Nativity Gravestones in Co Louth by Patrick Corrigan

 

Nativity Scenes by Patrick Corrigan

 

The Nativity Scene from the Hand gravestone at Dromin

            The first published mention of the sculptor, Patrick Corrigan, occurs in the work of A. K. Longfield in 1974. Her earlier works in the 1940s and 1950s looked at some of gravestones that were subsequently attributed to Corrigan. The unpublished thesis of Susan Cunningham of 1987 extended the number of known signed Corrigan gravestones. The thesis examined several unsigned stones bearing similarities to the known signed gravestones. The independent inscription recording work of Noel Ross, Jim Garry and others increased the number of known signed Corrigan gravestones. The combination of all these sources and recent additional finds brings the total number to nineteen. This piece here is part of an article in the Journal of 2018.

            The work of Patrick Corrigan is most prominent in the graveyards at Monasterboice, Dromin and Termonfeckin which are near Kellystown where he lived. This article starts by briefly looking at Patrick Corrigan’s background and family connections locally. The nineteen known signed gravestones are divided into three main categories. Four of these depict the ‘Nativity’ scene, certainly a unique display on gravestones. The dominant grouping consists of those gravestones that contain crucifixion scenes and these are further subdivided. This allows for the identication of characteristic and distinguishing features in Corrigan’s work. One of these subdivisions consists of a design showing the ‘Last Judgement’. Several unsigned gravestones bearing significant similarities to the work of Corrigan are identified and discussed. The signed gravestone at Rathdrumin, by another sculptor, contemporary with those gravestones carved by Corrigan, serves to add caution to ascribing any unsigned gravestone to Corrigan or any other sculptor.

Patrick Corrigan

             The Corrigan gravestone at Rathdrumin erected by Patrick Corrigan for his son John who died in 1823 points to the sculptor in question. The inscription on the gravestone reads:

            Christum pro te | morientem Peccator aspice | Erected by Patrick | Corrigan of       Kellystown in | memory of his Son John | Corrigan who dep^d this | life June the ? 1823, aged | 24 yrs. | Also the above Patrick | Corrigan who dep^d this | life April the 6^th 1831 aged 85 | yrs. and his Wife Catherine | Corrigan who depar^d this | life Oct^r the 12^th 1831 aged 81 | years. Catherine Corrigan | died 27 Nov. 1870 aged 63 yrs. | Peter Corrigan died 9 May 1877 ag^ed | 94 yrs. Bridget Corrigan died July |     26^th 1882 aged 35 yrs. her daught^r | Mary Corrigan died May | 19 1889 aged 10         yrs. | Requiescant in pace | Amen. | Patrick Corrigan who died 9 Oct 1904 | aged 78 years and his son | Laurence who died 17^th March 1905 | aged 29 years.

Peter Corrigan (d. 1877) was married to Catherine Farrelly and their son, Patrick Corrigan (d. 1904) was married to Bridget Toner.

                                   The Corrigan family Gravestone at Rathdrummin

            Part of the family understanding is that Patrick (d 1831) was a journeyman, possibly from Co Clare, and he would travel to, and stay with, the family while he sculpted the stone. It is credible that he would have been based at Kellystown as there is local recall of a field known as “Corrigan’s field”. It is also possible he became a tenant farmer on the Chester estate, if not him, his son Peter would have. Griffith’s Valuation (1854) shows Peter Carrigan (sic) having three plots (6A, 6B and 28) in Galroostown. These plots are still in the ownership of the Corrigan family. The Chester map of 1856 also shows Peter Corrigan a tenant of the Chester estate. Peter contested the rent and was successful in obtaining a fair rent assessment from Henrietta Chester. (Personal communication from Larry Corrigan, April 2019). Larry is the great-grandson of Patrick (d. 1904) who in turn was son of Peter Corrigan, likely the Peter (d. 1877) named on the headstone and most likely back to Patrick Corrigan, the sculptor. It is interesting to note that the line detailed on the headstone was Patrick (d. 1831), Peter (d. 1877), Patrick (d. 1904), Peter (d. 1947). This would appear to follow the tradition of naming the eldest son after the paternal grandfather. Susan Cunningham drew attention to this headstone noteworthy for its design and inscription even though she had not traced descendants of those named on the gravestone.

            This gravestone does not carry Patrick Corrigan’s signature; it would be natural that he wouldn’t ‘sign’ a gravestone for his own family. The other interesting feature is the decorative surround about the name of John, perhaps a father’s expression of affection towards his son, John, who died young. This decorative surround was sometimes used as part of his ‘signature’ for example around the word ‘Requiescant’ on the gravestone at Dysart to Patrick Philips (d. 1798).

            The Finnigan gravestone at Rathdrumin, also signed by Patrick Corrigan, is beside that erected by Patrick Corrigan himself, and the first part of the inscription reads ‘Erected by John Finnigan of Kellystown in memory of his grandfather James Molloy who dep^d this life May the 1^st 1806 aged 99 years and his grand-mother Margaret Corrigan and also his father Jam^s Finnigan who dep^d this life the 6^th of April 1820 aged 26 years ... ’ The fact that John Finnigan was from Kellystown, (as was Patrick Corrigan), and his grandmother was Margaret Corrigan and given that both the Finnigan and Corrigan gravestones are side by side would lead one to pose the question as to whether both families were related.

Examination of Corrigan's nineteen signed gravestones

            The signed Corrigan gravestones are found in twelve graveyards as follows: Ballymakenny (1), Castlebellingham (1), Cord Road, Drogheda (1), Clonmore (2), Dromin (2), Drumcar (1), Dysart (1), Kilsaran (1), Mayne (2), Monasterboice (1), Rathdrumin (2), and Termonfeckin (4). Other unsigned gravestones similar in style and dating from the same period are to be found in these and other local graveyards. The style of lettering and border on the gravestones, in conjunction with their design, shape and nature, would all suggest that it is reasonable to attribute additional gravestones to the style of Patrick Corrigan. Four of the gravestones depict very ornate and distinctive nativity scenes, three display the IHS motif within a sunburst. The remaining twelve gravestones carry crucifixion scenes and this group is further subdivided taking into account various levels of complexity.

The Nativity Scene on the King gravestone at Termonfeckin

Nativity Scenes (5 gravestones, 4 signed and 1 unsigned)

            There are five gravestones that show a ‘Nativity Scene’ in Co Louth, four of them are signed by Patrick Corrigan and the fifth, though unsigned, but very similar to the others, is generally attributed to Corrigan. Mytum (2015, 26-29) makes the observation that Irish gravestones are frequently enlivened by symbolism, usually associated with the Crucifixion and mortality. He states that the County Louth nativity scenes are the only ones with this subject known in Ireland - or, indeed, anywhere in the world. The earliest gravestone with the Nativity Scene is at Dromin, erected by Anthony Hand in memory of his daughter, Anne who died in 1804 (Bellew, Murtagh and Ross, 2010, 313).

The Hand gravestone at Dromin

            In the semicircular tympanum of the gravestone is the IHS motif along with a cross and standing beside these are two trumpeting angels. Beneath is the nativity scene where Mary sits on a bench covered with hay, holding the Christ-child on her lap and Joseph looks on, to her left. To the viewer’s right, there is a hayrack above an ox and donkey. On the left there are two angels in prayer or adoration, one standing, the other kneeling. Three cherub heads appear to be radiating light onto the Christ-child in the stable setting. The presence of a cherub head above the hayrack completes the depiction. The title ‘The Nativity’ is inscribed above the scene. Also on the headstone is the verse associated with the Nativity, ‘And again when he bringeth the first begotten into the world he saith and let all the angels of God worship him’. Hebrews Chap. 1 Verse 6 

The gravestone was signed ‘Patt Corigan Sculpt it’. The nativity scene at the Cord Road  graveyard was first published by Cunningham (1987, 9). The gravestone is to Patrick and James Toner who died in 1793 and 1813 respectively. The Nativity as portrayed at the Cord Road is similar to that at Dromin with the addition of a banner containing the Latin ‘Soli Deo Honour et Gloria’ (Glory and Honour to God alone). This gravestone is signed by ‘P. Corigan’.

            The other three headstones with nativity scenes are located in Termonfeckin. Two signed gravestones there are to Margaret McDonnell (d. 1818) and to Jane Sheridan (d. 1820) and they carry the Corrigan signatures of ‘P. Corigan Sculps’ and ‘P. Corigan’ respectively. Cunningham had noted the damage to the Sheridan gravestone in 1987. The third of the Termonfeckin Nativity gravestones is to Catherine King (d. 1819), though unsigned is generally attributed to Patrick Corrigan. The signature on the gravestone at Dromin can no longer be seen due to concreting that took place after it was recorded independently by both Cunningham and Ross.

The McDonnell gravestone at Termonfeckin

      A table listing the signed Nativity Scenes by Patrick Corrigan.

The King gravestone at Termonfeckin

            Mytum asks the question why the Nativity was chosen for gravestones at all. He notes the inclusion of the text ‘In Nativitate Domini’ above the IHS on the headstone to Catherine King. He suggests that whilst symbolism of Christ’s Crucifixion is common, someone must have decided that the coming of God as man was the first pivotal moment in the narrative leading to salvation as indicated by the IHS and trumpeting angels. Mytum’s suggestion that these nativity stones mark the beginning and end of Christ’s earthly presence. The salvation of the deceased is encompassed in this narrative. The fact that there are five of these gravestones, would suggest that it was the carver, Patrick Corrigan who decided on the choice of the nativity.

 

The McDonnell Nativity scene at Termonfeckin

Prominent locations of the work of Patrick Corrigan 

            It is interesting to surmise that the three graveyards where Corrigan carried out most of his work must have been Termonfeckin, Dromin and Monasterboice where there are four, two and one known signed gravestones respectively. These three graveyards are reasonably close to Kellystown where he lived.

            Eight crucifixion scenes from Monasterboice of the style of Corrigan have been examined. The presence of the two signed Corrigan gravestones along with other similar gravestones at Dromin, suggests that it ranks along with Monasterboice and Termonfeckin as one of the locations where Corrigan’s work is most prominent. The seven Dromin examples article include the signed Corrigan Hand (Nativity) and Holcroft (Last Judgement) gravestones.

The Hand Nativity Scene at Dromin

            Of the nineteen known signed Corrigan gravestones, four are in Termonfeckin. Two of these are the McDonnell and Sheridan nativity scenes. A third unsigned nativity scene on the King gravestone is also attributed to Corrigan.

References 

Bellew, Seamus; Murtagh, Very Revd Michael and Ross, Noel, (2010) ‘Tombstone                 

            Inscriptions in Dromin’, C.L.A.H.J., xxvii, 2, pp 303-27.

Cunningham, Susan (1987) ‘The Ornate Gravestones of Co Louth’, Unpublished Thesis.

Limerick. This undergraduate thesis was completed at the Limerick School of Art and Design. It is no longer available at the college. The text of the thesis is still privately available.

Cunningham, Susan and Murphy, Donald (1988) ‘Some interesting gravestones in

Termonfeckin Cemetery’ in Down all those Years and More, Termonfeckin, pp 52-3.

Garry, James (1999) Drogheda: Aspects of History of Drogheda - Number 3, The Cord

Cemetery: History and Tombstone Inscriptions, Drogheda.

Longfield, A. K. (Dec. 1948) ‘Some Late 18th and Early 19th Century Irish Tombstones’,

J.R.S.A.I., 78, 2, pp 170-4.

Longfield, A. K. (1951) ‘Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Century Decorated

Headstones in County Louth’, C.L.A.J., xii, 3, (1951), pp 113-18. 

Longfield, A. K. (1974) Some Irish Churchyard Sculpture, Ballycotton, Co Cork.

Mytum, Harold (Winter 2015) ‘Christmas in the Graveyard? Nativity scenes on County

Louth Headstones’, Archaeology Ireland, pp 26-29.

Quaile, Declan (2003) ‘Termonfeckin Graveyard Inscriptions’, Termonfeckin Historical

Society Review, iii, pp 5-36.

See also: http://www.termonfeckinhistory.ie/graveyard_inscriptions_17.html

            (accessed 12 October 2019)

Roe, Helen M. (1965) Papers in Honour of Liam Price ‘The Irish High Cross:

Morphology and Iconography’, J.R.S.A