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.