Rathbeagh, Parish of Lisdowney,county Kilkenny

Rathbeagh, Parish of Lisdowney, Co Kilkenny. 
The Church and Graveyard

Rathbeagh is listed in the General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands, Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland (1861), as The Parish of Rathbeagh in the county of Kilkenny, the Barony of Galmoy and the Poor Law Union of Urlingford in 1857. The Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (Lewis, 1837) stated that Rathbeagh had 736 inhabitants and about 220 children being taught in the School in Clone. At that time it comprised 2281 statute acres mostly all in profitable cultivation. It also records that the manor house within this parish and formerly the residence of Sir Toby Caulfeild, was occupied by H.Nixon Esq., There is no memorial to any Nixon family in this graveyard.
We would like to thank Michael O Gorman of Rathbeagh for all his assistance and kindness to us while we were surveying this graveyard.We would also like to thank Marie Lee for the Black and White Photographs and Pat Farrell for allowing us to use his two Ariel Photographs.

The church is dedicated to St Catherine.  There was once a well south of the church near the river Nore, called St.Catherine's well, but it has long since disappeared. There is evidence of a much earlier Monastic site or Nunnery that pre dates the Anglo Norman settlement.  A church bell was found in a sandpit close by and was handed on to the church at Killishin, Queens county (Laois).  A Mass book was buried in an adjacent field;  In Irish this field is called Poll an Leabhar meaning the hole of the book.  There are two gated entrances to this lovely Church and graveyard nestled in a triangular piece of land with through roads each side and no sign posting whatever to announce this site.

Church and Graveyard Rathbeagh compliments of patfarrellphotography@eircom.net

A fair held in Rathbeagh up to about the 1860s, had amongst other trading, the principle event of  showing Shire Horses from Wexford, Tipperary and Queens county  (Schools Folklore Recording, 1938 see www.duchas.ie).  The location of this fair is also remembered in the recording of the Fieldnames project; the Night Field remembers the animals penned here the night before the fair and the name the Fair Green while appearing on earlier maps is not evident after 1860.  For more information about this field name project around Rathbeagh see the following short film:-
The Whispering Fields

The Rath from which Rathbeagh gets its name is no distance from the Church and the graveyard. It is situated on the bank of a right angled bend of the river Nore and commands a view over the landscape and the waters.  According to Carrigan the analysts believed it was erected by "Heremon son of King Milesius of Spain and was selected by him to be his last resting place".  Heremon and his brother Heber from whom many of the Irish are supposed to descend, fought a huge battle as Geashill in Offaly at which Heber was killed.  Heremon then came south to Rathbeagh and built his royal residence there.  You will notice that the Rath is an unusual shape, not round like most of them but shaped like an egg.  It is easily visible from the road when approaching the graveyard.   The custom of cutting a branch of a may bush on May's Eve and decorating it with ribbons and flowers was thought to welcome the seasonal change from Spring to Summer.  According to local traditions this was done in honour of the Milesians who conquered the Tuatha de Danans in the early Bronze Age.  (The Schools Folklore Recording 1938. see www.duchas.ie/Dunnammaggan).

We are most grateful to Patfarrellphotography@eircom.net for allowing us to use these two ariel images 

 

Within the graveyard, there are at least 66 visible markers or boulders which are used as grave markers. There are two iron crosses in the graveyard but sadly neither of these records the names of the people commemorated nor the blacksmith that made them (Nos 20 and 98). There are at least 10 Altar or Court tombs; there may have been more as some interesting broken stones have been used in the graveyard as markers.
Of the 199 memorials recorded, the earliest a broken Purcell memorial appears to date from the late 16th century; there is one broken Purcell memorial dating from the beginning of the 17th century; at least 20 memorials that appear to have been erected in the 18th century and 35 memorials erected between 1800 - 1850.  Many memorial had sunk into the ground so recording dates or some detail has not always been possible. We have compiled a detailed map showing the locations of all memorials. We recorded the Iconography and Symbolism decorating the stones and we made a list of the masons.
We also made rubbings of the most decorative stones.

Our completed survey of every stone in the graveyard enabled us to link on paper two parts of the one stone that had become separated with one half used as a marker on another grave. There are 13 stones in this graveyard to the Phelan family but two separate damaged Phelan stones are evidently part of the one stone.  No 115. Old upright facing west (not east like the rest of the stones) broken down left side and possibly some of right side missing also. IHS. In memory of Miss....young lady of man....She died Dec the 15th (no year visible)...of her age. See also stone No 174 which is part of broken stone. More complete stone "In memory of Miss Anastasia Phelan...a young lady of Man(ners) and amiable qualities who (per)ish(ed) in her 18th...."The broken part was re-used as a marker, the style of carving of the lettering is the same.




There are two Phelan brothers, both Priests commemorated on a collapsed altar tomb (No 157) just outside the ruined Church. We have recorded this memorial. "Flat  stone on ground IHS at top. Here lie interred the bodies of the Reverend Messrs William and Patrick Phelan, Brothers. The said Patrick departed this life the 4th day of June 1782 aged 25 years and William the 20th of September following in the 29th years of his age being Worthy Pious and Exemplary Priests, May They Rest in  Peace Amen.

We recorded other memorials to local clergy:-
No 36.  Reverend William Gorman Obit Marti imo Anni 1833 Aetatis 48; this stone has an extensive inscription  in Latin

No 40. Collapsed Altar tomb to the Revd Richard Butler Parish Priest of Lisdowney for 11 years who departed this life on the 23rd day of October 1828 in his 60th year.
No 153.  Erected by The Rev. Michael Byrne C C, Danbury USA in memory of his father John Byrne who died March 30 1879 aged 65 years.

Knaresborough:- there is one memorial erected to the Knaresboro family
No 38. Upright Lamb of God symbol in trefoil. In memory of Patrick Knaresboro of Inchbeg who depd this life March 9th 1853 aged 57.  His son Patrick who died March 22th 1864 aged 18 years. Also his wife Mary Knaresboro who died 1st June 1876 aged 72 years, R.I.P. This stone has beautifully carved lettering.
At one time the Knaresborough family had been one of the civic families of Kilkenny City.  Whilst we do not know the precise connections of this family with the civic family, according to the  records we have managed to find that this particular family was from Coolcraheen, Inchbeg and were renting 26 acres in 1826. The family now seems to have disappeared from the parish.
 

Tomb 190 The Honourable Collonel Toby Caulfeild 

Tomb 190.  Here leith the body of the Honourable Collonel Toby Caulfeild second son of the Right Honourable Wiliam late Viscount Charlemont who departed this life on ye 25th day June in the year of Our Lord 1718 at his mansion house of Clone about ye 55th year of his age. He purchased the Manner of Clone, rebuilded this Church mostly at his own expence and was the first of his family buried therien when it was finished. This stone Ledger slab top within the Church is positioned in the corner, left of where the original Altar was positioned under the East window.

East Window from within the Church

Immediately underneath the East Window
Tomb 191 was an elaborate Caulfeild Memorial Eulogy.  This stone is flat and suffering from exposure to the elements. The inscription is almost worn away.  It took hours of careful work to decipher the eulogy which is listed below.   Like many of the older stones in this graveyard the inscriptions are fading and in decay.  The eulogy would be typical of its time

Who eer thou art that views these scenes of Trials
And stand a while here like thou hath breath
Approach this tomb raised by pious hands
The tribute of your plentious tears demands
For Strange emotions at this stone are laid
A Father Mother and Husband dead
But let your sorrow hope, but not for those
Their peace within this silent tomb reprove
But that sadness in compliance imposed
They lived to rest here dearest friends laid low
And while for..........................your sighs
Attend this truth that they thou self shall die
Behold the brave the strong the rich the great
The wise the good are stricken by a stroke of fate
Behold alas.................................complain
A Caulfeild .......here beloved remains
Then thou who now until death provide
Convinced.........which now dies
                   August 1718

Memorial No 193 is still visible in the ruined church and is erected to Toby Caulfeild's daughter Mrs Olivia Warren 2nd daughter of the Late Honble Toby Caulfeild of Clone was relict of Abel Warren of Low Hill she departed  this life the 3rd or 5th of May 1789 aged 90?

Mary Foley Alias Murphy 1782: wonderful sharp carving and notice the ciboria on either side of the top of the stone. 

We were very pleased to see within this graveyard a memorial to the lost young, the ciall òg, the single most heart breaking issue for many families. With a very thoughtfully chosen sentiment, a set aside space with a seat in this beautiful peaceful graveyard.

Index of family names with grave number

Arme 77
Bergin 7
Blanchfield 106, 107, 108, 109, 168
Bowden 133, 170, 171
Bowe 21
Bowes 50, 125
Brennan 21, 48, 74, 144, 189
Butler 22, 23, 40, 51, 168
Byrne 152, 153
Casey 125
Cahill 39, 80, 114, 161, 188, 189
Campion 8, 9, 34, 69, 170, 111              
Cantwell 37

View through side entrance North wall

Caulfeild 190, 193
Charlemont 190
Cody 135
Corbett 125
Crosby 12
Cudhahy 44
Cuddihy 44, 147, 148
Dalton 39, 44
Delaney 39, 42
Doheny 126
Dooley 119
Doran 126
Dowling 112
Downey 47, 147, 148
Drennan 67
Dullard 152
Dunn 124
Dunne 15, 16, 29, 184
Dunphy 16 42, 44
Egan 13
Fannin 132
Fennelly 102
Fogarty 43
Foley 87, 88
Foly 92
Gorman 36
Grace 46, 120, 121
Green 199
Greene 79
Hamilton 73
Hanlon 104                     
Harpole 199
Hayes 29
Headon 120
Healy 13, 14, 57, 97, 112, 171
Hearn 85
Hely 58, 113
Hetherington 18, 19
Holohan 89
Johnson 63
Kavanagh 51
Keasey 128
Keiravan 92
Kelly 50
Kennedy 71
Kirwan 33
Knaresboro 38
Lalor 39, 152
Loughman 23
McEvoy 14
McGrath 17
Maher 22
Mansfield 57, 59, 66
Martin 39, 181
Marum 133
Mercier 159
Mulhall 112
Murphy 33, 87, 88
Mylan 55
Nolan 1, 181
O`Gorman 74, 75
O`Keeffe 18, 19, 33, 47
Palmer 59
Pheland 41, 107, 110, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 151(see also 174), 157, 181, 194
Power 23, 133
Purcell 98, 111, 117, 143,145, 162, 164,  192, 196, 197, 198, 199
Purtill 136
Quidihy149, 155
Quinlan 89                                                                                           
Quinn 77
Reade 28
Ryan 16, 68, 128, 132, 133, 172,173
Shee 169
Stannard 194
Stapleton 27, 37
Trait 63

Looking East standing at the North side of Church

Tynan 106, 140, 141           
Wall 27
Walsh 67, 104, 124, 180
Walshe 61, 63
Warren 193
White 136, 137

Index of Places recorded on the memorials
America 37
Ballynafension 48
Bally(...) 195
Ballylarkin 57, 152
Ballyouskill 16
Ballyphilip 22
Ballyragget 74, 75
Bawnmore 67
Blackwood 2, 7, 15, 16, 42, 43, 147, 149, 161, 181, 184
Boherglass 12
Cascade Road 19
Cleary St 22
Clinstown 164
Clone 190, 192, 193, 197, 198
Clontubrid 171
Crohill Lodge 23
Crowhill 55
Cullohill 189
Danbury 153            
Deansforth 141
Foulksrath 199
Foulkswrath 172
Freshford 12, 18, 19, 21, 22, 68, 71, 136,161, 169
Garnamanna 14, 68, 97, 112
Georges Street 173
Grange 194
Inchbeg 33, 38, 73
Inchicore 9, 71
Jenkinstown 34
Kilkenny 41, 98, 114
Killaloe 159
Kilmacar 23
Knocknamuck 44
Knockroe 197,198
Lisdowney 40, 102, 198
Lismain 47, 198
Lismaine 188
Lismeane 117
Lowhill 193
Mill St 18
Mounieh/Moumielin 28
Mullinavat 69
Nantucket 22
Noreview 71
Oldtown 134, 189
Philadelphia 144
Queens Co., 48
Rathbeagh 29, 37, 61, 63, 74, 75, 120, 121, 133 
Rathealy 44
Shrewel 199
Skinstown 168
Smithstown 69
The Square 68
Thomas Square 98
Three Castles 8
Tullaroan 44
Tullowglass 34
USA 22, 153

Index of masons who have signed their stones

Coffey,  Ballyragget 27
Kavanagh's of Gorey 70
Gabriel Thorpe, Ableix (Abbeyleix) 48
Gargan Kilkenny 4, 41
McDonnell, Templemore 12
Molloy, Callan & Tullaroan12
Molloy, Tullaroan 21
Mullan 29, 34, 47, 74, 75
Mullan and Sons,

Three Castles 8
Mullan,Kilkenny

List of Occupations or titles as recorded on the memorials

Bart (Baronet 199     
CC (Curate) 153
Collonel (sic) 190
Parish Priest 36
Reverend/Rev. 36,40, 153, 157 (x2) 196
Sterling Patriot 23

Memorials marked with initials only

N+C, 26

Rathbeagh Church in its decay