Laois - Tierhogar Churchyard, Lea Parish *********************************************** Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Laois Index Copyright ************************************************ File contributed by: Celia Ewald TIERHOGAR CHURCHYARD, LEA PARISH. [From Lord Walter FitzGerald.] 'Considerable remains of this old church are standing, but the ruins have no cut-stone work now left in them, though here and there cut-stone jambs of windows are used as headstones to the graves. 'Three flat slabs lie below the east end, outside the ruins, bearing the following inscriptions':-- HERE LYETH THE BODY OF THE REVAREND FRANCES [sic] BERGIN WHO DEPARTEH THE 11TH DAY OF MAY 1736 AGED 63 _____ 'The next slab is that of a layman, as the inscription faces the east; and strange to say, at this late period, is in relief':-- HERE - LYES - THE - BODY OF - COND - RORKE - WHO DEPARTED - THIS - LIFE - THE 22 DAY - OF - AUGUST 1732. _____ 'The third slab is broken, and the upper portion is missing; it is said to mark the grave of a priest, Father Fox. The latter end of the inscription reads':-- . . . . . . . . . . Of the Rever . . . . . who was for the space of 6 years parish priest of the parishes of lea & Coulbana- gher and departed this Life the 6th day of November 1741 and in the 41st year of his Age. _____ 'Another priest's grave lies out in the burial-ground to the south of the church ruins; it is marked by a table-tomb, on which is inscribed':-- Here lieth the Body of ye Revd Iohn Phelan who departd this life the 16th of August 1775. Aged 80 yrs. _____ 'A slab inside the church ruins, much overgrown and sunk in the ground, bears the following inscription':-- Here lyeth the Body of | Garret Dempsy who de- parted this life the . . . | of September in the year | 1745 Aged 60 years. | Also here lyeth the | Body of Margaret Beaughan | his grandaughter. She | Departd this Life October | the 18th in the year 1768 | Aged 19 years. _____ 'On a headstone, near the south wall, outside the ruins':-- Here lieth the | Body of John | Roarke and Fa | mily he depd | this life Janry | the 1st 1759 | aged 69 years. _____