Cromwell. A number of major battles occurred locally: the Battle of Port Lester near Ballivor (1643), the Battle of Dungan’s Hill in Summerhill (1647) and the battle of Tycroghan near Clonard (1650).
In April 1642 Mrs Elinor Taaffe of Tullaghanoge, sixty years old, and six women more were murdered by the Soldiers of the Garrison of Trim, and a blind woman aged eighty years, was encompassed with straw by them, to which they set fire and so burnt her, the same day they hanged two women in Kilbride and two old decrepit men that begged alms of them.
From Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1837
TULLYHANOGUE, or TULLAGHANOGUE, a parish, in the barony of UPPER NAVAN, county of MEATH, and province of LEINSTER, 2 miles (N. W.) from Trim, on the road to Athboy; containing 112 inhabitants. It is the property of Lords Darnley and Sherborne, and comprises 1133¾ statute acres, nearly the whole of which, except what is in demesne, is arable and in a good state of cultivation. The land is of good quality, and the system of agriculture has been greatly improved under the auspices of those noblemen, who have recently erected some very superior farm-houses on their estates. Clifton Lodge, the seat of the Earl of Darnley, is a handsome mansion finely situated in an ample demesne, which was greatly improved by the late Lord. It is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Meath, forming part of the union of Trim; the rectory is impropriate in J. O’Reilly, Esq. The tithes amount to £54. 9. 9., of which £29. 11. 3½. is payable to the impropriator, and £24. 18. 5½. to the perpetual curate. In the R. C. divisions it is part of the union or district of Moymet.
Tullaghanogue Monumental Inscriptions
ALLEN – Of your charity pray for the soul of Mrs Bridget Allen ( Fox ) who died 7th February 1866 aged 68 years. She hath opened her hand to the needy and stretched out her hand to the poor.
BEATH – Here lyeth the body of Frances Beath dec’d Jan ye 1st 1768 aged 63 years.
BONYNGE – (Grave slab) Erected by Mrs Bonynge of Tullagho – town County Meath in memory of her husband John Boynge Esq. Also her brother James Plunkett Esq. and her daughter Anne ….. underneath also lieth ……… remains of Mrs Bonynge ….. of her daughter ………. 18( 2?)6.
FAY – Erected by Edward and Joseph Fay of Clonfain in memory of their beloved father John Fay died 7th Oct 1865 aged 81 years. Also their sister Alicia Fay died 11th Dec‘r 1860 aged 21 years. And also their sister Catherine Fay died 6th May 1846 aged 9 years. Also their mother Eliza Fay died 29th April 1881 aged 79 years
FAY – In loving memory of Margaret Fay, Clonfane died 16th September 1965. Her parents Edward and Mary Fay brother John sisters Mary and Bridget. RIP. (Stone Masons – T and D Rennicks Ardbraccan).
FOX – See Allen.
GRIFFIN ? – This stone was erected by Frances (Griffin? Gulfin?) in memory of her husband Daniel ( Griffin ? Gulfin ? ) died May ye 29 174(7?) aged 60 years. Also their son……… ( Griffin ? Gulfin ? ) died March ye 20 (1758 ? 1738 ? )……. His son Daniel died in……. year of his age. RIP.
HALTON – Erected by Michael Halton, Clonfane in memory of his wife Bridget died 7th Nov 1882 aged 28 years. His son Matthew died 6th Aug. 1916 fighting for his country. His grandson Michael died 24th Feb 1919. His son James died 2nd Feb 1920. Also James’s wife Margaret died Mar 1922. The above Michael Halton died 5th March 1927 and his son Patrick died 16th Mar 1941 also Patrick’s wife Mary died 1st Sept 1944. Sacred Heart Of Jesus Have Mercy on them. RIP. Also Kathleen Halton died 22nd Oct 1979.
HALTON- Erected by Patrick Halton in loving memory of his parents Mrs Mary Halton, Moymet died 6th May1918 aged 44 years. His father Andrew died 13th Jan 1936 aged 74 years. RIP
HEALY – In loving memory of my dear husband James Healy, Tullaghanogue, Trim who died 13th January 1950 aged 40 years. RIP. Erected by his loving wife. (Stone Masons – Farrell & Son Glasnevin).
HERBERT – In loving memory of Edward Herbert, Castletown, Athboy died 6th Aug 1933. Mrs Bridget Herbert died 21st Feb 1937. Patrick died 5th Sept 1958, Minnie died 17th Nov 1948. Agnes Herbert died 21st April 1966. Annie Herbert died 6th Oct 1969. RIP.
HESNAN – IHS In memory of Margaret Hesnan died 7th April, 1953. Her husband Thomas died 13th April 1961. RIP. Erected by their daughter Annie.
MURTAGH – Erected by Edward Murtagh of Moymet in memory of his beloved father Edward Murtagh died 3rd Dec’r 1863 aged 66 years. Also his mother Anne Murtagh died 30th March 1875 aged 86 years and also two of his brothers John and Thomas. May they rest in peace.
PLUNKETT – See Bonynge
SMOLLAN – This stone was erec’d by Thomas Smollan in memory of his father David Smollan who depr’d this life the 19th of Feb 1775 aged 48 yrs also his aunt Cathrine Smollan died March ye 21 1797 ag’d 76 yr
TYRRELL – This erected by Philip Tyrrell in memory of his brother Jo’n Tyrrell who died Au’st 28th 1740 aged 40 yrs. Also his son Edward Tyrrell who died 7th…1762.
HALTON, Mathew. Private, Irish Guards, 1st Battalion, 1850. Baptised: Kilbride, Dunderry parish, 1 November 1881. Son of Michael and Bridget Halton, nee Bligh, Clonfane, Trim. Father’s occupation: Farmer. Enlistment location: Dublin. Served in France from 13 February 1915. Died of wounds, France & Flanders, 6 August 1916. Age: 34. Buried in Tullaghanoge Graveyard, Trim. Memorial: Panel 4 (Screen Wall), Grangegorman Memorial.
Rathvale
Rathvale house is situated in Tullaghanogue townland on the Athboy-Trim Road near the turn-off for Rathcairn. In the 1830s the hosue was known as Sherborne Lodge after the landowners family title. The house and estate were the property of Alexander Drake in the later part of the nineteenth century. Alexander Drake was the son of Christopher Drake of Roristown. The family originated at Drakerath. In 1876 Alexander Drake of Rathvale held 352 acres in County Meath. In 1901 Gerald Leyns Walker and his family were living at Rathvale. Gerald Walker was a breeder of purebred horse. He bred Sergeant Murphy, a Grand National winner. A local police sergeant noticed the mare foaling and informed Mr. Walker who named the horse after him. The horse won the Grand National in 1923 and the race can be viewed as it was filmed by Pathe News. Reginald Henry Walker, son of Gerald Leyns Walker, Reginald married Emily Heather Collins in 1920. Reggie became a top class amateur jockey in England before returning to train at Rathvale. One of his horses, Royal Danoli, was beaten by a matter of inches at the 1938 Aintree Grand National. Reggie died in 1951. Mrs. Heather Walker of Rathvale died in 1959. The house and stud farm were sold.