Derrynahinch Graveyard, Parish of Ballyhale

The small graveyard of Derrynahinch lies well off the beaten track down a remote country lane and  is accessed across a field that may have cattle in it..  It is not always visible from the lane but the small gate onto the lane has a cross on it - always a sign that a graveyard is within  The graveyard lies within the Roman Catholic Parish of Ballyhale.  This is a very old walled graveyard with a ruined mid 12th century church; it appears neglected but a Mass is said here annually. It is full of uninscribed stone grave markers, fallen and broken stones and rabbit warrens; the terrain can be uneven in parts,   Bernie and I surveyed the graveyard in August 2011 and at that time there were 33 memorials visible: the earliest headstone dates form 1710.

The names appearing on the headstones are:-

Anderson, Aylward, Barron, Brenan, Brennan, Clooney, Cody, Doran, Dwyer, Everit, Fagan, Forestall, Foristall, Forstall, Grant, Hanrahan, Hicky, Holden, Holehan ,Holihan, Holohan, Kearen, Kirk, Lahey, Madigan, Maguire, Maher, Moresy  Morisy, Mullan,  Murphy, O'Gorman, O'Keeffe, O'Neill, O'Sullivan, Raftis, Reid, Ryan, Walsh, Walshe, Welsh.   All the spelling is copied exactly from the headstones. 

The places recorded on the memorials are:-

Ballyconway, Ballybray, Baunskeha, Carrick on Suir, Castlebanny, Castlecosker, Castlegannon, Derrynahinch, Derrynahinch House, Kilcarrig (Carlow), Kilcullen, Kilbline, Kilkeasy, Kilmacshane, Kiltorcan, Knockmoylan, Knocktopher, Sheepstown.

The Kilkenny Board of Health and Public Assistance Register of Internments for Derrynahinch records 31 burials in the period 1941 -2006.   11 people recorded in the Internment Register as being buried at Derrynahinch in this period do not appear on any headstone. These people died between 1941-1964; all people dying after 1967 appear on a headstone.   Interestingly though some people recorded on headstones within the same period (1941-2006) are NOT in the Internment Register so have not been buried here despite being recorded on a headstone.  In the case for example of the O'Sullivan headstone 2 people have been recorded on the headstone who are not in the Internment Register, but the headstone only give the dates of death without recording where that death took place or where that person might be buried.    The caretaker or registrar has sometimes recorded the incorrect spelling of a surname such as Reade for Reid.

But wait!   There are yet more people buried here, that we know about, without headstones or any memorial.  The following is taken from the The Power O'Shee Papers(J.F. Ainsworth) in Analecta Hibernica No 20 1958, pages 216-258.  A list of births and deaths taken out of my father's William Shee's prayer book, written by him and by his father James Shee of Derrynahinch - notes by Mary Kennedy (August 31 1759) born Shee.   These births and deaths start in 1684 and in all there are 50 entries but I have only recorded those referring to burials at Derrynahinch. The spelling is as given in the notebook.

No 26.  My son George was born March 5th 1738. The child being weak was christened by Father James Prendergast, a Carmelite Friar.......My son died 10th June following and is buried near the vault in which my father lies at Derrynehinch.

No 28. My daughter Margaret was born 6th December 1743......my said daughter died the 8th September following  and is buried at Derrynehinch.

No 30.  Father Mark Shee died 10th April 1734 and is buried at Derrynehinch.

No 31.  My sister Margaret Lennon died 6th June 1734 in childbed. The Lord be merciful to her soul . And is intered in Derrynehinch.

No  37.  Monday 31st December 1753, my cossin Captain John Henesy of Bulkeley's Regt., died at Sheepstown of an obstruction in his livers and is buried at Derrynehinch.  Pray God have mercy on his soul. ( Bulkeley's Regiment was one of the Irish Regiments in the French Army.  The Battle of Fontenoy was fought in 1745 and it was thanks to men of the six Irish Regiments forming the Irish Brigade that the French were successful in defeating the British at this battle). Elsewhere there is another note "Captain John Hennesy who lies at Derrynehinch without a stone to mark where he rests was one of those who composed Balkeys (sic) Regiment at Fontenoy."

No 41.  January 13th 1756, my daughter Kennedy was brought to bed of a son called John....the said child died and is buried at Derry.

No 46.   My dear sister Eliza Clarke died May 15th 1762......and is buried in the churchyard at Derryhinch by the side of the vault.  May she rest in peace.

No 47.  My dearest father William Shee of Sheepstown departed this life 26th July 1758 being St Anne's Day, in the 64th year of his age......He lies buried in the vault that is in Derryhinch churchyard in which vault his father and mother was laid.

No 49.   My dearest Mother, Mrs Mary Shee departed this life May 30th 1773....in the 73th of her age....She is buried by my father's side in the churchyard of Derryhinch.

There is now absolutely no sign of the Shee vault but it must lie near the church. Perhaps the entrance to the vault was a flat flagstone that is now completely covered up.  The vault may also have been full and therefore sealed up.