Cemetery: Irishtown, St. Matthew's *********************************************** Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Dublin Index Copyright ************************************************ File contributed by: C. Hunt & M.J. Bradley IRISHTOWN, ST. MATTHEW'S [From the Rev. R. S. MAFFETT, B. A.] The inscriptions within the Church are to found at page 266 of Volume III. The churchyard consists of two portions, that to the south being much the larger of the two. The narrow strip of …………………. Ground along the “north” side of the nave (which seems to be a little to the east of due north) contains nineteen memorials, the inscriptions on which, given below, I copied in the year 1895. This ground was at that time kept locked, while the other part of the graveyard was accessible to the public. The inscriptions begin with those at the west end of the ground, which lies along the public road. The churchyard has been much improved by the removal of a high wall in front, and the planting of shrubs. Row I, No.1 – A low alter-tomb, the under part of which is of granite, close to the boundary of the ground on the church side, has the following inscription. The Hebrew (see first clause of Psalm iii.3,A.V.) is not given by Mr. Blacker in his “Brief Sketches of Booterstown and Donnybrook”':- (this line is Hebrew) Beneath are deposited the mortal remains of George WALL who departed this life Novr 10th 1823 aged 59 years. Also of his son George Saunders WALL who departed this life February 5th 1829 aged 26 years. Also of Walter Saunders FRAYNE, Esq. of Bormount, Co. Wexford who died Feb 17th 1835 aged 23 years Also Jane Wife of Geo WALL Senr who died February 19th 1845 aged 80 years ___________________ No. 2 is another altar-tomb, the under part of which is of granite. It is on a line with No.1 to the north of it. The top slab is intentionally sloped down towards the west and bears an inscription facing that point of the compass. If I remember aright, Canon STONEY told me that this memorial had been transferred to its present position from the site of the transept. The verses are of the older carving:- Here lieth the remains of | Jane BARTLETT | a native of Brixham, Devonshire | She died in Sandymount, 10th December 1848 | Aged 55 years. | Also | Harriet | Daughter of the above | died 20th of April 1853 Aged 21 years | Also | Thomas BARTLETT | of New Grove House, Sandymount | Master Mariner | Husband and Father of the above | Died 13th May ……………….1859, | Aged 65 years. | __________:o: ___________| Also SUSANNAH BARTLETT second Wife of the above | who died at New Grove House, Sandymount, | on the 26th . July 1890, | Aged 81 years. And now my soul another year: Of thy short life is past, I cannot long continue here, And this may be my last. Fixed in eternal state, We have done with all below, You a little longer wait, But how little none can know. Row II, No. 1 – A flat stone within chains, the iron pillars nearly all a little awry. The lower part of this stone, below the inscription, is broken off from the upper, and in three pieces:- Sacred to the memory | of | William MASSY Esqr.| who departed this life April the 24th 1849 | aged 62 | Most amiable and exemplary in every relation | of life he trusted alone in the merits of his | Redeemer, and walked humbly with his God | Let us not mourn even as those without hope | For those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. __________________ No. 2 – A fossiliferous headstone to the north of No. 1, leaning somewhat from its proper position:- Erected by | Bernard WOODS | in memory of his beloved wife | Elizabeth WOODS | who died 22nd Jany 1838 | aged 40 years | also in memory of Mr. Barnard (sic) | WOODS who after many years | of suffering from a painful | complaint departed this life | august the 12th 1828 Aged 63 years. __________________ Row III, No. 1 – This is an altar-tomb, with sides of granite, placed out in the gravel walk, which is wider here than farther on, being opposite the tower of the church. Mr BLACKER does not give this, nor the preceding or following inscription (“Woods” and “Rainey):- Mary FITZ GIBBON, died 22d Feb: 1830 aged 74 Thomas FITZ GIBBON, her 3rd son died 26th Aug: 1836 Aged 53 Gerald FITZ GIBBON, her relict died 29th Jan: 1837 Aged 89 Ellen FITZ GIBBON, only daughter of G F G Q.C. died 30th Nov: 1845 Aged 6 Sarah FITZ GIBBON, 3d daughter of T.F.G. died 6th Mar: 1841 Aged 17 Mary FITZ GIBBON, only daughter of Col. Jas F.G. died 6th July: 1852 Aged 35 Henry FITZ GIBBON, 5th son of G. & M.F.G. died 26th Feb: 1853 Aged 57 Gerald FITZ GIBBON, his 2nd son died 20th(29) Jan: 1855 Aged 26 Mary FITZ GIBBON, Widow of H.F.G. died 28th April 1864 aged 60 ____________________ No. 2 – An upright stone in front of No. 1 of the previous row:- Erected by | Quarter Master Sergant Archibald RAINEY | Depot 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade | to the memory of his son | Archibald George RAINEY | who departed this life | 30th April 1845| aged 4 years and 9 months | Suffer little children to come unto | me, and forbid them not, for of such | is the Kingdom of God.| Luke xviii. 16 _____________________ Row IV, No. 1 – An upright stone to the BARTLETT family, 1857. _____________________ No. 2 – Within a railing of some three feet in height is a headstone, and in front of it a roof shaped slab on two basement stones. The headstone has the following:- Sacred to the memory of James PILE Mariner | Native of Brixham who departed this life | the 29th of May 1835 aged 46 yers | I am left for to bewail you dead. Fondly of your loss complain, Trust Jesus is your great reward And then my loss will be your gain The remains of his beloved wife Mrs. Sarah PILE,| are also here interred, she departed this life | the 18th of March 1838 Aged 43 years __________________ Row V contains an upright fossiliferous stone with the following inscription in small letters:- Thomas NEWCOMB of Stroudwater | departed this life 18th June 1831 | Aged 71 ___________________ Row VI, No. 1 – An upright fossiliferous stone to the BLACKMORE family 1872 No 2:- is an upright stone, a little to the west of the line of No. 1. To the ELLIOTT family 1857. __________________ Of the three upright stones bearing the inscriptions given below, the first and third stand near the centre of the ground, the latter in front of the former; the second (“LEESON”), which is not given by Mr. BLACKER, being midway between them, close to the walk. The figure within brackets in the first inscription looked more like “o”; but the age of the deceased, and the position of this part of the inscription suggested “6” to me, which I afterwards found to be the figure given in the “Brief Sketvhes”:- Erected by | John Johnstone MACAULAY | to the memory of his children | CADWAKKADER, | WHO DIED 12TH Sepr 1847, | aged 1 year | Also | Thomas HOBKIRK | whose remains are interred here. | He was lost in the wreck | of the SS Ceres pm the coast of Wexford | on 10th Novr 18(6)6 | aged 26 years. ______________________ Erected by Edward LEESON | in memory of his beloved wife | Mary Anne LEESON | who died 5th Feby 1849, aged 28 years | Also his dear son | William C C. LEESON | who died 24, Jany 1866 aged 22 years | (on back of stone) Mr. Edward LEESON's Burial ground _____________________ Sacred | to the memory of | Ann | the beloved wife of | J. McMURRAY | who died on 26th September 1868 | aged 77 years | Also | her beloved grandchild | Hannah Maria COLEMAN | who died on 6th August 1866 | aged 3 years. ______________________ The remaining memorials consist of five stones placed close to each other against the wall, the fifth being somewhat on a line with the “MACAULAY” memorial. The first, second, and fifth stones have been broken across and cemented, the first hacing again separated. In the inscription on the second stone, Mr. BLACKER has three errors, viz., “18th Sepr 1838,” instead of 13 Sepr 1833,” and, a few lines further down, “78 years” instead of “73.” The explanation is somewhat interesting. Most of the “3's” in the inscription seem exactly like “8's”, except that, when closely examined, it is evident that the curves to the left-hand side in the former, though apparently meeting each other in the centre, are not deep-cut like the curves at both sides of the …………………..………………”8's” Mr. Blacker, or his copyist, has given “8” in those cases where the year would otherwise be subsequent to the year of his copying the inscription, or the letters of abbreviation after the figure would not suit “8”; but he evidently missed the clue to the distinguishing between the two figures, which I hit upon after a considerable time and careful examination. In the inscription on the fifth stone, the “Brief Sketches” has in the last line (wrongly, I believe) “80” for “82”:- To the memory of | Sarah Catherine MILES | who died April 6th 1844 | Aged one Year | Also of | Maria Catherine MILES | who died May 20th 1848 | Aged two Years | The beloved children of | Falconer MILES Esqr | Lower Pembroke St. Dublin | “Of such id the Kingdom| of Heaven”| Also of his fifth son _ Falconer | Died July 5th 1861 | Aged 10 years | Also of his eldest daughter | Fanny | Died June 5th 1864 | Aged 23 years | Also his fourth son | Edmund | Died 25 Novr 1868 | Aged 23 years | Also his youngest son | Harry William | Died 20th June 1869 | Aged 16 years. ____________________ To the memory of | Mary | the beloved wife, of Wm SPARROW Esqr | of Sandymount | who departed this life the 13th April 1826 | Aged 42 Years | also Mary Anne eldest daughter of the above | who died 8th Feby 1827 Aged 22 Years | and Bartholomew Francis, third son of the above | who died 5th January 1825, Aged 18 Years | as also three infant children | who are all interred under this stone | Also to the memory of | Jane Mary | daughter of the above | who died 8th Sepr 1828 aged 15 years | of William BOARDMAN who died | 8th May 1832 aged 22 Years both sons of the above | and to Wm George ALLEY his infant grandson | who died 13th Sepr 1833 | Also to Selina Anne his daughter | who died 11th April 1839 | aged 21 years | And also to James Joseph his youngest son | who died 13th October 1845 aged 25 years. ____________________ To the memory of Mrs. Mary BREVITER | wife of Robert BREVITER Esqr, late of the | fifth Regiment, who died August the 18th, 1802 | Aged 80 years, justly Lamented. For ne'er was to the Bowers of Bliss con*ey'd A purer Spirit of more rightious (sic) Shade Here rests in hopes of a Joyful Resur | -rection, the Remains of the late Robert | BREVITER who departed this life on the 18th | of July 1806 in the 84th year of his Age | An Israeliter indeed in whom was no Guile. ____________________ Here lyeth the Body of | Francis JENKINS Son of | Edward and Elizebeth (sic) JENKINS | who died 1st April 1798 | Also Emily JENKINS their daughter | Aged 16 years and two Months who Died | 12th Augst 1808 _____________________ Here lieth the Body of Mrs. Ann GREENE | Wife of William GREENE of Sand(a?)ymount | in the County of the City of Dublin Esq(r?) | who departed this life the 29th day of July | 1792 in the 79th year of hir (sic) Age | Here also lieth the Body of the above | Mentioned William GREENE Esq who | departed this life the 15 day of July 1794 | in the 82 year of his Age. _____________________ Source Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland Vol 6 (FHL # 0258795)