Kilivory Graveyard
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An Old Anglo-Norman Glenmore Family: The Forrestalls
Today, our second installment of part of Chapter 4, Vol. 4 of Carrigan’s History & Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory (1906) (p. 89-91) is presented below and features the four main branches of the Glenmore Forrestall families. The spelling of the surname varied as much a the spellings of Glenmore townlands and areas. Any editorial commentary has been placed in square brackets [ ].
The Forrestalls
“The Forrestalls, an Anglo-Norman stock were landed proprietors in Glenmore parish from an early date. They were divided into four main branches or families, one of which was seated at Forrestallstown; another at Kilbride; a third at Carrickcloney, and the fourth at Mullinahone. John Forstall M’Walter of Forristalstown, gent” had a pardon 5th June 1566. Walter and Gibbon Forstall, of the same place, gents, were pardoned, the former in 1571 and the latter in 1572. By Inquisition of 5 April 1658, it was found that Gibbon Forstall, late of Forstallstowne, was seised of Forstallstown, Ballymolgorme and Ballycroney; he died so seised thirty years before; and that his son and heir Walter Forstall, was at the time of full age and married.”
Forrestall’s Town
“By another inquisition of 12 October 1640, it was found that Walter Forstall, late of Forstall’s towne, was seised of the castle, town and lands of Forstall’s town, otherwise Ballynkenny, Ballymvegarran (Ballygurrin), Ballyheamocke, (now called Jamestown, still called in Irish Boilia-hee-omúch—the town of Séumoc or little James), Newfoer and Ballycroney, otherwise Rusheldstown; that he died 1st March 1639-40, and that his son James was then full of age and married. Under the Cromwellian regime, James Forstall, with Thomas Den, forfeited Forrestallstown, Milltown and Ballygurrim, and was transplanted to Connaght. The castle of Forrestallstown was “thrown down about the year 1800.”
“In Irish Forrestall is pronounced Furristhawl and Forrestallstown is called Bollinurristhawla.”
Kilbride, Glenmore
“Kilbride—Redmund more Forstall, of Kilbride, was pardoned Dec. 28th, 1571. Walter Forstall, of Kilbride, gent., pardoned in 1602 and 1603, was Constable of the Barony of Ida, in 1608. Edmund Forstall, of Kilbrydy, gent., was one of the jurymen at an Inquisitioin held Aug. 18th, 1623. Richard Forstall, of Kilbride, gent., and Katherine, wife of Redmond Forstall, of Kilbride, gent., are mentioned by one John Kearney as taking part in the alleged plundering of the Protestants, at the beginning of the Outbreak of 1641. Redmund Forstall, of Kilbride, gent. Appears as a juror in 1636; he forfeited Kilbride in 1653, and, with Walter Forstall, of Kilbride, was transplanted to Connaught the same year.”
Carrickloney, Glenmore
“Carrickloney—Edmund Forstall m’Thomas m’ Redmund of Karrcknelonyne, horseman, was pardoned iin 1548-9, and Walter Forstal fitz Edmund, of the same place, horseman, probably his son, was pardoned in 1566. Richard Forstall, of the same place, was Constable of the Barony of Ida, in 1608, and received a pardon in 1612. In 1639 Thomas Forstall gent., had a grant, under the Commission of Grace, of the townlands of Carrigneglonyne, Kilmakevoe and Knockbrack and ½ of Ballynerahie. Peter Forstall forfeited Carricknegloning, Kilmackvoge, Knockbrack and Rathsallagh, in 1653, but his name does not appear on the list of the transplanted.”
“The castle of Carrickloney was taken down in the memory of the people still living.” [See our post of 8 July 2021. One room of Carrigcloney Castle still stands complete with a vaulted ceiling.]
“In Irish Carrickloney is called Corrig-na-glooin-eeny, the rock of the little lawns, meadows, or insulated bog islands.” (Referenced O’Donovan).
Mullinahone, Glenmore
“Mullinahone—Walter Forstall of Monhowen, gent., had a pardon, in 1571-2, Richard Forstall, of Monynehoen, Gent, appears as a juror, Sept. 22nd, 1636. In 1653, Edmund Forstall forfeited Munmonewhone, Jamestown, Parkstown, and Ballybraghy. He is, very probably, the ‘Edmund Forstall, of Monyhoare,’ who was banished beyond the Shannan in the same year, and who was assigned lands in the Barony of Island, in the Co. Clare, amounting to 392 stat. acres, which after his death, were confirmed to his son, ‘Peter Forstall, gent., son of Edmund Forstall, deceased,’ by a royal grant of June 26th, 1677.”
“Mullinahone castle shared the fate of the other Forrestall castles, having been razed to the ground many years ago. Its site is pointed out in Mr. Richard Phelan’s ‘castle field,’ a few fields west of Glenmore chapel.” [Per Danny’s son, Pat Dowling, the stone head in Danny’s collection was found in the castle field of Mullinahone.]
“In Irish, Mullinahone is called Mullanahooan. This, too, is the local Irish for Mullinahone, in the Co. Tipperary. In both cases we have an instance of the corruption, or substitution, of the liquid ‘l’ for the liquid ‘n’—a very usual occurrence in the spoken Irish. The correct Irish sound of Mullinahone is Munnanahooan, the shrubbery of the lamb.”
Rochestown, Glenmore
“The Forrestalls of Rochestown, lately extinct, are traced by O’Donovan, in a pedigree to be quoted before the end of this Chapter, to a Captain Edmund Duff Forrestall, who fought at Limerick, in 1690, and who most probably belonged to the Mullinahone or Carrickloney branch of the family. The Forrestall name is still well represented in this parish.” [The photo to the right is the Forrestal Coat of arms on the family vault in Kilivory Church Yard, Glenmore. For further information concerning this coat of arms see the Kilivory section at the end of our headstone page.]
O’Donovan’s Letter (1839)
On pages 98-100 Carrigan inserted the entire letter O’Donovan wrote on 30 September 1839 concerning the parish of Kilcollumb [today Kilcollumb is divided between Slieverue and Glenmore]. The following extract from the letter concerns the Forstall Family of Rochestown.
“That part of Rochestown on which Lady Esmond’s house stands is now called Ringville, but in the title deeds ‘the Ring of Rochestown,’ It was purchased by Mr. Devereux, the uncle of Lady Esmond, from the father of Pierce Edmond Forstal Esqr.”
“The family of Forstal have been a long time located in the county of Kilkenny, but I have no historical account of them. The tradition among themselves is that they came to Ireland with the Earl Strongbow, and were located in the counties of Clare and Kilkenny. Pierce Edmond Forstal of Rochestown, Esqr., has a piece of copper with the arms of the family and the following inscription engraved on it :
Insignia veteris familiae Fosterorum alias Forstallorum comitatus Kilkenniensis in Regno Hibemiae, authentice et ex officio exiradita Dublinii, ultimo die Novembris 1674, anno Regni Caroli Secundi Regis vigesimo secundo, per Richardum St. George Ulster Regem Armorum.
[Translation: The coat of arms of the ancient family of Foster, alias Forstall, of the county of Kilkenny, in the Kingdom of Ireland, authentically and ex officio struck at Dublin, on the last day of November, 1674, in the twenty-second year of the reign of Charles the Second, by Richard St. George Ulster King of Arms.]
” Three pheons in sable, a helmett on the wreath, greyhound’s head, coop argent, collar and chain.”
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To view some local medieval inscriptions see, Fearghus Ó Fearghail, Old Kilkenny Review (1996) “Some Ossory Medieval Inscriptions Revisited,” p. 94-105. The featured photo above is the ancient Celtic Cross of Dunnamaggan, Co. Kilkenny (Carrigan, v. 4., p. 36). For further information see the Kilkenny Graveyards blog (post 3 July 2016).
Please send any corrections, further information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Rev. Stephen Lower (c. 1727-1799): The Saviour of Slieverue & His Grave in Glenmore
Last month Danny Dowling made a point of explaining the importance of the grave of Father Lower in Kilivory graveyard. Danny explained during the 19th century and well into the twentieth century people from all over the country visited the grave of Father Lower believing that the soil had healing powers. In fact, as reported in a 1951 newspaper article written by a clearly sceptical author people were still visiting the grave. Danny Dowling also provided two other important contributions that Father Lower made locally. Father Lower was the first priest to record the baptisms and marriages in the old combined parish of Slieverue and Glenmore. Thus, the early church records, commencing in 1766, that we rely heavily upon today in performing family research is due to the efforts of Father Lower. Father Lower is also credited in 1798 with stopping the burning of Slieverue by British soldiers during the uprising.
Today, the graveyard and ruins of the Kilmakevogue Church are locally known as Kilivory. The church originally was dedicated to St. Mochaevog, an Irish saint, an abbot and patron of Liath Mochevog in Co. Tipperary. After Strongbow’s invasion of Ireland in 1170, the church was placed under the patronage of St. James. In about 1240 Kilmakevogue Parish was one of the parishes that came under the control of the Nunnery of Kilculiheen, of Ferrybank. It is believed that local people began to refer to the area as Kilivory because they thought mochaevog meant ivory in Irish. Irish historian and scholar, John O’Donovan (1806-1861) did not believe that the translation was correct. Interestingly, John O’Donovan was born and raised locally in Atateemore, Slieverue. O’Donovan was the son of Edmund O’Donovan, of Atateemore and Eleanor Hoberlin of Rochestown, Glenmore.
The grave of Father Lower is found in the interior of Kilivory church ruins. Thus we know that by 1800 the church was no longer being used as a church but it was the place where Father Lower chose to be buried. His marker is a large slab that does not lie on the ground. The marker is on several large stones ensuring that the marker is several inches above the grave itself. Although the inscription is faint from exposure to the elements the inscription is still legible and reads as follows:
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 & Vicar General of Ossory & Parish Priest of Ida who dep’t this life the 9th of January 1800 aged 73 years.
Jeroen Nilis, in “Irish Students at Leuven University, 1548-1797,” Archivium Hibernicum (Vol. 60 (2006/2007), pp. 1-304, p. 212) listed in entry 831, dated 1750, Lower, Stephanus. “Born of Protestant parents and brought up in that religion until he reached his twenty-third year; then, moved by divine grace, he left his parents and his native land and went to Flanders with the intention of becoming a Catholic; this he did, having renounced the Protestant religion before Abp. Crivelli who preceded Molianari as nuncio.” It is noted that for nearly 30 years Father Lower was the parish priest of Slieverue and Glenmore parish.
On Friday the 20th of July 1951 the following article appeared in the New Ross Standard. Corrections and translations not part of the original newspaper article are in square brackets [ ].
CUSTOM AS REGARDS PRIESTS GRAVE—There is a peculiar custom in one of the old parochial districts, comprising the once united parishes of Glenmore and Slieverue, that, in the old churchyard of Kilmakevogue, people, for many generations, are in the habit of taking away the clay that covers the last resting place of a priest. The writer understands that the custom still prevails and, on questioning an inhabitant of the district that, if this custom continued for so many generations, the coffin of the dead priest must have long ago been exposed. He was informed that this was not so, and that everyone who took away soil replaced it with other clay; so that the grave remains in its way as it originally stood.
Parish Priest of Ida—To ascertain the authenticity of this story, the writer had access to the diocesan history of Ossory, published by the able archaeologist, the Very Rev. Canon Carrigan. He gives a description of the old church of Kilmakevogue and its surrounding graveyard. He states that in the south-east corner, opposite where the altar stood, rests the Very Rev. Dr. Lower, P.P., and that his “grave is hollowed out to a considerable extent by people taking away the clay therefrom in the belief that it possesses virtue to heal their bodily ailments.” This Fr. Lower was the Vicar-General of Ossory in his time, and is described as the ” parish priest of Ida.” In fact, he was pastor of the united parishes of Slieverue and Glenmore, which were divided into separate parochial districts in 1846. He died in the year 1800, aged 73, and as recorded by Father Carrigan, was buried in Kilmakevogue.
Reared a Protestant—Became a Priest—According to Very Rev. E. O’Farrell, P.P., who wrote a paper on the parish of Ida, which appeared in Transactions of the Ossory Archaeological Society, Father Stephen Lower, D.D., was born in the parish of Glenmore, at a place called Trinaree. He goes on to say: His father was commonly called Shaun Lower. It is said of him that he was an expert ploughman, and a great whistler. [Trinaree is in Slieverue parish] He was landlord of Trinaree, where he lived, and of the adjoining townland of Ballarourach. He was, however, a Protestant, and from this fact the lane leading from the high road to where he lived is, up to this day called Boreen-a-Sassanach [translated the English lane]. Dr. Lower was consequently reared a Protestant. In his youth he was taken from his native place, sent to the Continent, and placed in a Protestant College for his education. Young Lower soon began to feel scrupulous with regard to the religious tenets inculcated by the Superior of the establishment, and becoming more uneasy every day, determined to make his escape, and did so after a short time. He made his way to Rome, renounced Protestantism, studied for the priesthood, and in due time became a priest. Having been ordained, he came back to his native country.
Canon Carrigan, who describes Fr. Lower, as one of the grandest characters that figured in the ecclesiastical history of the diocese of Ossory, says his fathers’ name was not Shaun but Richard. He also mentions that Fr. Lower took out the Degree of Doctor of Divinity in Louvain. On May 4th, 1764, he was appointed P.P. of the newly-formed parish of Rosconnell or Ballyouskill, and was translated from thence to Slieverue and Glenmore on November 16th, 1766. He became Vicar- General of the diocese in December, 1773; Canon of Blackrath. January 5th, 1775. and Archdeacon of Ossory, June 14th, 1778, and died on Jan. 9th, 1800.
‘98 incident—Here is an incident recorded of Fr. Lower, quoted by Fr. Carrigan, from the Transactions of the Ossory Archaeological Society— ” During his missionary career he lived in the village of Slieverue. In the troubled times of 1798, it is said that a party of cavalry passing through, were, in their wantonness, about to set fire to the place, having, it is well known, liberty at that time, without the least hindrance, to destroy property of every description, and even to take away life. History relates that the cruel Attila surnamed ‘the Scourge of God,’ when proceeding to sack Rome, was met by the holy Pontiff, Leo the Great, and was persuaded by him to relinquish his impious designs on the city. The barbarian was so terrified by the holy Pontiff, that he commanded his soldiers to cease hostilities, and thus Rome was saved. In like manner, Father Lower boldly approached the ruthless officer of those ruffians, took his horse by the bridle, and led him and party to a considerable distance from the place. Whether, as Attila was frightened into compliance by seeing two venerable personages guarding the person of St. Leo this wicked officer was deterred from resisting the good priest by seeing some similar vision we know not. Certain it is that he allowed himself and party to he led away from the place, and saved the little village from conflagration and the inhabitants, from insult, if not massacre.
Although local tradition makes no comparison to St. Leo, the Great, the memory of Father Lower and his intervention in 1798 at Slieverue is still remembered today among older Glenmore residents.
UPDATE–two death notices were published in December 1799 indicating that Rev. Stephen Lower died a year earlier than the date recorded on his flat grave marker.
In Saunder’s News-Letter on Thursday the 12th of December 1799, the following death notice appeared on page 2. “Died–On Monday last, in the 74th year of his age, the Rev. Stephen Lower, D.D. Titular Vicar General of the Diocese of Ossory, and for nearly thirty years P.P. of Ida, in the county Kilkenny.”
A slightly longer death notice appears in Finns Leinster Journal on Saturday the 14th of December 1799:
“Died. Friday evening in the 74th year of his age, the Rev. Stephen Lower, D.D. titular vicar general of the Diocese of Ossory, and for nearly thirty years P.P. of Ida, in the county of Kilkenny. He was deservedly beloved by his relatives and parishioners, and universally esteemed for the innocent and probity of his life.”
For a brief history of the current parish church of Glenmore, St. James, see, https://glenmore-history.com/st-james-catholic-church-of-glenmore/ .
The featured painting is a fresco painted by Rapheal of Pope Leo the Great (c. 400-461) meeting Attila the Hun in 452. Leo persuaded Atilia not to sack Rome. The Feast day for St. Leo, the Great, is 10 November. The fresco is available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leoattila-Raphael.jpg .
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh