Living memories from New Abbey graveyard
There was a very substantial and appreciative gathering for yesterday afternoon's Grave Matters walk around New Abbey Graveyard, writes Brian Byrne.
Starting from the Library for the National Heritage Week 2022 event, the group walked the Mass Path to the Graveyard, where organiser Julie O'Donoghue introduced each of the speakers for the afternoon.
First off was Sean Landers, who provided a timeline to New Abbey's foundation and succinctly recalled its complex history.
John Martin then detailed the background to the Portlester monument, for many decades out in the open graveyard but in recent times repositioned to protect it from the elements.
Following that there was a presentation by Gerry O'Donoghue about a former parish priest of Kilcullen, Fr Nicholas Phepoe, who tried to make peace during the 'lawless' days after the 1798 battle in Kilcullen, but was tortured for his trouble. He died the following year and is buried in New Abbey.
Des Travers had been given the task of finding out about one Corporal Thomas Burns, a 19th century British soldier buried in New Abbey. He succeeded in his mission and brought to life the story of someone who had been a mystery man of the graveyard.
Then Billy Redmond had the opportunity to talk about the first subject of the day who is still in living memory, the renowned Kilcullen teller of tall stories, Arthur Tapley, who had the magical ability to having been 'aged 21' at any time over a century when a war or other important event was being discussed ... and in which he had always been involved!
The next grave visited was that of the Kelly family of the square, where Joe Kelly provided a background to generations of tailors from his great grandfather's time, and the legacy they left of the importance of community.
Then Anne Bell, in Kilcullen for a weekend reunion of the extended Mitchell family, outlined the much-travelled military history of the Mitchells and her grandmother, Bridget Malone.
In the place of Tracey O'Dwyer, Julie O'Donoghue gave a resumé of the passionate and influential Irish dancing life of Geraldine Clifford O'Dwyer. As a teacher of Irish dancing, she is remembered with deep affection by generations of Kilcullen families.
It was the turn then of Ray Kelly to recall his father Paddy, whose weekly attendance at choir rehearsals weren't exactly as his family thought at the time.
At that stage the rain disrupted what had been a very well-behaved weather for the afternoon and the group returned to the Library for concluding talks.
One was by Mary Orford on her entrepreneurial grandmother, a true woman of substance, and the Rogan side of her family which included a bishop after whom one of the town estates is named. Another by myself on the arrival of the Byrnes to Kilcullen, and my nominal connection to my Uncle Barney and his incarceration as a prisoner of war of the Japanese.
One was by Mary Orford on her entrepreneurial grandmother, a true woman of substance, and the Rogan side of her family which included a bishop after whom one of the town estates is named. Another by myself on the arrival of the Byrnes to Kilcullen, and my nominal connection to my Uncle Barney and his incarceration as a prisoner of war of the Japanese.
Dr Michael O'Connell concluded the afternoon by explaining how he had come to make a detailed model of New Abbey which answers some questions about its earlier layout.
All agreed it was an excellent Heritage Week event that could very well be repeated for many years.
All the Diary's photos of the event can be seen and downloaded from here.
OTHER HERITAGE WEEK 2022 EVENTS REPORTS
LISTEN: A Birds Evening in Pollardstown.
LISTEN: Remembering Kilcullen Capers.
LISTEN: Ballyshannon Voices from the Past.
LISTEN: Conserving Moone Tower House.
LOOK: All Heritage Week events in Kildare here.
Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy
