Cemetery: Newcastle-Lyons, Church of St. Finian

***********************************************
Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives
Dublin Index
Copyright

************************************************

File contributed by: C. Hunt & M.J. Bradley

NEWCASTLE-LYONS – CHURCH OF ST. FINIAN
(From Mr. James R Fowler)

This church is the parish church of the large district known
as Newcastle-juxta-Lyons, or Newcastel-Lyons. It stands at
one end of the village of Newcastle, which, up to the Union,
returned two members to Parliament. SEWARD (1795) says of
the village: “It is a poor and reduced place, which returns
2 members to Parliament, patronage in the LATOUCHE family.”

Newcastle was at one time a Royal Manor, and is said to have
possessed seven castles. Of these, four still exist, one of
them inside the wall bounding the church and rectory; it is
a castle with a long building in its rear, used as a stable,
hen-house, &c, and dividing the front of the rectory from
the churchyard. A lofty square tower was built in John's
reign, and the church was built on to in the fifteenth
century. Before describing the ancient church, I had better
draw attention to a pair of square stone slabs fastened on
to…..

………..the castle near the rectory. One fastened on to the long building is of blue
limestone, and refers to Dr. Thomas SMITH; the other, of granite, refers to Archdeacon
James LANGRISHE.

J. L
ARCH 1806 Located here is a box with the following inside.
OBIT 1847 S at the top, T M below the S, Anno under the T M,
1727 on the bottom.

The church is a very interesting building. It possesses one of the oldest bells in the
county. This is hung in one of the two apertures on the west side of the tower, which were
originally intended for two bells. It is in the northern one.

The inscription runs in two lines round the waist of the bell, which is a small one, thus.
It is in relief:-

THE : GIFT : OF : ANTHONY : SHERRARD : ESQr : MEMBER : OF : PARLIAMt : | FOR : THIS :
BOVROVGH : OF : NEWCASTLE : 1726

The second line terminates with the vine foliage and grapes. The bell-rope holes pass
through the floors. A small bell tells the ringer when to stop.

The late Rev. C. O'MEARA showed me the ancient church vessels – a chalice and paten of
beaten silver, and a flagon of electro-plate: needless to say, modern.

The chalice, which is placed on a base, which Mr. O'MEARA considered to have had a stem,
now lost, bears an inscription in a quaint, running hand as follows:-

The Gift of Wm WILLIAMSON Archdeacon of Glandelough to Newcastle Church
This runs in one line round the bowl of the chalice, and is very small. Of course my
lettering is not the original (except the first few capitals). Hall-mark GG, harp and
crown C (Old English).

The paten, which is of large size has a large rim inscribed in on line:-

THE : GIFT : OF : ARCHDEACON : WILLIAMSON : TO : NEWCASTLE : CHVRCH : 1698

Pg. 277

The flagon is inscribed (in Old English):-

Presented to the Church of Newcastle Lyons by John George KEOUGH, Esq
1888

The church is now far too large for the congregation of eighteen to twenty members. Its
original length was some 80 feet. Of this 35 feet is now unroofed. There is a great arch
where once the east window stood. Underneath this a door was made in later times. Inside
there is the place where once stood a holy-water stop, and the cavity of a piscina. There
are two handsome windows just before the choir arch. Into this was built the grand east
window, which no words of mine can describe. The panes are square. The glass is quite
plain. Into the heads of the three lights are introduced the letters:_
T S A N 1724
___________________

In the unroofed part of the church is a single table-tomb:-
Sacred to the Memory
Of
James CLINCH Esq
who departed this Life
on the 14th day of August 1831
Aged Sixty five years
This Memorial was erected
by his Nephew
Henry Crofton KEOGH, Clerk
in testimony of his regard
______________

Inside the church are two monuments – one on the east wall, and another on the south. The
latter reads :-
Book (2nd Tess. I, 2)
Erected by his widow and children
in loving remembrance of
the Revd Eugene O'MEARA M.A.
for 18 years rector of this parish
and previously for a like period
Curate of St. Mark's Dublin
He entered into rest 21st Feb 1860
Aged 64

Top center of the page shows a chalice

In the adjoining chancel lie the remains of John
GAST D.D. Late Archdeacon of Glandelagh & Curate of S.
Nicholas without who departed this life the 25th day of Feb
1788 aged 73 years

For 23 years, and upwards, this parish was happy in
the fruits of his ministerial labours Affable, chearfull,
learned, zealous, charitable He conciliated the affections
of all: And his life presented an engaging example of that
Christian practice which with persuasive energy he
recommended as a minister of the gospel. In grateful
remembrance of his services, His parishioners have placed
this stone a memorial to posterity: defirous that their
Children may reverence the beauty of religion exemplified in
a good life and aspire after the attainment of those virtues
Which are acceptable to God. And cause the dead to be
remembered With affection and respect.

The font of this church is of dark green or black marble,
with a long stem, and is so rickety that a band of iron has
been fastened round the bowl. This, by means of hooks, is
fastened up in a corner between the pews and the door.

The sole entrance to this church is by the tower (south
side). There is no visible vestry.

A gold ring, of Lombardic design, was found some years ago
in the vicarage garden. It was inscribed in strange letters
on the inside. It was given to the finder, a friend of Mr.
O'MEARA's.
_______________________

†
I H S
HERE LYETH THE BODY
OF EDMOND TEREL WHO
DECEASED MARCH THE 6th
1728 AGED 60 YEARS

†
I H S
HERE LYETH THE
BODY OF CHARLES
LYONS SON TO OWN
LYONS WHO DIED
DECbr THE 18th 1721
______________

Erected by William LYONS in | Memory of his Mother Eliza |
beth LYONS Alias McALL who | depd ye Life Novmbr ye 22 1786
| Agd 66 yrs Also his Father James
______________

†
I H S
?
HERE LYETH THE
BODY OF JOHN REY
NOLDS SON TO
PIERCE REYNOLDS
DECEASED JANY THE
1st 1724 AGED 12
YEARS
_______________

There is a large vault, grass-grown at top, with a
cross-shaped loophole at east end, inscribed:- Pray for the
souls of | Those members of the BAGOT Family | who are
interred herein | the last of whom | JAMES JOHN BAGOT ESQr |
of Castle Bagot County…………………Dublin | Died Aged 76 years |
on the 9th of June 1860 | Pray also for the soul of | Ellen
Maria BAGOT | his widow interred Herein | who died at
Rathgar on 17th Sept 1871 | R. I. P.
____________________
Table-tomb:-
Here lieth the Body of Samuel
YATES Esqr Departed this life 20
Feb 765 aged 84 years also
the Body of his Wife Alice Depart
ed this life Feb 10 1768 aged
70 years
And also the Remains of their
second Son Thos YATES Esqr of
Colganstown in this parish who
Departed this Life suddenly on
the 8th Day of Jan. 1815 in the
89th Year of his age and without
having suffered from sickness
during his Long Life
____________________

Here lyeth ye Body of Elizabeth | RYAN Daur to Thos | RYAN
Deceased Octor | ye 12th {or 17th} 1750

Mr. O'MEARA kindly furnished me with a list of his
predecessors from 1780, from the Parish Register. He says
that a longer list may be found in Dalton:-
Thomas SMYTH Archdeacon 1730
William USHER “ 1753
Henry SMYTH “ 1761
John GAST “ 1765
James VERSCHOYLE “ 1788
James HASTINGS “ 1791
James LANGRISHE “ 1806
Charles STRONG “ 1847
Eugene O'MEARA “ 1861
Eugene H O'MEARA “ 1880
Charles O'MEARA “ 1887 - 1904
__________________

I ought to say something about the ancient cross. It has a
round pedestal, covered with ivy, and deeply sunk in the
earth. It is altogether out of proportion. The head is
thinner that the arms, and they are thinner than the shaft,
which swells out at the bottom. On the west face was once
carved the Crucifixion, but this is worn away till there is
a mere lozenge-shaped boss. On the east face is a Celtic

There is a large vault in the graveyard, totally without
inscription. Mr. O'MEARA is thinking of putting up a slab to
the memory of his father on the castle in front, with the
remark that in the vicarage garden, which is only divided by
a wall from the graveyard, a complete skeleton was found by
one of Mr. O'MEARA's predecessors.
______________________

The Roman Catholic chapel at this place, built A.D. 1813, as
an inscription over the door testifies, has monuments from
that date in the graveyard, and some interesting memorial
windows.
______________________

OLD FONT AT THE CHAPEL
It is a rude, granite block, with an oblong hole in the
centre. It s of fair size, and lay in the churchyard of
Kilmactalway in Dalton, the County Dublin historian's, time.
Its subsequent history is detailed by the inscription above
it. It is placed at the west door, on the north side:-
This
Holy Water font belonged
to the Church of Kilmactalway
on the property of
the BAGOT family for centuries
I have removed it
and placed it here
in memory of
James John BAGOT
my beloved lamented husband
his name is dear to you all
he departed this life, on the 9th day of June 1860
Pray for him also for me
Ellen Maria BAGOT

Surce
Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the
Memorials of the Dead in Ireland Vol 6 (FHL # 0258795)