SOME OLD GRAVESTONES FROM CLONKEENKERRILL
When John approached me about contributing to the magazine for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the festival, I thought that some of the old gravestones from the graveyard would be of interest. One can visit a cemetery several times and see something different or some additional detail that may depend on the time of year or angle provided by the sunshine.
Figure 1: The gravestone to Patrick Kenny
First a few of the older gravestones are illustrated and their unusual features are pointed out. Second some gravestones bearing symbols of the Passion are highlighted. Finally, a brief examination of the family history of one or two families is outlined in relation to their family gravestones.
The gravestone (figure 1) depicting a cross and IHS motif was erected by Thomas Kenny in memory of his father Patrick Kenny who died in 1834. It also has the simple prayer ‘May he rest in peace Amen’. The floral decoration caught in the autumn sunlight is fairly unique for the period. Nearby is a ‘double’ headstone (figure 3) erected presumably by the same Thomas Kenny in memory of his mother Bridget Kenny, alias Roach who died in 1833 and on the other side he remembers his beloved wife Honour Kenny, alias Ryan. Her year is possibly 1835. Beneath each is the similar prayer ‘May she rest in peace Amen’
Figure 3: The ‘double’ gravestone to Bridget and Honour Kenny
The Hart gravestone (figure 5) prays for Mary who died in 1785 aged 33 years. It also depicts three hart shapes possibly a pun on the name Hart. The gravestone (figure 4) to Cornelius Fallon who died in 1799 is well preserved and ornate. It was erected by his wife, Mary, alias Murphy. The initials P.R. are also to be seen, presumably for the carver.
Figure 5: The gravestone to Mary Hart
Figure 4: The gravestone to Cornelius Fallon
The instruments of the Passion feature on many gravestones at Clonkeen. Sometimes one has to look out for these features as they can be ‘tucked away’, for example in the gravestone (see figure 2) to Martin Winters who died in 1860. The hammer and pincers crossed with each other are below the cross and larger IHS motif. The gravestone was erected by his wife Honoria, alias Broderick.
Figure 2: The gravestone to Martin Winters
Some of the other symbols associated with the Passion include the ladder, sponge on a reed, pincers, spear, hyssop plant, star, angels and the Cross of Christ. The signature of the stonemason, T. Clancy can be seen on the Winters gravestone. The hammer and pincers can also be viewed on the Roan(e) gravestone (figure 6) that commemorates Simon Ruane and his wife Bridget both who died in the 1840s. The signature of T. Clancy can also be seen on the Curley gravestone, where the IHS motif along with the hammer and pincers, is displayed in a similar manner. John Curley died in 1821 and his wife, Wenny, alias Eagan died in 1781. Their gravestone was erected by their son Simeon Curley and his wife Anne, alias Daw.
Figure 6: The hammer and pincers on the Roan(e) gravestone.
The gravestone (figure 7) to Laurence Walsh depicts a cross and two cherubs. A cherub is a member of the second order of angels, whose distinctive gift is knowledge, often represented as a winged child or winged head of a child. Laurence died in 1817 and his beloved daughter-in-law, Catherine Coann (alias Walsh) who died in 1818. The gravestone was erected by Laurence’s son Thomas. Bridget Dewire (Downe?), alias Walsh is also mentioned. She may have been the wife of Laurence and the mother of Thomas. As well as the passion symbols on the gravestone, there is a skull and cross bones as well as a coffin all reminders of our mortality.
Figure 7: to the right, the cross and cherubs on the Walsh gravestone.
The gravestone for Lawrence Larkin
who died in 1828 is of interest for a few reasons. It carries the figure of
Christ crucified (Figure 8a) as its centre piece, though the cross is absent. The
cock is another symbol of the Passion and the Larkin gravestone shows the cock
(illustrated in figure 8b). The ‘crowing of the cock’ three times is narrated during the Passion ceremonies in Holy Week. This
gravestone also depicts the curious image of a ploughman with his plough and the
horse that pulls it (figure 8c). The inscription at the corner above the plough
reads ‘God speed the plow’.
Figure 8a: the Larkin gravestone, the image of Christ Crucified,
Figure 8b: The symbol of Cock on the Larkin gravestone.
Figure 8c: The depiction of the ploughman on the Larkin gravestone.
The gravestone of George Blakeney of ‘Menlagh’ who died in 1830 in his 48th year carries the skull and cross bones along with a cross, the INRI and IHS motifs. There are also two cherubs as illustrated in figure 9. This gravestone is a ‘table-top’ one in that it is supported by six columns. George Blakeney was likely of or related to the Abbert or Castleblakeney families. The IHS monogram is derived from the Greek word ‘Ihsoῦς’ for Jesus.
The first three letters are iota, eta and sigma.
Capitalised, these three letters are IHS in Greek, and they became
IHS in Latin, as Latin does not have a character equivalent to S. The
monogram was first popularised by St Bernardine of Siena and later, with the
addition of a cross over the central letter, by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). The INRI (Iesus
Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum) monogram represents the Latin inscription which in
English reads as ‘Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews’.
Figure 9: The
gravestone to George Blakeney.
The gravestone commemorating Michael Ruane (d. 1833) and his wife Bridget (d. 1840), part as shown in figure 11, doesn’t contain passion symbols but has two doves and above them is written ‘A Dove, A Dove’ serving as a pun no doubt on above. It was erected by their sons William, Michael, Denis and John in ‘memory of them & posterity’ a common expression on gravestones from this period. This gravestone was signed by T. Clancy, the stonemason.
Figure
11: Part of the gravestone to Michael Ruane.
The gravestone for John Kilkenny (d. 1831) and of his wife Julia, alias Carr (died 1815) is shown in figure 12. It contains some of the Passion symbols already discussed, along with the ladder, not observed on any other gravestone in Clonkeen. The stonemason who signed this stone is Michl Kelly.
Figure
12: Part of the gravestone of
John Kilkenny.
Figure 13: The crest of a demi lion
The Miskel gravestone (figure 14) to Edmond Miskel who died in 1803 has an interesting ‘S’ as part of the IHS motif. It seems to consist of two snakes intertwined in a similar manner to the depictions often seen on the old monastic crosses. The presence of snakes at the foot of the cross traditionally represent the defeat of the devil. The two circular features on the gravestone serve as a reminder of the passing of life, the circles can be viewed as half full or half empty.
Figure 14: The Miskel gravestone.
The Cogavin Gravestone
The Cogavin gravestone (figure
15) dated 1815 is to Judith Cogavin alias McGann who died aged 54 years. Beside
this is the Cogavan headstone erected by Patrick Cogavan in memory of his
brother Thomas who died in 1846 aged 25 and in memory of Patrick’s son, Thomas
who died in 1881 aged 21. This Cogavin family lived in Faha and Patrick was
married to Catherine Cormican. Patrick and Catherine died in 1906 and in 1908
respectively. Their son John Cogavin (b. 1865), married in 1903 Margaret,
daughter of John Dooley of Lenareagh. One of their daughters, Julia was born in
1912, both she and her son, Sean Hastings are remembered on a recent gravestone
beside the Cogavin gravestones. It appears that the Cogavins of Faha were
related to the Cogavin family who used to live in Streamsford.
Figure 15: Part of the inscription on the Judith Cogavin gravestone.
My
grandparents were Julia Tarpey from Clooncah who married John Cloonan from
Clough in 1909. Her brothers and sisters William, Thomas, Fanny and Jane are buried
in the Cogavan plot at Clonkeen. Their grandfather, Martin Tarpey came from Ardrahan
to work as a gardener/steward for Lord Ashtown. He married a member of the
Mahon family of Kilmalaw, Kilconnell. She was previously married to one of the Cogavins
of Streamsford. This relationship has been somehow authenticated through the
marriage of Patrick Cogavin and Mary Craughwell in 1858 when William Tarpey was
one of the witnesses. This would be in keeping with Patrick Cogavin and William
Tarpey being half brothers.
Figure 16: The Cogevan
gravestone.
The Cogavins had a portion of land taken from Lord Dunsandle (Daly) at Streamsford. As the widow, Mrs Cogavin had no inheritance rights, it appears that her family, the Mahons bought the Cogavin homestead. Local knowledge also adds that Mrs Cogavin bought transport works for her son who married a member of the Craughwell family from the Ballinasloe area, again somewhat substantiated from the above marriage. On marrying Martin Tarpey she moved to Clooncah. The Streamsford house and land were inherited by Patrick Cogavin but it was subsequently sold to the Riordan family and the Cogavins went to the States. The Cogavins of Gurteen (Gortnacross townland) would also be distantly related. James Cogevan (d. 1817) and his wife Rosa (d. 1844) are remembered on the family gravestone shown in figure 16. The earliest family member mentioned on a neighbouring gravestone is Thomas Cogavin who died in 1803 aged 15 years.
The Cunniffe Gravestone
The final gravestone
(figure 17) of interest is the one beside the Cunniffe vault and recently
recorded as Burke. Having spent some time in favourable sunlight, my contention
is that it is a Burke-Cunniffe gravestone and that the inscription reads
something like ‘Pray for the soul of | Mary Cunniff(e?) otherwise |
Burke who depart | ed this life ? Decemb | er
1776 | ... yrs’. While the stone was not easy to
decipher, the 2 N’s of Cunniffe are reasonably distinct and the name
was followed by the word ‘otherwise’ and then the name Burke. Given its
proximity to the Cunniffe vault it is reasonable to suggest that it is likely
to be connected with that Cunniffe family and that possibly the Cunniffes
married into the Burke family. The first name on the more recently erected plaque
on the vault is Bernard Cunniffe who died in 1943. In the 1911 census, Bernard
aged 28 was listed with his aunt Mary Dwyer (aged 76 and unmarried) at
Shanballyeeshal. In 1901 Bernard was listed with his parents Oliver and Bridget
Cunniffe at Attimany.
Figure 17: The Burke-Cunniffe gravestone.
Acknowledgement: I would like to thank John Corbett and those of Gurteen and Ballymacward who showed much kindness towards my late mother Sheila down through the years.
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