In 1795 this structure was replaced by
another church, which, in turn was replaced by the
present beautiful church in 1868. The present church is
a most impressive structure, whose height is accentuated
by its elevated site. It is lavishly built, in cut
limestone, which was quarried locally, The church was
constructed by local tradesmen, stone cutters and
masons.
The cost of building the chapel was in
the region of about £3,000 which was provided by Mrs
Grace and was built mainly by voluntary workers from
around the parish including my family. This chapel
replaced the one which was built in the early 17th
century in the shape of a cross and had a thatched roof.
(Picture above).
The Grace family were the descendants of
William Fitzgerald, called
Raymond Fitzwilliam, who
accompanied Richard "Strongbow" de Clare to Ireland in
1170 and who got the name Raymond le Gros from his great
size and strength. They got great grants of land in
Ossory and were sometimes styled Barons of Tullaroan.
They came to Queens County over 200 years ago and
settled in the ancient district of Shangana, which they
styled Gracefield. They were a rich and enterprising
family and worked a colliery for many years They also
had a cotton factory which was later transformed into a
corn mill. A descendent of the local Grace family,
William Russell Grace founded the well known
international company W.R. Grace & Company (1854).
One of them emigrated to South America
early in the 1800's and was so successful in the
shipping business that he established the "Green Line"
shipping company. He returned to Ireland and invited
emigrants from Laois, Carlow and Kilkenny to travel on
his ships to South America where they would get
employment.
The Graces of America now operate an air
line known as Pan AGRA to South America. One of the
family came to Ireland in the 1960's and became
interested in Urney Chocolates Ltd.
The last member of the Grace family in
Laois married a Captain White and the beautiful mansions
and property passed to J.J. Parkenson, the famous
race-horse owner. The place passed through many hands
since including an Italian Countess who sold the mansion
for the sum of £30,500 in the 50's.
In 1885 William was Mayor of New York and
he accepted the Statue of Liberty from the French on
behalf of the American people,
The circumjacent cemetery has been
extensively used during the last two centuries for the
interment of both priests and laity; of the former it is
said that scarcely less than 40 lie at rest here.
Over the remains of a few of these appear the following
inscriptions:-
"Here lieth the body of the
Rev. Bryan Moore, who
departed this life August 3rd, 1746, aged--." (Age
obliterated; but as he is stated, in the Registry of
1704, to have been then "aged 49 and some months,"
he was therefore in his 92nd year at the period of
his death.)
On the same stone:-
"Here lieth the body of the Rev. William Moore, P.P.
of ----" (Name of place effaced.), "who departed
this life the 19th of April, 1766, in the 66th year
of his age. Requiescat in Pace."
"Here lieth the body of the
Revd. William Keating,
who departed this life November the 12th, 1755, aged
74 years. Req. in pace."
"Here lieth the body of the
Revd. William Keating,
who died November 12th, 1764, aged 44 years.
Requiescat in pace."
"Here lieth the body of the
Rev. Patrick Lalor, who
departed this life, January the 11th, 1773, aged 33
years. Also the Rev. Felix Nowlan of Rarou . .
County Carlow, who departed this life August 31st,
1794, aged 42 years. Lord have mercy on their
souls."
"Here lieth the body of the
Rev. James Wall, who
departed this life the 27th of April, 1771, aged 49
years. Requiescat in pace.
"Here lie interred the remains of the
Rev. Patrick
Murphy, Parish Priest of Castle Carbury, County
Kildare, who departed this life the 2nd March, 1794,
aged 52 years. Requiescat in pace."
"Here lieth the body of the
Rev. James Taaffe, who
departed this life the 10th of February, 1763, aged
35 years. Requiescat in pace."
"Here hieth the body of the
Rev. Michael Fleming,
who departed this life the 30th day of January,
1823, aged 30 years. Requiescat in pace."
On mural tablets within the church, are the following:-
"Here lie the remains of the
Very Rev. Jeremiah
Lalor, P.P of Killabane, and Penitentiary of the
Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. Learned, pious,
meek, and disinterested during life, he died poor,
and lamented as a father by a grateful people, over
whom he presided for 28 years. Born in 1754, he
departed this life on the 1st January, 1821, in the
66th year of his age. R.I.P.
"Erected in memory of the
Rev. James Doran, who
departed this life, 9th January, 1845, aged 40.
Requiescat in pace."
Another tablet has an inscription to the memory of
the Rev. Henry O'Neill, C.C. of Arles, who died 12th
of July, 1876.
Inserted in the floor, in front of the high altar,
is a monumental brass to the memory of the Rev.
James Bray, Administrator of the Parish, who died in
February, 1879.
-
Rev E Lalor
1925-1937. I believe he
was curate at Arles during this period.
Our thanks to Niall Burgess who
discovered this photo during his own
research in 2013. In February 1937 he
attended Frank Slaters funeral at Carlow
Cathedral and is listed as the C.C. for
Arles.
