Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland

Glenmore Memory Cards

A memory card is a small card printed to remember a deceased person. In recent years memory cards have become very personally stylized. Lawrence J. Taylor explained the traditional style of memory cards as well as where they may have been kept by a recipient.

Traditional Style

“The Mass or memorial card, brings an unaccustomed, personal iconography to Irish death practices, visually conjoining the deceased with a variety of verbal and pictorial religious representations. One  side of this laminated paper card one find a devotional image, either a favourite of the deceased of whoever chose it, such as the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Theresa of Lisieux, St. Martin de Porres (each choice a testimony to the fluctuating influence in the parish of the respective promoting religious orders).”

“On the other side of the card is a prayer or statement appropriate to the devotional image and, these days, a small photograph of the deceased if one is available. Under that are inscribed words such as “In loving memory of Conal O’Beirne, of …, Born …, Died…This arrangement of words and images is very like a gravestone…Those who receive such cards will place them either in a bureau drawer, where rosary and missal are kept, or else among the pages of the missal itself at the points appropriate to their death dates, so that the dead will come to mind and be prayed for on their anniversaries…” (Lawrence J. Taylor (1989) “Bás InEirrinn: Cultural Constructions of Death in Ireland,” 62(4) Anthropological Quarterly, p. 184-5.)

Glenmore Memory Cards

It is the custom in Glenmore that “memory cards” are printed and distributed to family, friends and neighbours of the deceased. An example of an early twentieth century memory card is provided below. Biographical information concerning the deceased is provided to the right of the example. Most Glenmore memory cards provide a photo of the deceased, the date of death, the age at death and a prayer.  Below is a list of memory cards of people from or connected to Glenmore. In addition to memory cards many families send other types of cards. Cards without an * came from the Peter Walsh, Rathinure collection. Cards on the list marked with * are from the Michael Roche, Rathinure collection.

John Walsh of Glenmore
From the collection of Michael Hoyne, Ballybrahee, Glenmore

John Walsh (1889-1911) was born on 26 Feb. 1889 the son of Patrick Walsh and Bridget Walsh née Hoynes. Patrick and Bridget were married on 17 Feb. 1885 at Glenmore. Patrick was the son of Martin Walsh and Bridget was the daughter of John Hoynes. John Walsh died on 15 May 1911 at Ballybrahee, Glenmore of pulmonary tuberculosis after a 3 month illness. John had beeen employed as a draper’s clerk and his sister Bridget Walsh (b. 1893) was present when he died. His brother James Walsh (b. 1891) with his wife Lizzie Walsh née Heffernan ran the former Gaffney mill and shop in Glenmore Village.

Page Updated 10 Oct. 2026

* From the collection of Michael Roche, of Rathinure, Glenmore.

” From the collection of Michael Hoyne, of Ballybrahee, Glenmore.

For further information on Glenmore people see our Glenmore Family Surnames pages and our Glenmore Obituary page.

Limited Irish Birth & Death Records are available online courtesy of the National Archives & Irish Geneology.ie.

Bridie Jones (c. 1917-2008)