Ardfinnan - Dermot O'Halley & Katherina Roch 162x Graveslab

By Author

I recently visited Ardfinnan graveyard in South Tipp in search of the possible resting place of a Hugh O’Mulrryan from the 1600s. I thought it would be unlikely that there would be any evidence of a gravestone. I knew there was also a graveslab from the 1600s so worst case I figured that would be of interest.

There was no evidence of the O’Mulryan burial there but I was satisfied based on the fragments and the O’Halley / Roche gravestab that this is most likely where he would have been buried.

 

Now to the O’Halley / Roche graveslab

By Author

It is recorded on archaeology.ie as follows

“In the SE corner of the graveyard, adjacent to the boundary wall, there is a large altar tomb. The upper slab commemorates Dermot O'Halley and has wife Katherina Roche/Rochester. The slab (dims. 2m x 1.17m; T 0.19m) is decorated with a large wheel-cross with fleur-de-lys terminals and a plain shaft which terminates in a calvary mount. Both sides of the shaft are decorated with plain heater-shaped shields. The perimeter of the slab bears the following latin inscription in plain raised lettering: 'Hic Jacet Dermicius O Halli Propria Cum Uxore Katherina Rocheecer Unt Fier Marmoris is Udopus Anno Domini 162?' (Farrelly and FitzPatrick, Field Report 1993).”

This translates roughly as

“'Here lies Dermicius, O Hall's own, with his wife Katherine Roche, who will be turned into marble in the year of our Lord 162?'?'

The 3^rd photogrammetry suggests the transcription on archaeology.ie is accurate.

By author 

https://skfb.ly/pKCMW

What archaeology.ie doesn’t mention is the more modern inscription on the restored sides of the table tomb (the sides date to this period I would say as well).

By Author

The following inscription is engraved (taken from the inscriptions record on the Tipperary Studies website https://tipperarystudies.ie/digitisation-project/gravestone-inscriptions/)

“Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum. Hoe Monumentum, Clade Cromeliensi dirutum, tandem restauratum est AB Eorum progenie, ADM Reverend O Dermitio O'Hally, Paracho De Dungarvan, In Comitatu Waterfordiensi, Anno 1874”

Thanks to google translate this can be translated as follows

“Through various accidents, through so many crises of events. This Monument, destroyed by the Cromwellian disaster, was finally restored by their descendants, ADM Reverend O Dermitio O'Hally, Of Dungarvan, In County Waterford, In the Year 1874.”

So it is obvious that Dermot O’Halley was well know locally, does anyone know any more about the history of the possible Reverend and his wife Katherina Roche?

 

Thanks to Dave Kidd who helped me with the 3d model as my own crappy laptop couldn’t process the file size. Dave runs a lovely Airbnb in Killea in Mid-Tipp https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/29046206

 

1766 Census for Abington

1766 Census for Abington, Co. Limerick.xlsx

Ryans with more than one hearth in the Hearth Money Rolls

We nearly all know the story about the Fourcourts being burned down during the Civil War in 1922 and the priceless loss of records.

However in Tipperary we are extremely fortunate in that in 1911 Dr. Thomas Laffan made a copy of one such record that was destroyed in 1922 - known now as the Hearth Money Records - 1665-6-7.

It records a tax that was imposed on every fireplace in the country and was "payable by practically all the householders in the country. The exemptions, applicable only to the poorest of the people, were granted too freely which led to amending the Act of 1665. Copies of the rolls have been wholly or partially preserved for eleven counties in the north and east of the country and for Co. Sligo, but for the rest of Ireland there are none extant except those for Co. Tipperary". ( MacLysaght, North Munster Studies, 533).

Out of interest I have combed the Hearth Money Rolls to see which Ryans had more than one Hearth or fireplace and therefore were in theory wealthier, the idea being the wealthier you were, the more likely you were connected back to Chiefly line of the Ryan Clan. 

Pg 65

Thomas Ryan, Esq - Donaskeagh Townland 

Pg 141

Teige Ryan, Thurles Town. 

Probably part of Thurles Town? 

Pg 152

Richard Ryan, Cooleeny

Pg 165

Don Ryan, Lower Pallas (Glenkeen)? 

Pg 179

Thomas Ryan, Dolla

 
Pg 183

Bar. Ryan, Nenagh

Pg 189

Owen Ryan

Pg 113

Doctor Rian, Fethard

Pg 116

Mathew Rian, Clonebricke

Teige Rian, Cauteen

Pg 118

Dermod Ryan, ?

Pg 126

Giles Rian, ?

Pg 126

Thomas Ryan, Donaskeagh

Pg 158

Teige Ryan, Newtown

John Ryan, ?

Pg 159

Teige McConnor Rian, ?

Pg 161

Connor Rian, Commanealine?

Pg 162

Phillip Ryan

Pg 164

Thomas Ryan, Shevry

Pg 166

William Ryan, ?

Pg 78

John Mullraine

                                                                         Original research by author

All screenshots are from Laffans Hearth Money Rolls which is available to download for free here. 

https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/digital-book-collection/digital-books-by-county/tipperary/laffan-tipperarys-familie/

Fiddlers Rock, Glenafelly in Co. Offaly

By the author

A recent post about a stone chair in Co. Limerick made be recall a visit to Fiddlers Rock at Glenafelly in Co. Offaly.

I first read about this rock in John Feehan's book - The Landscape of Slieve Bloom. 

https://www.offalyhistory.com/shop/books/the-landscape-of-slieve-bloom

There isn't a whole pile of folklore that I am aware of regarding it other than than its association with a fiddler. 

It is marked on coillte's map for the Glenafelly loop walk.  

https://www.coillte.ie/site/glenafelly/

Stone chairs like this can often be linked to Gaelic inauguration practices, some are natural stones that are used, some have been worked by man to become more chair-like.  

By the author

It is described on archaeology.ie as follows 

"Large conglomerate glacial erratic almost rectangular in plan (H 1.3m; 1.7m x 0.6m) aligned NE/SW. Doubtful standing stone due to its location and shape and not marked on any editions of the OS 6-inch maps. According to Feehan (1979, 208-10) this standing stone known locally as the 'Fiddlers Rock' located in centre of possible enclosure (OF039-016001-) of which no surface trace survives"

Despite the description saying it wasn't marked on the old OS maps it actually was! 

From 1840s OS map