The Tipperary Antiquarian: 2025

Sunday, 21 December 2025

Ryans of Kilkenny and their link to the Butlers

I started off this article with the idea to review the various Books of Survey and Distribution to see if there were any "stray" Ryan landowners out there.

From the Book of Survey and Distribution for Kilkenny - dated to circa 1680

These records show who owned the land in a particular area circa the mid 1600s and who was to receive the same lands after they had been confiscated by Cromwell.

I had a look at the Carlow version of this document but there were no Ryans included in it which was unusual considering this was supposed to be the original home of the Ryans, however it appears that the Gaelic Kavanaghs and Anglo-Normans such as the Bagnals had taken much of their land prior to the 1600s.

I then went on to review the Kilkenny Books here - not expecting to find much in those either.

Books of Survey and Distribution: County Kilkenny: Gowran Barony - Virtual Treasury

I had reviewed all the books up to the last one - Gowran Barony.

There I found a large number of Ryans in this barony which came as a bit of a surprise. In total they had a share in over 2700 acres in Kilkenny! Many of the Ryans seemed to share land with a Sr Edw. Butler.

I had a look online to see if he might be famous enough to have an entry on the internet and yes there was an Sir Edw. Butler.

He was the High Sheriffe of Kilkenny circa 1640 and also attended the Confederation of Kilkenny so would have been Catholic and considered a rebel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Butler,_1st_Viscount_Galmoye

His father was James Butler - the 9th Earl of Ormond.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Butler,_9th_Earl_of_Ormond

Portrait of James Butler

By Hans Holbein the Younger - https://www.rct.uk/collection/912263/james-butler-later-9th-earl-of-ormond-and-2nd-earl-of-ossory-c-1496-1546, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6384506

What was interesting is that James Butler was known as "The Lame" or Bacach in Irish.

Have a guess what the name of one of the Ryans was in the very first record I came across in the Book of Survey and Distribution?

Teige Baccagh Ryan.

From the Book of Survey and Distribution for Kilkenny - dated to circa 1680

Surely he must have been an illegimate son of this James Butler or perhaps Sr Edw Butler for him to have gotten the name "Baccagh" or lame also?

It also called to mind a reference in O' Nolan - History of a People - pg 88

“In this way Sir Peter Carew, a knight from Devon, a descendent of the Carews who had been granted lands in Carlow in the 13th. century, now claimed his lands (some three hundred years later). The lands in question were mainly in Idrone and were in the possession of five septs of the Kavanaghs, namely the septs of Garryhill, Ballyloughan, Ballyloo, Polmonty and the Rower. Most of the lands were bounded by the Barrow, the Burren River and the Blackstairs mountains. The case was fully examined by the Chancellor, Lord Weston in 1568, who found that the Kavanaghs could offer no proof of title. Carew took up residence as an officer of the Crown, in Leighlin castle, for a short time and endeavoured to get possession of the disputed territories. However, instead of using coercion he tried to use diplomacy and persuasion, offering the Kavanaghs the option of continuing as tenants. This offer was apparently accepted though somewhat reluctantly.
Carew’s claim caused a rift between the Ryans and the Kavanaghs because the Ryans now discontinued paying their rents to the Kavanaghs and sought to pay them directly to Carew. One outcome of this dispute was the granting of Borris Idrone, formerly a Ryan stronghold, to Morgan McBrian Kavanagh, the descendent of Cahir McArt, in 1600. After this many of the Ryans move westwards into Tipperary which was under the protection of the Earl of Ormonde. (385)

So these Ryans in Kilkenny may have been the descendants of this incident?

It also called to mind another link

A high-status tomb at Fethard commemorating a Thomas Butler (son Edward Butler) and a Johanna Ryan.

It is dated 1524 so over 100 years before the Book of Survey and Distribution but it still shows links between the Butlers and Ryans.

From the Thesis - Medieval Graveslabs of Tipperary 1200-1600AD by Denise Sheehan - pers comm via email.

Its inscription is said to say "Here lies Thomas, son of Edmund le Buttler and Johanna, daughter of Dermot O'Mulryan A.D. 1524".

So this post is just the starting point on hopefully more research on the Ryans of Kilkenny.

Thursday, 18 December 2025

General Sir Richard Bourke - founder of Melbourne in Australia with links to Castleconnell in Limerick

By Derek Ryan

I took this photo without knowing anything about who General Sir Richard Bourke was. Amazingly now biographies of historical figures such as this guy are now very easy to find.

Although from two Tipperary / Limerick families in the Bourkes and his mother was a Ryan, Richard was brought up a Protestant. His father was John Bourke of Drumsally near Murroe and his mother Anne Ryan a daughter of Edmund Ryan of Boscable? Tipperary.

He joined the British Army in 1798 and served with distinction in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. A severe facial wound early in his career left him physically marked, but it did not hinder his advancement. After the wars, he returned to his Limerick estate, where he served as a magistrate and landowner, gaining firsthand experience of rural governance and social inequality in Ireland.

His administrative abilities led to colonial appointments, first at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and then, most importantly, as Governor of New South Wales from 1831 to 1837. Bourke arrived with liberal Whig ideals shaped by his Irish experiences. He pushed through reforms that expanded civil jury trials, reduced military dominance in law, supported emancipated convicts, and promoted religious equality through the Church Acts of 1836. These measures challenged the entrenched colonial elite and sparked intense political opposition.

Bourke also played a key role in formalising settlement at Port Phillip, laying the foundations of what became Melbourne, where Bourke Street still bears his name.

He returned to Ireland to Thornfield outside Limerick after leaving office and died in 1855. For more on him see the following link.

Biography - Sir Richard Bourke - Australian Dictionary of Biography

The Fitzgibbon Monument near Castleconnell in Limerick

By Derek Ryan

I'm sure many of ye have passed this monument near the Castleconnell exit off of the M7 at Limerick (Junction 27).

I have passed it many times and finally got a chance to spot and have a look at it. It has been moved to make way for the nearby motorway and re-erected here.

Some might say that the monument could have removed altogether as the Fitzgibbons record as landlords were mixed to say the least.

They had the title of Earls of Clare, the 1st Earl John Fitzgibbon was anti-Catholic and pro the Act of Union.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-FitzGibbon-1st-earl-of-Clare

It was the great grandson of the 1st Earl that is commemorated here.

From the roadside information board "Lady Louisa Fitzgibbon and her first husband, Gerald Dillon, had this arch erected in 1875 in memory of their eldest son, Charles Richard George (1849-70), who died of blood poisoning aged 20. It was positioned over a road side pump originally installed by Louisa's uncle, John (2nd Earl of Clare).

Mungret

The memorial is a gabled, gothic arch of dressed limestone. Above the white marble memorial stone is the Fitzgibbon coat of arms and motto, 'NIL ADMIRARI' meaning 'to be astonished at nothing'. The arch was once surrounded by iron railings and was a well-known landmark on the Limerick to Nenagh road

Raheen

The pump continued in use until at least the 196os. In 2001 Limerick County Council dismantled the memorial to make way for the Limerick Southern Ring Road. It was restored in 2011 and re-built here in Richhill

The memorial prior to its removal in 2001. Neglected for many years, the column stones had cracked, the lead lettering had largely fallen out and the trough was buried"

Sarah McCutcheon

Sunday, 14 December 2025

Ned of the Hill's Cave near Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary.

By Derek Ryan Bawn

Who was Ned of the Hill?

Ned or Eamonn O'Riain an Chnoic was an Irish Rapparee or Highwayman from near Upperchurch in Co. Tipperary. In folklore he developed a reputation as a kind of Irish Robin Hood, taking from the rich to give to the poor.

It is said that he went to France to train to be a priest but on a trip home to Ireland he got into some trouble and became an outlaw.

He fought during the Williamite War when many Rapparee's fought on the side of King James's forces.

Local folklore records that he led Patrick Sarsfield and his soldiers through the secret passes of the Slieve Felims on their way to blow up the Williamite Siege train at Ballyneety in Co. Limerick in 1690.

https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/.../sarsfiel...

In the mountain area between Cappawhite and Hollyford is the reputed gravesite of Ned of the Hill.

https://www.facebook.com/Thetipperaryantiquarian/posts/pfbid0TRN9zVZgT9iGqhPj1sDDgXKLoCrVyEXP4KHrTYY1yt7LokGVQYJhujpoHKJ2wuanl

Another physical location associated with him is a hide-out or cave that was mentioned in the Irish Schools Folklore Manuscripts as being in the hills behind Cappawhite.

I have been looking for further information to try and pinpoint its location for a number of years.

This year local hiking guide Jimmy Barry (who provides guided tours in the area and particularly in the Glen of Aherlow) contacted me following a post to say he thought he knew where it was located.

Recently he was kind enough to take me to look for it. He told that the story he heard was that a rope assisted walkway had been built a number of years ago into a gulley to allow someone from Tipp Fm to broadcast a piece about Ned of the Hill from near the "Cave"!

What he knew about it that it was more of a dug-out than an actual cave and the blue rope and stake in one of the pictures was kind of a viewing point.

The folklore in the Irish Folklore Commissions Main Manuscripts says this about Ned's Cave

From the Irish Folklore Commission's Schools Manuscriptions

"The Cave Naturally defended by contour at the back of the Terret. Entrance sufficient to admit man on horse.

Stream + small eas running by entrance. Used as a store during the Tan War. Rifles discovered in it recently (local press).

The Sheriff of Co. Tipp (Capt Foster) is proposing vote of thanks to me after one of my lectures on folklore, dispensed great interest in these caves expressed the ardent wish of visiting them. When he did arrive in Cappawhite he was not shown Ned's Cave as it is as useful now as it was in 1690-1715, ? ? ? ? ? we hide our cattle ? now when we learn the sheriff & his men are coming. We brought him into the old lead mines & he was equally "charmed & intrigued"."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbe/9000963/7260471

My guide Jimmy Barry recalls reading a newspaper article many years ago that there were some finds in this cave; a musket and sword and that kind of thing. I haven't chased that up as of yet.

So is where we visited the location of a Cave / Dug-out that has become filled in / overgrown? The schools folklore seems to suggest it was more "Cave" like and bigger as it could fit someone in on a horse. However we don't know how accurate this informant was. (Some of his other stuff isn't that accurate). This is certainly the valley marked on the map in the Irish Folklore Main Manuscript anyway so I feel we are very much on the right track.

Either way I really want to thanks Jimmy for taking me to view the site.

Saturday, 15 November 2025

Civil Survey Notes - Owney & Owneybeg

Created by the page owner - Derek Ryan

As far as I can recall these are townland / areas in Owney that have an entry in the Civil Survey of 1654-56 and the Hearth Money Rolls of 1665-66-67 and also feature a person that was listed for Transplantation to Connacht.

Why is this important?

This allows you to trace particular names between the various records. This has never been done before to my knowledge and will be of great use to researchers.

Ballyhourigan

Bauraglanna / Glenculloo

Tullow / Newport

Mountphilips / Cloncummer

Cragg

Rossaguile

Oakhampton

Killoscully / Aughavehir

Ballymackeogh & Rossary

Tonetiry / Ballkinlalee

Thursday, 13 November 2025

Book of Survey and Distribution - Owney & Owneybeg

Not in copyright - dates to the 1680s

Why Transcribing the Civil Survey of Owney & Owneybeg into a Spreadsheet Matters

The Civil Survey of the 1650s is one of the most valuable historical sources for understanding land ownership in Ireland before the Cromwellian confiscations. For the baronies of Owney and Owneybeg, it records who owned land, where that land was located, and how much was held.

However, in its original manuscript form, the survey is difficult to analyse. Transcribing it into an Excel spreadsheet transforms the document from a static historical text into a powerful research tool.

Turning Historical Records into Usable Data

The Civil Survey was written as a series of descriptive entries. Each entry usually includes:

The landowner’s name

The townland

The type of land

The acreage

When this information is transferred into a spreadsheet, each detail can be placed into its own column. This allows the data to be sorted, filtered, and analysed in ways that are not possible when working directly from the manuscript.

Calculating Land Ownership Accurately

Many landowners appear multiple times throughout the survey, often holding land in several townlands. Without transcription, it is very difficult to work out:

How much land an individual actually owned in total

Whether their land was concentrated in one area or scattered

How their holdings compared with others in the barony

Using an Excel spreadsheet, land can be filtered by owner name and total acreage calculated instantly. This reveals the true scale of ownership that is otherwise hidden within the text.

Revealing Patterns Across the Barony

Once the survey data is organised, wider patterns become visible, such as:

Which families held the largest estates

How land was distributed among different social groups

The balance between arable land, pasture, and other land types

These patterns help explain how wealth and influence were structured in Owney and Owneybeg in the mid-seventeenth century.

Supporting Local History and Genealogy

A searchable spreadsheet is also invaluable for:

Local historians researching specific townlands

Genealogists tracing family landholdings

Identifying families who disappear from the record after the 1650s

By making the data easier to access, the Civil Survey becomes useful not only to historians, but also to the wider public.

Preserving the Record for the Future

Digitally transcribing the Civil Survey helps preserve its information for future generations. A well-checked spreadsheet:

Reduces the need to handle fragile original documents

Allows errors to be corrected and notes to be added

Makes the data easy to share and build upon

In this way, the survey is protected while also becoming more useful.

Conclusion

Transcribing the Civil Survey of Owney and Owneybeg into an Excel spreadsheet is not just about copying text. It allows land ownership to be measured accurately, patterns to be identified, and history to be explored in new ways. By turning a seventeenth-century manuscript into structured data, we gain a clearer picture of land, power, and society on the eve of dramatic change in Irish history.

Book of Survey & Distribution - Owney.xlsx

Books of Survey and Distribution: Killoscully and Killcomonty Parishes - Virtual Treasury

Books of Survey and Distribution: Killmillane & Killniragh Parishes - Virtual Treasury

Books of Survey and Distribution: County Limrick: Outhnebegg Barony [Owneybeg] - Virtual Treasury

More Civil Survey Notes -

Civil Survey Notes - Derryleigh

Tuesday, 11 November 2025

Knockmeale (Owney & Arra) and Ned of the Hill - Possible Connections?

From 1840s Ordnance Survey map of Tipperary (not in copyright)

The famed rapparee is more often associated with Atshanboy and the Upperchurch area. However I recently came across a few interesting references linking him to the townland of Knockmeale near Killoscully.

In the Four Tipperary Septs pg 80 it says

"An inquisition taken at Clonmel on Sept. 10th. 1633 found that Daniel Ryan late of Knockmoell in Co. Tipperary was seised in fee of the 6th part of one carucate of land at Knockmoell and died on May the 10th. 1630. That Edmond Ryan was his son and heir, of full age and married. The lands were held in capite and by knight's service.

Probably from Edmond descended Eamon an Chnoic or Edmond of the Hill a noted Rapparee whose name and exploits are still preserved among the inhabitants of the district where he held at bay for several years in his mountain fastness the forces endeavouring to capture or hill him.

He was born at Athcanboy in the parish of Upperchurch at the foot of Knockalough mountain and being intended for the priesthood was educated on the Continent from where he returned at the beginning of the war of 1689".

A word of caution however is, how did Cahalan link this Daniel Ryan to Ned of the Hill other than he had a son named Edmond?

I had always assumed that Knockmoell was close to Ashanboy. However it may in fact be located near Killoscully.

This appears to be Knockmoell now Knockmeale - An Cnoc Maol/Knockmeale | logainm.ie

In the Civil Survey

From - The Civil Survey A.D. 1654–56 vol. ii, county of Tipperary western and northern baronies - Irish Manuscripts - available to download here

we can see the landowners in Knockmoyle including Edmond Ryan of Ballyourigane.

Previously I wrote about this Edmond Ryan here -

https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2024/11/civil-survey-notes-ballyhourigan.html

He may have survived being transplanted to Connacht to be included in the Hearth Money Rolls of the 1660s.

According to Lenihan, it was at Ballyhourigan that Sarsfield's men camped in 1691 and "it is said was visited by one of the old O'Ryans of that country who offered him hospitality". (pg232 "Limerick and its Antiquities".

Could it have also been here that they picked up their scout Ned of the Hill who took over the scouting from Galloping O'Hogan? Knockmeale to Ballyhourigan are less than 2kms apart.

Sunday, 9 November 2025

Lost Rock Art at Coumbeg, Portroe, Co. Tipperary

Back in 2022 I received a newspaper cutting from a friend of mine, Joe Ryan Cooper about a bit of lost rock art in the Arra area. He said along the lines of, you probably already know about this one but just sending it on anyway! I didn't and I hadn't heard of it!

From Tipperary Vindicator / Limerick Reporter 1877 (not in copyright)

The newspaper was the Nenagh Guardian and it referred to an article by Maurice Lenihan in the Tipperary Vindicator / Limerick Reporter.

I wrote a detailed article about it in the Annals of Arra Vol. 5 under the title "Alleged Megalith in Coumbeg".

I have since knocked on doors and walked a lot of the townland looking for this possible rock art, to no avail.

Recently AI has been able to generate images from sketches and I thought it might be interesting to see what the sketch of it would look like in "real" life.

Here is it -

Created using Google Gemini

Hopefully some day this stone will turn up again sometime. As of now, my hunch is that it may be covered over.

If you want to purchase the journal, the Annals of Arra and support Arra Historical & Archaeological Society - follow this link

Arra Historical & Archaeological Society: Buy Journal

Friday, 17 October 2025

Guerin the Duharra Stone Carver

I posted on my facebook page recently about spotting the stonecarver name L. Guerin in Burgessbeg graveyard.

Created by Derek Ryan

https://www.facebook.com/Thetipperaryantiquarian/posts/pfbid0so3ebTSP8GAJV1cCJFr9J7Nfub3grwvQ6CvsG8XiiUsWGNovTtTffi53MK4xasPel

Going back over some photos I noticed that the same stonecarver had signed some gravestones at Youghalarra graveyard as well.

Thanks to the graveyard committee who carried out some great work their over the Summer.

By Derek Ryan

These photos suggest his name was Lau probably short for Laurence Guerin.

By Derek Ryan

The stone in Burgessbeg dates to 1799 and the one in Youghalarra I can't make out. This gravestone to Hugh Meagher is another that isn't included in the Ormond Historical Societies survey of the graveyard.

Friday, 10 October 2025

Ryans of Solohead, Bansha & Kilfernan (Clonmel) possible links

Recently I wrote about a bit of research on Bansha Castle and the O'Ryans of Bansha.

"The O'Ryans of Bansha Castle.

Bansha castle is mentioned as part of the Civil Survey under the townland of Beallanchela in the Parish of Tample Ineyry in the Barony of Clanwilliam. See Civil Survey Tipperary Vol II page 20

Beallanchela is made of 3000 acres. 1500 of that is Mountain and Woodland.

There are three owners;
Edward Butler of Ballybirrane Esqr
Piers Butler of Banshigh Esqr
The Lord of Castle Connell Theobald Bourke of Rossidrohid
and
Donnogh Macraigh Gent of Lisvonny Irish Papists

Piers Butler owns 1666 acres
Edward Butler 666acres
Theobald Bourke 416 acres
Donnogh Macragih 83 acres

The castle is mentioned in description of the lands “Uppon thsse lands stands a castle in Banshigh wanting repayre”. This castle was to the east of the present Bansha Castle, pretty much where the Marian road side shrine is according to the OS maps.

So at this time the lands were most likely owned by the Butler family and probably Edward Butler. The new Bansha Castle has an armorial plaque which refers to Edmonde Butlere.
Edward and Edmond were interchangeable.

The description of this plaque on archaeology.ie states
“Edmonde Butlere', the 'E' being executed in an elborate interlace style. This may refer to Edmond Butler of Rathbrit, second sone of John Butler of Derryluskan, second son of James, ninth Baron of Dunboyne who was dead by 1600 (pers comm Gerard Crotty“

This may be him here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmond_Butler,_3rd/13th_Baron_Dunboyne

In the William O’Ryan (WOR) archive there is a genealogical lineage for the O’Ryans of Bansha Castle.

Unfortunately there is no reference to where it came from.

However it shows a
Daniel Ryan of Sollohead? M daughter of Dunboyne.

From this marriage we have Andrew O’Ryan and Edmond O’Ryan. Both I understand are traceable in most records. Edmond O’Ryan is recorded as dying in 1839.

So Daniel and the daughter of Dunboyne would probably have been born circa the 1750s?

So I think it must have been through this marriage that the Ryans came into ownership of Bansha Castle for a time.
However it is likely that for Daniel Ryan to be eligible to marry the daughter of the Baron of Dunboyne, that he must have been a man of means himself.

It is now possible to stay at Bansha Castle and its website gives the following history
https://www.banshacastle.com/history
Basically taking up when the Ryans were in ownership. It was acquired in the late 1800s as a “grace and favour” house for Sir William Butler who was born in nearby Ballycarron. You would have to wonder did he had some kind of family connection to the house being a Butler also.
So that is what I have currently and I imagine there is a whole lot more about this very interesting family."

While doing a search for an old and really interesting gravestone I happened upon in Monard graveyard. It records the death of William Ryan d1773.

By Derek Ryan

Initially I thought it may have conclusively linked to Ryans of Kilhefernan.

From Burkes Peerage

I misread it and thought it was the Francis Ryan who died in a duel in 1773.

I had another look through the WOR archive about the Ryans of Solohead to see if there was anything else about the Daniel Ryan mentioned in the O'Ryan Bansha lineage.

This seems to be the origin of the Daniel Ryan and daughter of Lord Dunboyne's marriage.

Archdall Vol 6, p. 229

The peerage of Ireland: or, a genealogical history of the present nobility of that kingdom. ... By John Lodge, Esq. ... Revised, enlarged and continued to the present time; by Mervyn Archdall, ... 1789: Vol 6 : Lodge, John. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

“Peter, the eldest son of Pierce Butler who succeeded to the title of Dunboyne became the fifth Lord of Dunboyne but not being restored to the manor of Dunboyne or any of the estates of the Duke of Ormond conveyed the manor of Dunboyne to the said Pierce Lord of Dunboyne under certain yearly rents 14 February 1669. And 16 December I675 the king granted to him the lands of Loughrent in the County of Tipperary with a pension of 100 a year beginning 1 January 1687 on the establishment by King James II on whose account he was attainted of treason and outlawed in the County of Meath 16 April 1691. He married Ellen, or Catherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Hurley of Knocklong in the County of Limerick and died in the beginning of 1689 having had issue James, his heir, and four daughters, viz, Anne, married to Mr. English, the second to Daniel O'Ryan of Scolloghode, Esq., Grace to Walter Bourke, near the Devils-Bit, called Mac-Walter, Duhee O’Leagh, and the married secondly Mac O’Brien of Duharrow) and Elinor to Mac-Robillion of Ballycloghy in the county of Cork”

Now we don't have any record of their offspring other than from the William O'Ryan lineage. However as we said before it could help explain how O'Ryans ended up owning what had been Butler lands.

We also see that this Daniel O'Ryan of Scolloghode was an Esquire. That is generally a step above a Gent.

In a lineage in the WOR archive we have a William O'Ryan of Sollohead born 1580 and dies 1637 (buried in Cashel Cathedral).

His heir is Derby O'Ryan of Solloheadmore (who features in the Civil Survey). He at last 6 sons and 6 daughers including a William O'Ryan.

His brother is a Daniel Fitzwilliam Ryan of Cashel who passes away in 1679. He has 4 sons.

In the lineage of Francis Ryan above - it appears he is claimed to be another son of William O'Ryan d1637. He doesn't feature in the lineage in the WOR archive.

So unfortunately we can't conclusively link the O'Ryans of Bansha to the Ryans of Solohead or the Ryans of Kilheferan.

If Daniel O'Ryan and the daughter of Piers Butler are married. The daughter of Piers Butler would have to have been born prior to his death in 1689. This puts pressure on that time-line working out.

However it definitely merits further research. Similar names are carried down through both.

There are definitely some male Ryan descendants of the O'Ryans of Bansha and I think it is definitely worth getting them to test for the Ryan DNA Project.

Saturday, 9 August 2025

The Lost Seal of the Hospital of St. John of Nenagh

By WH Patterson - RSAI (1912, 46)

In the early 1900s an antiquarian named W.H. Patterson (from Belfast) purchased an ancient seal in Kingston-on-Thames in London.

It was made of silver and following some investigation it was thought to be of Irish origin. On it was the inscription "+ S HOSPITALIS IER NENAGH".

Patterson wrote a note about the seal in the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquarians Ireland (1912, 46) detailing that the inscription

"may be translated: "The seal of the Jerusalem Hospital at Nenagh," or " The seal of the Hospital of Jerusalem at Nenagh." The device in the central part shows two female figures ; the taller, I presume, is intended to represent the Virgin Mary, and the smaller one an angel holding a scroll, on which is inscribed "Ave Mari”.

In this note he appeals for any further information on its origins.

In 1936 Dermot Gleeson picks up the case, again appealing in the Royal Society of Antiquarians Journal (1936, 313) for any information on the whereabouts of this seal.

WH Patterson had passed away in the intervening period and there is no account of the location of the seal.

(He passed away on the 5th of Feb 1918.)

Patterson, Sir Robert Lloyd | Dictionary of Irish Biography

Gleeson writes again about the Priory of St John at Nenagh in the RSAI (1938, 207, 208) and the seal.

He gives a date of sometime between the founding of the Priory (circa 1200) and 1365 as when it would have been made.

He again appeals for any information on the where the seal might be stating that he has corresponded with Mr. Deans of the Curator of the Belfast Museum.

To my knowledge this amazing artefact was never found or catalogued since. Has anyone any further information on it?

Tuesday, 17 June 2025

Books and Articles by Dermot F. Gleeson

From Danny Graces lecture on Dermot F. Gleeson for the Gleeson Clan Gathering (2016)

GCG2016 - Dermot F. Gleeson "Father of Local History" (Danny Grace) - YouTube

Author Search Results :: Library Catalog

‘Note: A mediaeval game’,

Gleeson, Dermot F.

Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, 1940. Vol. 45, No. 162, page(s) 135

Title: Note: Curious name

Gleeson, Dermot F.

Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, 1940. Vol. 45, No. 162, page(s) 135-136

‘Sources for local history in the period,1200-1700’,

Gleeson, Dermot F.

Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, Vol. 46, No. 164 (1941), page(s) 123-129

The Castle and Manor of Dromineer

Dermot F. Gleeson

H. G. Leask

The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Seventh Series, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Dec. 31, 1936), pp. 247-269 (23 pages)

Ancient Friary Bell, Nenagh

Dermot F. Gleeson

The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Seventh Series, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Dec. 31, 1938), p. 293 (1 page)

The Coarbs of Killaloe Diocese

Dermot F. Gleeson

The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 79, No. 1/2, Centenary Volume (1949), pp. 160-169

Some notes on Borrisokane

Dermot F. Gleeson

Molua: Irisleabhar Cuallachta Griogóir, N. Organ of the Association of St. Gregory, pp. 51-54, 1936