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| Boate Memorial, Abbeyside |
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| Murray Memorial, Abbeyside |
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| O'Brien Memorial, Abbeyside |
A group of 19th century carved gravestones from Abbeyside.
The Boate gravestone is more detailed with
Christ on the cross surrounded by symbols of the passion. All of them were probably carved by a local stone
mason.
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| Cornelius J. Sheehan Memorial |
This memorial is carved of marble on a limestone base
by Molloy of Dungarvan & Callan. It has the following inscription:
Erected by
Cornelius J. Sheehan
In memory of his
beloved wife, Catherine (Nee Landers)
Died 15 February
1920 aged 76 years.
The above Cornelius
J. Sheehan Died 12 March 1923 aged 78 years.
His son Patrick
Joseph Died 16 March 1932 aged 43 years.
John Sheehan died 20 May 1943.
Cornelius ran the celebrated woollen mill at
Ballinamuck, Dungarvan and had a shop at 22 Grattan Square which sold the
tweeds he produced. According to the 1911 census he was a native of Co.
Limerick and his wife Kate (Catherine) was from Co. Waterford. The following children are listed:
Dora (aged 22), Shop Assistant; John (aged 21), Wool
Spinner; Lena (aged 20), Shop Assistant; Patrick (aged 19), Factory Accountant;
Cornelius (aged 18), Wool Spinner.
Cornelius had a Woollen Mill at Kilbeheny near Mitchelstown
which he sold in November 1887 and moved to Dungarvan. The Dungarvan business was a success for a
period winning medals and certs at exhibitions such as: the Countess of
Cadogan’s Irish textile Exhibition held in Dublin in 1897; Glasgow International
Exhibition 1901; the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St Louis, 1904, and the
Irish International Exhibition held in Dublin in 1907.
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| Woollen Mill |
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| Cornelius J. Sheehan shop front |
His obituary in the Waterford News of 23 March
noted that he died unexpectedly: ‘For many years he had been contractor for woolen
goods to several establishments in the South. He was a man of the highest probity, an
exemplary liver, and a devout Catholic’. The Mill was sold in 1937.
Waterford County Museum has a small archive on the
firm including tweed samples, photos, account books etc. donated by Miss Nell
Cullinane.
This is one of the most elaborately decorated Celtic
crosses in Dungarvan with decoration on every surface front and back. It was
carved in limestone by Molloy of Dungarvan according to an inscription at the
base. Patrick Molloy started his business in Kilkenny in 1892 and had branches
in Callan and Dungarvan. His sons
continued the business, and it is still thriving today under another
generation.
The memorial is inscribed:
Erected by his wife and
children
In loving memory of William F
Foley, Main Street Dungarvan
Who died 9 March 1926 aged 66
years.
& his grandson John W
Hurley, died 7 February 1926 aged 15 years.
His wife Bridget Foley died 13 December 1944.
William’s obituary in the Dungarvan Observer of
14 March 1926 noted that he was ’an upright and honourable man, who had
built up a large and lucrative trade. A
sound and thorough Irishman, and always played his part in national affairs,
and was ever a generous subscriber to all charitable and patriotic purposes’.
This Celtic cross of limestone was carved by Sheedy of
Midleton and contains a marble panel inscribed as follows:
In loving Memory of
Patrick Mulcahy died 18-12-1931
Town Clerk Dungarvan 1905-1922
When he was dismissed his post
By the Free State Government
For refusing to take an oath to a British King
His beloved wife Mary Agnes
died 23-5-1930
His son Patrick died 6-5-1940
According to the 1911 census the Mulcahy family was
living at Abbeyview, Dungarvan in a house owned by John T Hudson. Patrick (1867-1931) was aged 45 and his
profession was given as ‘Accountant and Town Clerk’. His wife Mary Agnes (1879-1930) was aged 32. It noted that had been married ten years. Eight children are listed.
The memorial is unusual with its very direct political
inscription. At their meeting of 9
December 1921 Dungarvan UDC welcomed home M. Brennock, T. Fahey and P. Mulcahy
after their release from internment in Ballykinlar camp on that day.
Patrick’s obituary noted that he had been ‘in feeble health for some time’ and that he was aged 68. ‘he resigned some time ago as a protest against doing the juror’s books. He was a strong follower of the Republican party’. In August 1933 at a meeting of Dungarvan UDC Mr McCarthy proposed that the council borrow £672 to pay Mulcahys’s family a pension which he did not receive having resigned his post in 1922. It was seconded by Mr Power and passed unanimously. This was subject to approval by the Minister for Local Government & Public Health. We don’t know if the minister approved the request.
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| Patrick Mulcahy |
The inscription reads:
In memory of Edward
Greene M.D.
M.CH., R.V.I.L.M.,
K. & Q.C. P.I. Late Medical Officer of Bonmahon Dispensary District
Died March 5th 1892 aged 29 years.
This monument was
erected by the Personal Friends of Doctor Greene
As a tribute of respect to the memory of a faithful,
zealous, and efficient public officer, an esteemed and loyal friend. A sterling and sincere lover of his country. A thoughtful kind-hearted and devoted friend
to the poor and suffering.
The Greene family are extremely well-documented. Col John Joseph Greene published a Pedigree
of the Greene Family in 1899. Much
of his research documents can be found in the Greene Papers in the National
Library. The Greene’s of Old Abbey
by Michael Greene (published privately in 2005) features the Co Waterford
Greenes in detail.
Edward’s father, Benjamin Greene, was a retired shipwright, and had a pub on The Burgery. His wife was Honora Fitzgerald. Edward died of Typhoid and was unmarried. The Waterford News of 12 March published a short obituary noting that he died at his residence in Knockmahon. He had lived there for seven years. After a High Mass in St Mary’s Knockmahon, the funeral set out for Abbeyside for the burial.
