The Trustees of the Chatsworth Settlement and the Duke of Devonshire have donated an important medieval manuscript known as The Book of Lismore to University College Cork. This manuscript is considered to be one of the great books of Ireland. It has been in the possession of the Dukes of Devonshire since the 1640s and was originally kept in Lismore Castle. It will eventually be displayed in a Treasures Gallery in the Boole Library in University College Cork.
Our Heritage in Stone - Edmond Power Memorial
 |
| Unidentified children at Power's Memorial with St. Mary's Church of Ireland in the Background. c 1900 |
Edmond Power
Memorial
The Power family are
said to have lived at Ballygagin to the west of Dungarvan, where Edmond's
father held a large amount of land. Edmond's father may have been John Power. John Power of Ballygagin is named as one of
the executors in the will of Pierce Britt of Ballynalahessary in 1784. His father was said to have been comfortably
well off. This John Power made his will
on 15 August 1787. In it he directs that
he be buried in the family burial place at Kilgobnet, he refers to his wife
Mary Walsh and his children. Edmond had
a brother John and two sisters, one of whom is said to have married an O'Keefe
of Mountain Castle near Modeligo. Edmond
became involved with the local branch of the United Irishmen. Power and a companion, Francis Hearn, were
arrested by the authorities. According
to Canon Power, Edmond was betrayed by Michael McGrath from Ballynamuck. Another account written by Mary Ellen Barron
(whose grandmother, Mary Power, was a great - grand niece of Edmond Power) in the
1950's states that the informer was Seamus A. Gabhann, (James Duggan) the
Blacksmith. Edmond was arrested in
September 1799 and taken to Waterford where he was court martialled in October
of that year and sentenced to be hanged.
A monument in the form
of a Celtic cross by Molloy of Callan was erected to his memory in the Park. (This is the only 1798 memorial in Co.
Waterford). It was officially unveiled
by the Rev. Richard Henebry in 1903, six years after it was first planned. Henebry gave a speech in which he stated that
Power was hanged from a window of the Old Market House. Power's body is said to have been removed to
Kilgobnet for burial. The cross
incorporates shamrocks on the tops of the pillars which are of polished stone,
a panel contains an Irish harp and the date 1898. The shaft of the cross shows
two pikes and intertwined shamrocks on one side and Celtic interlacing on the
other. There is a raised inscription
‘Remember 98’ and on the base in Irish and English is the following inscription:
In memory of Edmond
Power Who was hanged in Dungarvan for his love of country in 1798. Also in memory of the heroes of 98 who fought
and shed their blood for Ireland.
May God bless the
cause they fought.
 |
| Details of pikes on Edmond Power Memorial |
Our Heritage in Stone - Stone Plaques in Dungarvan contd.
 |
| Christian Brothers School Shandon plaque |
Christian Brothers School, Shandon.
The plaque commemorates the opening of a school at
Shandon in 1811 by the Christian Brothers.
The brothers moved here from a school they had opened at Main Street in
1807. They also built a single-story house where they lived which still survives
at the rear of the Park Hotel. The
brothers moved to a new larger schoolhouse at Mitchel Street in 1835.
This limestone plaque was unveiled by Rev. Brother
Keane, Superior, C.B.S., Dungarvan on Sunday 1st July 1956 with
Richie Walsh and Tom Kyne in attendance.
The plaque was blessed by Rev. Dan O’Byrne, Curate. The plaque was designed by architect Mr.
Aylward and the contractor was John Hearne and Sons, Waterford. It was placed on the roofless outer wall of
the schoolhouse. When the site was
acquired to build the Park Hotel the ruin of the school was demolished, and the
plaque was re-erected on the boundary wall at the front of the hotel.
More information about the C.B.S. can be found in “The Christian Brothers in Dungarvan 1807 – 1992 A Tribute” by Tom Keith
 | ||||
Unveiling of C.B.S. plaque by Rev.
Brother Keane, Superior, at C.B.S. on Sunday 1st July 1956. The plaque was blessed by Rev. Dan O’Byrne, Curate. The plaque was designed by architect Mr.
Aylward and the contractor was John Hearne and Sons, Waterford. Carvings at Saint Augustine’s church, Abbeyside. We don’t know what the original Augustinian abbey
looked like and the cloisters and living accommodation are long gone. However, fragments of carvings can still be
seen set into the 19th century parish church. The most detailed is a square limestone
plaque with a griffin and three scallop shells.
Three shells are the symbol of St James.
It has been suggested that this is the arms of the abbey, but it does
not seem to be the case. It is possibly
part of a family tomb but what family still remains a mystery. Next to it on the side of one of the church
windows is a sandstone head of a bishop carved in a naive medieval style. It is doubtful if it is old but was probably
carved by one of the 19th century stonemasons building the
church. It may represent Saint
Augustine. High up on the gable wall of
the church next to the entrance door there are ancient fragments of possible
capitals from the tops of pillars. On the north wall of the ruined abbey church is a fine limestone doorway or tomb recess with vine leaf decoration. Beneath it lies the tomb of Donal McGrath dated to 1470.
|
New Book by Dungarvan poet Pádraig J. Daly
Dungarvan born poet Pádraig J. Daly has a new book of poetry out titled “A Small Psalter” published by Scotus Books. One of the poems titled “Déisibh Mumhan” references local place names.
There is an introduction by Jack Harte who says “His vision has been at once profoundly spiritual and profoundly humanitarian. He is exactly the kind of writer that people should read as an antidote to the superficiality of our age”….
Museum Book featured on The Ryan Tubridy Show
We were delighted last week
to get a mention on the Ryan Tubridy Show about one of our recent publications
entitled “Desperate Haven” which is the story of the famine in the Dungarvan
Union. Ryan has a great interest in
Irish history and said he looks forward to visiting the museum.
"Desperate Haven" is available to buy from the Book Centre, Waterford City and Waterford County Museum, Dungarvan priced €20. To buy it online search for "Waterford County Museum" on Amazon. Profits go towards supporting the museum.
Buy Our Books
Desperate Haven
The story of
the famine in Dungarvan & West Waterford.
The Comeraghs
"Gunfire & Civil War"
History of the
Déise Brigade IRA 1914-1924. The story of the conflict in the words of the
volunteers who fought.
The Towns &
Villages of the Waterford Greenway
A history of Dungarvan, Abbeyside, Stradbally,
Kilmacthomas, Portlaw & Waterford City.
Our Heritage in Stone - Stone plaques in Dungarvan contd.
 |
| Moresby Plaque - The Lookout |
Moresby Plaque – The Lookout
This limestone memorial which has the Dungarvan crest
on the top commemorates the men who volunteered to man the lifeboat which saved
seven crew members from the ship Moresby on Christmas Eve 1895.
It has another inscription on the reverse which is now
hidden with the following inscription:
To commemorate the bravery of the Dungarvan lifeboat
volunteers in their noble efforts to rescue the crew of the Moresby 24 Decr
1895.
It appears that there was an objection to the use of
the name ‘Dungarvan’ in the inscription.
St. Patrick Street - Name Plaque
St Patrick Street - Name Plaque
This limestone plaque was until recent years on a wall
at the entrance to Keating Street leading from O’Connell Street. It is now on display in Waterford County
Museum. Before Keating Street was
constructed this area consisted of St Patrick’s Street, St Nicholas’ Street and
St David’s Street, all built by the Duke of Devonshire between 1808 and 1822 to
create 40- shilling freeholders.
 |
| The Infant School - Church Street |
Lost Plaques
The Infant School – Church Street
This plaque was placed over the Church Street entrance
to the infant School but was removed in recent years when the site was
redeveloped. The architect of the school was Henry Sinnott, who designed other
buildings in Dungarvan, the most impressive being the Catholic Young Men’s
Society Rooms in Bridge Street (now Bank House). It is inscribed:
Convent of Our Lady of Mercy
INFANT SCHOOL
DUNGARVAN
ANNO DOMINI 1862
In September 1867 the nuns organized a ‘Grand Fancy
Bazaar’ to pay off the debt on the school. Amongst the patrons were: Lady Stuart de
Decies, Countess of Bessborough, Lady Gwendolne Power O’Shee and the Countess
of Dartrey.
 |
| No. 24 Church Street |
No. 24 Church Street
The sketch illustrates two stone plaques which were
set into the façade of No. 24 Church Street. They were inscribed: K.G.M. 1714 and H.B.S.
1761
This house is one of the oldest continuously inhabited
houses in Dungarvan and legend recalls that it was in this house that
Cromwell’s second- in-command, General Michael Jones, died in 1649. The house may well date to the 17th
century and the two plaques may relate to subsequent modifications.
But what do the initials on the plaques stand
for? These may record a marriage – the
top initial is the surname of the husband, the bottom left his Christian name
and that on the bottom right his wife’s initial.
The 1714 stone may record George Keane and his wife Mary,
a prominent citizen who died in 1743. The
1761 stone probably records Beverly Hearn (1704-1773) and his wife Susanna
(1706-1773). He was the son of John
Hearn of Shanakill House and was an officer in the Regiment of Dragoons in
1756. By the time of his death in 1773
he was living at Mount Odell.
Presumably, this George Keane and Beverly Hearn were
the same people listed as agents to the Hore family estate in Dungarvan and
Shandon. Keane from 1716 to his death and Hearn from 1750 to c.1775. The house in Church Street was part of the
Hore estate.
Sadly, these plaques are no longer visible.
Museum Closed
In the meantime you can still contact the museum by email at: info@waterfordmuseum.ie.
All museum events, lecture, etc. are cancelled until further notice.
Our Heritage in Stone - Stone Plaques in Dungarvan
Walking around Dungarvan and Abbeyside there are stone plaques, almost all of limestone, which record or commemorate an event, street, building or person. We pass by these without noticing them most of the time, but it is easy for such items to disappear during renovations to buildings and structures.
It is important that they are recorded visually and that they are given protection to ensure their preservation. This week we show a selection of these plaques, a few of which are no longer visible and are probably destroyed or lost.
 |
A limestone street name plaque inscribed 'Galwey's Lane 1740'. The Galweys were a well-known merchant family in the town (later of Duckspool and Colligan Lodge), who had property in the area. The stone was removed when Moloney's Store was demolished and re- erected on the building which replaced it. |
 |
This is one of the most decorative stone plaques to be seen in Dungarvan. It can be seen at the base of No. 21 Church Street and is inscribed: 'Patricke Gough 1615', the P and G are carved as interlaced letters. There are two other capital letters, A and part of another now damaged. It also contains a hand holding a stamp or seal. It commemorates Gough who was Attorney for Session in 1591 and Portreeve of Dungarvan in 1602. The stone is either a commemorative foundation stone or part of a fireplace once incorporated into a stone house on this site. |