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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.