Cemetery: Kilrush Churchyard & Lady Chapel Churchyard *********************************************** Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Kildare Index Copyright ************************************************ File contributed by: C.Hunt & M. Taylor CEMETERY: KILRUSH CHURCHYARD [From Lord Walter FITZGERALD] 'Of the ruins of this church only the east gable-end and the gable over the chancel arch remain; no cut-stone work remains 'in situ' but dotted about the graveyard being used as headstones are cut limestone window-jambs, &c. and the central portion of a double-lighted ogee-headed window, probably belonging to the east window. In the nave is an octagonal-sided granite font; the chancel contains modern monuments to the PELIN family of Ballindrum. As far as I could make out the oldest tombstone is a flat slab lying outside the east end of the ruins; the inscription is lightly incised and reads' :- Here lies the Body of Simon BYRNE who departed this life the Second day of December 1741 aged 53 years. CEMETERY: LADY CHAPEL CHURCHYARD [From Lord Walter FITZGERALD] 'This churchyard lies about three miles to the south-west of Maynooth. Portions of the east end and of the west end of the old churCh still stand; the latter is topped by a double belfry, with round-beaded openings. Inside the churchyard and close to the east end of the ruins is a large, round Holy Well, with mason-work side and a flight of open steps leading down to the water. Near the well is a headstone with an inscription that reads as follows':- Morgan MOONY Erected This Stone in Memory of his Father Laurence MOONY who died Apr'r 7th 1782 aged 70 Also his Mother Alice who died Dec'r 4th 1779 Aged 66 & of his brother Denis he ... 'The remainder is underground.' ____________________________________ 'In the west end of the burial-ground is a headstone bearing this inscription' :- This Monument is erected by James O'BRYAN for his Posterity for ever. Whereat lieth the Body of his Father Arthur O'BRYAN Dec'r A.D.1740 Aged 40 years for whose Souls the prayers of the faithful is expected ____________________________________ 'The following inscriptions are from mural tablets' :- This monument was erected by James SWORDS for him and his Posterity. 1762 ________________________________ + IHS This tomb and burial place Belongeth to Patrick Turner and his Posterity. 1769 ___________________________________ + IHS This stone and burial place Belongeth to Patrick TRAVERS and his Posterity. 1777 ____________________________________________ 'Resting on its side and leaning against a portion of the west end of the ruins is a large slab. The inscription on it was originally lightly incised and is now hardly legible; at the top is a coat-of-arms in relief and at the foot a skull and cross-bones (also in relief) under which is written':- As you are now so once were we, As you are now so shall you be, Remember Reader you must die ____________________________________ 'The inscriptions is a follows':- This Stone was laid here at the Expense of Mr James FLOOD of the City of Dublin, Beaker for him and his Posterity. Here lyeth the Body of Margaret FLOOD Daughter to the above James who departed this life December the 15th Anno Domini 1729. Also Michael FLOOD son of the above James who departed this life March the 9th Anno Domini 1732 in the ... year of his age. Also the Body of John FLOOD son of the above James FLOOD who departed this life July 28 Anno Domini 1736 in the 3. year of his age. Also the Body of Ann FLOOD Daughter to Morgan GALVIN and wife to ye sd James who departed this life AD 17.. aged 55 years. The above James FLOOD died Feb'y ye 1769 aged 60 years. Note: 'This churchyard is only used for the interment of Roman Catholics. It is said that on one occasion a Protestant was secretly buried in it and that he was unable to rest and that he was frequently seen wandering about the churchyard precincts. On enquiries being made it was discovered who he was: his friends were forced by the people in the locality to exhume the coffin and re-inter it elsewhere, since which time the apparition disappeared. Source Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland Vol. 6. 1904, (FHL # 0258795)