Kilree Graveyard, Parish of Dunnamaggan, Co Kilkenny.

Kilree monastic site in the Parish of Dunnamaggan, Co Kilkenny. You will be relieved to know that Kilree is pronounced exactly the same in Irish and in English. Carrigan (History of the Diocese of Ossory. 1904) says this is usually taken to mean the Church of the King but that this is wrong. He says this is actually the church of a saint called Ruidhche (pronounced Ree).  St Ruidhche is a female saint and her feast day is on 8th February.  However she shares her glory here with St Bridget whose feast day is 1st February and who has been recognised as patron saint of the parish and ancient church for centuries.  St Bridget's Well is still to be seen on the north approach road from Kells.

Signpost on the road from the ruined Augustinian Priory of Kell, also known as Kells Monastic site

Wonderful view of the Kilree High Cross which stands 7 feet from its pedestal.

The ruin of the church appears to date from circa 1000 A.D and has strong Celtic characteristics.
The graveyard wraps around the ruined church within a walled enclosure which includes Round Tower which dates from about the same time as the church. The High Cross is west of the enclosure and in line with the church door and undoubtedly in full view of the celebrant standing in the Chancel of the church and facing his congregation.   There is also a Bullaun stone which is a stone with a hollow that collects water. This is thought to have been used for ceremonial purposes and in folklore to have had healing attributes; it is located in the corner of the field north-west of the Round Tower.  This is a unique Christian monastic site with Celtic church, Round Tower and High Cross all being on the National Monuments Register. The site is in state ownership and cared for by the Office of Public Works.  The interior of the ruined church has at least two ancient tombs. One is to Thomas Howling,  who died on the 11th day of May 1534.  The Howlings were a Welsh or Anglo Norman family and Lords of Kilree.  Edmund Howling forfeited his lands and was transported to Connaught in 1653.  But there are still many Howlings in the area and along the nearby Walsh mountains but they now generally call themselves Holden.  Tradition has it that their name is really Welsh and that they belong to old Catholic stock.  Also within the ruined church is an altar tomb whose front panel is decorated with carvings of the instruments of the Passion.  The inscription is in Latin but translated reads " Here lie Mr Richard Comerford who died ....(left blank) and Johanna St Leger, his wife, a matron pious, hospitable and charitable to all who died Oct 4th 1622".  You can see a short film of Bernie taking a rubbing of the Passion symbol decoration including the 40 pieces of silver, a ladder, a flail, a cock crowing and the seamless garment at 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUQ3mItJ5b0

The Chancel arch from the nave showing the many attempts to maintain and hold the essence of the original building.



 

Image from South East of graveyard

Round Tower from within the Chancel Arch

This over exposed image also captures the majic of the light





In this very well cared for historic graveyard many of the family names recorded still live locally and  have burial rights here to this day.  In all we recorded 106 memorials, but this does included a few markers. This graveyard has very old and decorative stones. Apart from the memorials dated 1534 and 1622, there are 18 memorials dating from the 18th century.  These are worthy of examination. The spelling can seem strange to modern eyes. Stone No 79 erected in 1759 by the Toole family spells Elsie as Ealce.  There are 26 headstones with dates from 1801 to 1847.  Stone 39 Erected by the Butler family in 1822 has the following verse carved in copperplate at the bottom of the stone.  The verse, or versions of it, are to be found in many graveyards in Kilkenny but here you have a direct sentiment and the voice of a person living in 1822 if you look at the penultimate line. Look at the work main. It should of course, in our time read mean but main is spelt exactly as it would have been pronounced at the time:-
Stand by dear friends
Wipe off your tears
Here I must remain till Christ appears
and when He comes
I main to rise
Unto a life that never dies.

Novel butresses on west wall also showing the Antae where
 the side wall extends beyone the end walls

When Mary and I record details from a headstone we immediately think through the relationships of all the people buried in that plot, from the first person mentioned on the stone,  to the last.  This often sets out the geneaology of the family. You can't but be moved also when confronted with the emotional story of grief and loss that some of these families had to confront.
One such story, and I suppose it is like reading a book for until you begin to read it, it is nothing more than words on a page,  but when the words on the stone are read by us,  the story of that family begins to be apparent. 
At Kilree (stone 42) Patrick Phelan of Newchurch erected a tomb in memory of his parents but later  met many tragedies with the loss  of his children.   His mother Honora (nee) Shortal died March 5th 1872 aged 70 years and his father John Phelan died July 25th 1876 aged 70 years. His daughter Margaret died Sept 10th 1879 aged 14 years.  His sons John died January 25th 1886 aged 24 years,  Rev. Michael Phelan died July 30th 1894 aged 27 years,  Thomas died Oct 27th 1898 aged 32 years. His wife Elizabeth (nee) Walsh died March 12th 1915 aged 87 years.  Patrick died 26th March 1918 aged 85 years. His daughter Elizabeth Morris died 17th Oct 1916 aged 45 years.  Also his son David Phelan died  20th Sept 1933 aged 76 years. James Phelan died 14th Feb 1938 aged 66 years. Also his daughter  Mary Brennan died 11th March 1939 aged 80 years. Elizabeth Morris died 17th Jan 1985 aged 83 years and Johanna Morris died 22nd Dec 1995.  Elizabeth and Johanna, grand-daughters of Patrick and Elizabeth,  were well known in the locality up to their passing as very gentle, kind and capable ladies.

Index of names appearing on the headstones
Adams, Baron, Barry, Bowe, Brenan, Brennan, Brian, Brown, Butler, Burke, Cahill, Callanan, Carroll, Carthy, Carty, Clancy, Clooney, Cody, Collier, Comerford, Corcoran, Corkoran, Costelloe, Coyle, Culleton, Daughton, Davis, Deady, Delany, Dempsey, Dloughry, Deloughny, Dempsey, Doran, Durney, Egan, Fahey, Fahy,  Fennelly, Field, Fleming, Gorey, Hanrahan, Hearn, Henson,  Holden, Holohan, Houlahan, Howling, Izod, Johnson, Kearney, Keeffe, Kerivan, Kerivaun, Lahey Lannen, Lannon, Lawlor, Lee, Lyons,  McCarthy, McDonald, Maher, Marnell, Martin, Meala, Meighan, Merriman , Morris, Neale, Neill, Nail, O Keeffe, O'Shea, Pendergast, Phelan, Power, Purcell, Robinson, Rowe, Ryan, St. Leger, Shaw, Shee, Sinclair, Shortal, Shortall,  Stephens, Stewart Tobin, Toole, Wallace, Walsh, Waring, Way, Whitaker.

Index of occupations recorded on the memorials
Baron of Danganmore - Richard Comerford.
Lord of Kilree - Thomas Howling.
High Sherriffs - Robert Way, 1802 and 1809, William Henry Izod 1810, William Nixon Izod 1885.
M.C.S - Mr Evans Johnson Esq. 
Priests - Rev Michael Phelan, Rev. Francis Walsh.
Nun - Sr Mary Dominic.
Rector - Reverend Thomas Collier.
E.N.T. - Elizabeth Meighan. 
R.I.C. ex Constable - William Merriman.
T. D. - John Gorey. 

Index of Place names appearing on the memorials
America, Ballinamona, Ballycaum, Barestown, Burnchurch, Callan, Chapelizod, Coolagh, Connecticut, Cotrells Rath, Cottrellsrath, Danganbeg, Danganmore, Dunnamaggan, Dunamaggin, Goodwin's Garden, Goodwinsgarden, High Street Kilkenny, Jerpoint, Jerpoint Abbey, John Street Kilkenny, Kells, Kellsgrange, Kilkenny, Kilkenny (City of), Killeny, Killiney, Kilmaganny, Kilree, Ladyswell, Leixlip, Lemonstown, Liverpool, Merseyside, Newchurch, New London, Newtown, Newtownbaker, Ohio, Oldtown, Olmsted Falls, Ossory,  Patrick Street Kilkenny, Rahallikin, Rathduff, Rathduff Upper, Shortallstown, Stonecarthy,  Stoneford, Stoneyford (sic), Tinvane, Tinvaun, Tinvawn, USA, US, Vermont, Wallslough.

Index of Masons who have signed memorials in this graveyard
Foley Grovine, Gargan Kilkenny, Mullen Kilkenny, Molloy Callan, Hoban Kilkenny, P Hoban Irishtown Kilkenny, Pat O Shea, Callan.  Arthur Malone.

 

Carrved detail of the under arm of the High Cross





 The footfall of visitors or should we say pilgrims to this place is surprising.  People come and go from all over the world.  They arrive quietly and slowly begin to appreciate the beauty of the site, a place to really delight the senses. The wonderment of the enclosure, the craftsmanship, the stone work, the birdsong, that light in both summer and winter which is magical and of course, the solitude,  the peace. They stand still, listen,  look,  take photographs, read a few inscriptions and then slip away.