Succession of Pastors
The following up
to Fr, John Kelly
ib
from
Dr. Comerford Collections III 121-2
Murtagh Doyle,
registered in 1704, residing at Kilmurry, aged 50, was Parish Priest
of Ballon, Myshall, Kellistown, Temple Peter, Ahada, part of
Ardreston and part of Fennagh; he was ordained in 1681 at Garricken,
Co. Kilkenny, by James Phelan, Bishop of Ossory; and his sureties
were James Sinnott of Ballinrush, Gent., and John Dowling of Carlow,
Gent, £50 each. In an account of the State of Popery, in 1731 (See
Vol, I. p. 268), Murtagh Doyle is set down as Popish Priest of
Grangeforth.
Thomas FitzGerald
is named in this account as priest of Kellistown; and in a List of
the P.Ps. made by Dean Skelton in 1733, Fitzgerald is named as P.P.
of Ballon. It is probable that Fr. FitzGerald was assistant to Fr.
Doyle and that he succeeded him as P.P. prior to 1733. It has not
been ascertained when this priest died; it is stated that he is
interred at Kellistown.
James Brett
succeeded; he died the 19th of January, 1764, aged 41, and is
interred at Kellistown.
Michael Shortall
succeeded; he is named in a return of 1766
as P.P. of
Ahade. This priest, who survived up to the year 1794, is interred
with his family at Ballyellen.
Nicholas Nowlan
succeeded; he was a native of Kilbride, Parish of Clone gal. He was
translated to Rathvilly in succession to Daniel Murphy, who died 5
Dec. 1798, aged 102. It is not unlikely that Fr. Nowlan was in
charge of the parish of Rathvilly as Administrator for some time
before the death of the plusquam centenarian P.P.
John Kelly,
D.D. succeeded. He had been professor at Carlow College. He was the
first professor on the College books. The College opened 1st Oct.
1793. He began 20th Oct. 1793 at 30 guineas a year. He remained till
16th March, 1794. The late Thomas Fitzpatrick, Rathrush spoke of Fr.
Eoin Kelly P.P. He lived at Ballycurra, Rathoe district and died
there 5th March, 1799 aged 43. He is buried at Kellistown. Fr.
Patrick Byrne, P.P. who died 13 Sept. 1923 told the present writer
that in the Chapel in which Fr. Kelly officiated, probably at
Rathoe, there was a "pound" or enclosure for obnoxious persons who
would be sagfe there from being molested. It was the custom for the
priest to give the Asperges, that is to sprinkle holy water on the
congregation before Mass. When Dr. Kelly would come to the Pound he
would greet those in it with "Black Sheep! Black Sheep!". This was
reported to the Bishop who told Dr. Kelly that he should discontinue
this breach of charity. Dr. Kelly promised. On the following Sunday
Dr. Kelly as usual aspersed the people with holy water and coming to
the Pound he addressed the occupants — "Ma! Ma!".
Fr. Thady Dunne
succeeded as P.P. In 1802 he wag transferred to Rosenallis and Fr.
James Conran who had beer P.P. Rosenallis succeeded.
1849-69
— Fr. John
Kehoe. As John Keogh, he matriculated on 25th August 1838 in
Maynooth in Rhetoric. The mural tablet in the nave of the Church of
S.S. Peter and Paul reads: "Sacred to the memory of Rev. John Kehoe,
P.P. Ballon and Rathoe. Born in the parish of Bagenalstown 2nd
October 1819, after a year's preparatory study in Carlow College he
in 1837 entered Maynooth from which after a conspicuously
distinguished career he was promoted to the Sacred Priesthood in the
year 1844. His first mission was the curacy of Clonaslee, next that
of Arles, whence he was transferred in 1848 to Ballon where although
meantime offered high preferments, he chose to live and toil as
curate for twenty further years. On the resignation of Rev. Wm.
Kinsella, P.P. in 1868 he was appointed Pastor of the parish, to the
temporal as well as spiritual welfare of whose people he had devoted
all the vigour and earnestness of his earlier years. His kindness to
the poor and his zeal for God's glory should ever be held in
cherished remembrance by those amongst whom to spend himself in
unceasing exertion was but a labour of love. After a most exemplary
and useful life he calmly resigned his sinless soul to his Creator
on 21st July 1883. May he rest in peace. Amen".
Fr. Kehoe
was an uncle of his successor Fr. P. F. Nolan, P.P. He was born
probably at Carrig, Muinebheag. The family-were evicted from
Kilconnor, from the place where George Young lived later, opposite
Bob Morrissey's. The land is now divided. On the day of eviction
their stock and chattels formed a procession a mile long. So said
Fr, Pat Broughan, P.P. Caragh in 1944, a neighbour. There is a
tradition that the horse which Fr. John Murphy P.P. had in the
course of his journey to Ballyveal and Tullow in '98 was given to
him by a granduncle of John A. Kehoe, for many years chairman of
Carlow County Council. The Kehoe family lived at Toberbride, near
Muinebheag, in '98.
Fr. John Kehoe,
P.P. was a nephew of Fr. Patrick Kehoe, P.P. Leighlin who died 20th
April, 1858 aged 67. Fr. Patrick was born 28 years before
Emancipation. Fr. P. Kehoe was C.C. Ballinakill in 1817 and Adm.
Graiguenamanagh from the end of 1823 to September 1827. Fr. Pat's
brother was Fr. Michael, first P.P. of Abbeyleix who gave evidence
before a committee of the House of Commons in 1832. He had been 8
years P.P. Abbeyleix and 16 years living in the parish. J.K.L. had
nominated him for the London evidence.
A sister of Fr. James
Nolan, first Rector of Knockbeg became Mrs. Kehoe, Carrig. A John
Kehoe of Carrig married Annie Brophy, sister of John Brophy of
Milltown who was for many years Chairman of Carlow Co. Council. John
Brophy was granduncle of the Brophys of Castlemore. He was son of
Thomas Brophy Miltown and Johanna nee Walsh of the Harrow. Mrs.
Johanna Fenelon of Carrig was a daughter of John Kehoe of Carrig.
The grandparents of Mrs. Fenelon nee Kehoe were Michael Kehoe,
Carrig and Margaret Brophy, Baltinglass, niece of Cardinal Cullen.
The Keoghs of Park and Orchard were distant relatives of the Carrig
family. Paddy Nolan of Laragh a near neighbour of the present
writer's family used to drive Fr. John Kehoe, P.P. home to Carrig
frequently. The Kehoes were related to Johnny Man Jack Nolans,
whoever they were.
- Source: Ballon and Rathoe Vol. 1 Peadar Mac
Suibhne 1980