Cork - Shandon Parish & Skibbereen Abbey Graveyard Memorials *********************************************** Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Cork Index Copyright ************************************************ File contributed by: C. Hunt & M.J. Bradley SHANDON PARISH 'The following epitaph is copied from the Rev. James Delacour's tombstone in this churchyard, and is noticed fully in the July number of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society's Journal for 1894':- HERE LYETH THE BODY OF | FRANCIS BERNARD WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE | THE 29TH DAY OF MAY 1722 | IN THE 65TH YEAR OF HIS AGE | ALSO HERE RESTETH FROM HER LABOUR | ANNE, RELICT OF ROWLAND CUSAK ESQ. | OF KILLOWEN, IN THE COUNTY OF CORK. 'Here follow twelve lines of poetry by Delacour or Delacourt, as it is sometimes found written.' Here also lyeth the Rev.jas De La Court A.M. Grandson to the lady whose character his sweet poetic pencil hath so justly and elegantly drawn in the above beautiful melody. He died the 4th of April 1785. Etat. 75 P.D.V. __________________ THE BELLS OF SHANDON. 'Crofton CROKER gives the following description of the famous steeple of St. Anne, or Upper Shandon in the City of Cork. Both the Shandon livings before disestablishment were in the gift of the Duke of Leinster:- 'The steeple of St. Anne or Upper Shandon, in which hang the celebrated bells, is 140 feet high, and, being built upon an eminence, is remarkable in every point of view of the city, but especially from what Moore has termed " its noble sea avenue," the Lee. This church was commenced in 1722; its steeple constructed of the hewn stone from the Franciscan Abbey, where James II heard Mass, and from the ruins of Lord Barry's Castle, which had been the official residence of the lords president of Munster, and whence this quarter of the city takes its name - Shandon (Sean dun) signifying in Irish "old fort." But as the demolished abbey had been of limestone, and the castle of red stone, the architect of Shandon steeple combined the discordant materials by constructing two sides of white, the remaining slices of red stone "a circumstance occasioning many local jokes, the memorials of which are some rhymes commencing" "Party-coloured like the people, Red and white stands Shandon steeple." Said to have been addressed to Dr. WOODWARD, Bishop of Cloyne, by the famous Father O'Leary. The author of the lyric "The Bells of Shandon" is the Rev. Francis MAHONY. It was originally published in "Fraser's Magazine" for 1834, and is reprinted in "The Reliques of Father PROUT," I, 255, where the reverend author, after indulging in his usual strain of facetiousness, speaks, really from his heart. A discussion about the melody of bells is thus concluded:-" All these matters we agreed were very fine, but there is nothing after all like the associations which early infancy attaches to the well-known and long-remembered chimes of our own parish steeple; and no music can equal them upon our ear, when returning after a long absence in foreign and perhaps happier countries." OLD BELL INSCRIPTION Sabbata pango Funerea Flango Solemnia Clango 'In 1750 was cast the peal of bells, of historic fame owing to the celebrated lines of "Father Prout," whose mortal remains sleep peacefully in the family vault beneath the shadow of the steeple he has rendered so famous. "The following are the inscriptions on the bells':- God preserve the Church and King - A.R. 1750 * "When you us ring, we'll sweetly sing" A.R. 1750 * "Peace and good neighbourhood" A.R. 1750 * "Prosperity to the City and Trade thereof" Recast 1869 - F. de M. St. George, Rector. * We were all cast at Gloucester, in England - Abel Rudhall, 1750 *"Since generosity has opened our mouths our tongues shall sing loud its praise" - A.R. * "I to the Church the living call, and to the grave I summon all" - A.R. 1750. Daniel Thresher. 'The cathedral bells of St. Fin Barre were cast in 1751 by the same bell founders, as was also the bell at the Lower Shandon, the gift of Daniel THRESHER, now rehung in the steeple of the new church at Shanakiel. SKIBBEREEN ABBEY GRAVEYARD [From Mr. James Byrne, of Wallstown Castle, Castletownroche, 1903] 'There is a monument in this churchyard erected by a blacksmith, named Eugene McCARTHY, of Skibbereen, to commemorate the burial-place of the victims of the famine. It is made of iron artistically wrought, and standing about 12 feet high, rests on a concrete base. There is a glass plate representing an altar in miniature; and two large candlesticks stood in front of it with imitation candles – one of them, however, has been broken off. Underneath a brass crucifixion, and about 8 feet above the base the following inscription appears on a marble tablet':- Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. Erected to the memory of those departed ones who fell victims to the awful Famine of 1846 and 1847 Eternal Rest grant them, O Lord, and let perpetual Light shine unto them. May they rest in peace, Amen SOURCE: Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of theD ead in Ireland: vol. 6 1904 - FHL # 1279285