Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland

Headstones Old Ballygurrim & Kilivory

There are 5 old graveyards in the Parish of Glenmore in addition to the graveyard at St. James’s Parish Church in Glenmore Village. Danny Dowling has recorded information from headstones in the old graveyards and inscriptions will be recorded on this page as transcribed from his notebooks. Updates will be placed in [ ].

The first set of headstones is from Ballygurrim cemetery.

The second set of headstones is from Kilivory cemetery.

This page was updated on 25th of July 2022.

For a 2019 video showing Ballygurrim graveyard see, Paul Harney of G.R.G.U. (Glenmore Rural Graveyard Upkeep) available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhJihSm7ryA.

Entrance to Ballygurrim Church Ruins & Graveyard

Ballygurrum (sic) Graveyard—written down 16th March 1961 by Danny Dowling. “A nice fine dry day, a bit overcast.”   [DD Notebook 23]

4 Stones within walls of the church itself.

Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Pray for the soul of John Grace
Who dep’d this life
Aug ye 15th 1774
Aged 80 years
Also Edm'd Grace who dep’d this life
March the 10th 1798 Aged 55 years was erected by
Rob’t and Tho’s Grace in memory of their father
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Erected by Robert Grace in
Memory of his father James Grace
Who depart’d this life
March the 15th 1789 aged 73.
Also the body of his mother
Margaret Grace al’s Burke who
Dept’d this life March the 29th 1792
Aged 72 years.
Also lying slab of Robt Denn….Carrigan
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
God be merciful to the soul
of Thomas Welsh
Who dep’d this life 25th Sept 1818
Aged 70 years
Also his wife Elenor Welsh alias Roche
Who dep’d 8th Oct’r 1818 aged 57 years
Reg’s in Pace

_________

3 Stones together at road side of graveyard facing east at Glenmore end

Erected by Elenor Gorman alias Murphy
of Ballycroney in memory of her husband
Dennis Gorman who dep’d this life
1st Jan’y 1798 aged 50 years
Also his brother William Gorman
Dep’d 12th March 1815 aged 71 years
Also her son Michael Gorman dep’d
15th May 1837 aged 38 years.


Erected by Mick Gahan
in memory of his beloved wife
Mary Gahan alias Gorman who
Dep’d this life Jan 28th 1846 aged
27 years
Also three of his children who died young
Erected by Richard Gorman
in memory of his beloved wife
Elizabeth Gorman alias Aylward
who dep’d this life 16th Jan’y 1840
aged 43 years
Also the above named Richard Gorman
Who died Dec’r 19th 1866 aged 79 years
And his son Peter Gorman died 23 April 1899
Aged 70 years

__________

Following 2 stones one yard apart looking east.

Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Erected by James Dunphy in memory of
His father James Dunphy aged 35 years
Also his mother Alice Dunphy aged 50 years
Also two of their children
Also John Dunphy died Jan’y 29th 1815 aged 80 years
Erected by Richard Dunphy
of the City of Waterford Victuler 
in memory of his father Jam’s Dunphy of Listerline 
Also 4 of his children who died young 

(Headstone alongside church field ditch looking southeast)

Erected by Patrick Kneef in memory 
of his two sons Edward and Richard Kneef 
who dept'd this life 15th and 22nd of Jan'y 1829 
Edward aged 22 years 
Richard aged 15 years 

Erected by John Grennan of Ballycurran 
in loving memory of  his father Patrick Grennan
who died Feb'y 2nd 1871 aged 64 years 
Also his mother Ellen Grennan who
died March 18th 1886 aged 84 years 
Also his son John Grennan who died  
October 20th 1890 aged 20 years 
And the above named John Grennan 
who died 26th Jan 1917 aged 87 years 
Also his wife Ellen Grennan who died 
8th Jan 1923 aged 86 years 
And their son Matthew who 
died 17th July 1922 aged 50 years 
RIP 

_________

[To the left next to the ditch a smaller more modern headstone ]

Erected by Bridget Grennan, Clonassey & Patrick Grennan, Rahora 
In Loving Memory of her husband 
John Grennan died 14 March 1956, aged 76 
His daughter Bridget died July 1931 aged 8 
James Grennan died Oct. 1932 
His wife Mary died 9 Nov. 1945 
Their daughters Elizabeth, Mary & Margaret died young. 
Patrick Grennan died 3rd Dec. 1995 ]
Ballygurrim Church Ruins–Gable End Wall Furthest from road.

Headstones facing northeast, back to church field

Erected by Luke Roche
of Ballycurran in memory
of his father Matthew Roche who
Died June 12th 1824 aged 50 years
Also his mother Margaret Roche
Who died August 5th 1844 aged 70 years
Also his brother Robert Roche who
Died 15th March 1872 aged 56 years
Also his son Matthew Roche who
Died Nov’r 8th 1872 aged 35 years
Erected by James Morrissy
In memory of his father Laurence Morrissy
Who Dep’d this life Ap’r 17th 1813 aged 74 years

______________

Also small stone about 1 foot high, east side of chapel, marked thus

          +
J.G.        N.

_______________

IHS
Erec’d by Catherine Hogan in
memory of her husband John Hogan
who dep’d this life 21st July 1828 aged 63 years
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Erected by John Murphy
in memory of his father
Laurence Murphy who died Feb. 9 1775

(This stone almost down. More inscription on it.)

[Small all black marble marker with a lamb located to the left of the above ruins of the gable end wall (at the far ditch away from the road) at the foot of a large headstone the inscriptions having worn away.

Edward–in loving memory of Edward Walsh who died in infancy son of Mary and Edward Walsh, Kilbrahon. RIP]

Ruins of Kilivory Church–photo taken 7 June 2020 (c) Kathleen Moore Walsh

KILIVORY GRAVEYARD–inscriptions recorded on Sunday the 12th of August 1961 recorded by Danny Dowling “with Johnnie Boland” [DD Notebook 23].

Headstones inside church ruins

Strange Marker east gable
In memory of Peter Strange of Aylwardstown
Who died December 22nd 1872 aged 67 years
and of his father Laurence Strange and of his 
grandfather Peter Strange. 
Thomas F. Strange born 11 May 1812-died 2 Feb. 1897
In fond memory of Mary Eliza Chapman who passed 
over on January 18th 1881 in her 74th year.  RIP

[The Strange marker is in the east gable end, inside the ruins of the church and in the wall itself.]

Gable wall

Erected by Patrick Hogan
in memory of his father John Hogan
who died May 1st 1825 aged 77 years
Also his brother Lawrence Hogan
who died March 29th 1865 aged 78 years
of Nicholastown
Here lieth the body of James Royan
who dep'd this life March 30, 1815
aged 71 years
Also his son Patrick Royan who dep'd
this life Jan. 26th 1815 aged 25 years
Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Catherine Cotterell
née Fitzgerald wife of Mr. William Cotterell of
Glentiroe who died September 12th 1866 aged 75 years
Here lieth the body of Michael Fitzgerald who dep'd
Nov'r the 12th 1762 aged 48 years with three of his children
May they rest in peace
Amen
Erected by his son Jno Fitzgerald
Also the body of John Fitzgerald of
Knockbrock who dep'd this life
7th October 1809 aged 68 years.
Here lieth the body of Margaret Walsh al's
Fitgerald who dep'd January 25th 1781 aged
25 years with two of her children
May they Rest in Peace
Amen
Erected by her husband Jas. Walsh
Erected by Michael Fitzgerald of Nockbrack
in memory of his daughter Johanna Fitzgerald
who died May 23rd 1847 aged 20 years
Pray for the Repose of the Soul of Paul Fitzgerald
Knockbrack who died 20th Jan. 1923 aged 65 years
And his wife Johanna Fitzgerald née Freyne died
6th July 1945 aged 88.
[And their son Thomas Fitzgerald died 
3rd Oct. 1981, aged 87 years]

Small little stone

I. Fitzgerald
Erected by the Rev'd Tho Malley
Doctor of the Sacred and White Faculty of
Bordeaux in memory of the Rev'd Stephen Lower
Bachelor of Lovain, Doctor of Rome Prothnotary
Apostolic Archdeacon & Vicor General of Ossory
& Parish Priest of Ida who dep't this life the 9th of 
January 1800 aged 73 years
(This is a flat slab)

Outside in the chapel yard. This is a vault.

Sacred to the memory of ______________
Rochestown who died the...
Erected by Matthew Norris of Ballybeg
in memory of his daughter Catherine Norris
who died the 24th May 1847 aged 27 years
Also his son Patrick Norris who died May
1st, 1903 aged 76 years
And his grandson James Norris who died
April 17th 1887 aged 29 years
Also six grandchildren who died young

Here lies the body of Luke Norris
who dep'd this life Aug't 1st 1800
aged 58 years
Also his father and mother
Here Lieth the Body of Martin Walsh
who died Jan'y 9, 1779 aged 35 years
Lord have mercy of his soul
(crude home made stone)
Erected by Michael Forristal
of Rochestown in memory of his wife
Bridget Forristal alias Doherty who
departed this life 9th April 1819 
aged 34 years
Also one of their children who died young
Erected by James Forristal of Roachestown
in memory of his father John Forristal who
dep'd this life 30th March 1815 aged 74 yrs
Also his mother Bridget Forristal
(stone broken off here)
Erected by Margaret Forristal of Shanbo
in memory of her beloved husband 
Laurence Forristal who departed this life on 
the 30th of April 1867 aged 53 years
Erected by James Forristal in memory of 
his father Rich'd Forristal of Shanbough
who dep'd this lie April 9th 1802 aged 76 years
Erected by Pierce Ryan in memory of
 his father Darby Ryan who died Dec'r 1st
1836 aged 84 years
Also Johanna Ryan who died Dec'r 30th
1836 aged 24 years
Also of John Ryan who died March 9th 1837
aged 27 years 
And of Annastatia Ryan who died 
May 7th 1837 aged 34 years
 
Erected by James & Michael Murphy of 
Bollowbroughee in memory of their father 
John Murphy who dep'd this life June 7th
1794 aged 51 years
Also his wife
Erected b Rich's Burk in memory of his
father James Burk who dep'd this life Jan'y
ye 25th 1799 aged 63 years 
Also his grandfather Rich'd Burk who died
Jan'y 1st 1740 aged 52 years
Erected by Tim Heferin of Haggard 
in memory of his father Patrick Heferin 
who dep'd this life April 7th 1797 aged 60 yrs 
Also the body o Bridget Heferin who dep'd this 
life March 17th 1797 aged 34 years 
Erected by Bridget Gafney alias Dunphy
in memory of her husband Will'm Gafney
who dep'd this life June ye 13th 1798 aged 
36 years
Also his fahter Mich'l Gafney who dep'd
this life Sept ye 26th 1783
Here lies the body of Catherie Dunn
alias Fanning who died on the 13th August
1838 aged 60 years
Also her husband William Dun who died
Aug't 21st 1838 aged 68 years
Both of Glenmore
Her son John died 1880 aged 65 years
and his wife Mary died 1881 aged 60 years

(There is one other stone to be deciphered here in this churchyard--namely a vault at the east side.)
The vault at the east gable end of the ruins of Kilivory Church–little writing remains on the damaged lid in 2020

 

The photo was sent of the coat of arms to the Heraldry Office and the following information was sent to us,”

“This is indeed a coat associated with several branches of Forstall in the counties Kilkenny and Wexford and the City of Dublin. They all appear to have used the pronominal coat rather than with their proper differences; there was and is a good deal of carelessness about this which generations of heralds have failed to cure.
 
The inescutcheon – charged with three helmets – indicates a Forstall marriage to a Kennedy heraldic heiress.  (A lady whose father left no son to continue the name.)  It is borne to indicate that this armiger’s children have part of their inheritance from their mother and after her death might marshall the two coats together by quartering.” (Micheál Ó Comáin, Herald of Arms, 6 June 2020)