The Tipperary Antiquarian

  I had wondered about a potential summer solstice sunset from this site at Shyane to the Devils Bit or Barane Eile / Gap of Ely. The Church and Graveyard at Shyane is known as Teampall an tSideáin, Church of the Fairy Hill. "Shyane was bounded by Moyne, Rahealty, Thurles & Loughmore. Name is Teampall an tSideáin, Church of the Fairy Hill. The ruins are still on the hill from which it receives its name." http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922209/4860869/5015955 You can clearly see that it is built on some kind of low mound and mythology and folklore may back this up.   Professor Ronald Hicks was writing a book on Sídhs or Fairy Mounds in Ireland and he said the following about a potential one near Thurles which I helped identify as this site. "From the Paps, according to "Two Tales about Fionn," Fionn went to Ely, centered on the barony of Eliogarty, County Tipperary, chasing Cul Dub, who jumps back and forth across the River Suir before going into a sí...

  The Capstone of the King of Leinster or Knockaunrilaghin (pictured) is relatively well known locally and a part of mythology around the Graves of the Leinstermen. However as anyone ever heard of these that I just came across recorded by Maurice Lenihan in 1869? "In this district also are pointed out Leachtnagrass, about a mile from Killaloe, near Boher, where Leachtna, another son of the king of Leinster was slain ; Keillan, near Bushfield, and Quilla, towards Shallee, where two others, sons of the Lagenian king were also killed. Tipperary Vindicator June 8, 1868. Was Lenihan spun some tall tales or was there folklore relating to this in the locality in the early 1800s? 

Anyone in the Ballina area of Tipperary ever hear of "Brian Boru's Fingerstone"? It is mentioned by historian Maurice Lenihan in his notes from the 1860s. "A large stone opposite Craggs Mountain at the Tipperary side of the river, is shown as "Brian Boru's fingerstone", which the legend attests he threw from one side of the shannon to the other". Copyright Limerick City Council The hand writing is hard to read, I'm not sure what the last two words in it say? Craggs Mountain is clearly shown on the map (I've highlighted it blue) so I wonder would the fingerstone be somewhere in the area I highlighted on the Tipp side of the Shannon. Copyright OSI  I've included a sketch of St. Patricks Fingers from approximately 12km away at Patrickswell. It may have been a stone with some kind of markings on it. St Patricks Fingers - Copyright Duchas.ie Edit  Local info suggests that there is a large rock near the shore in and around this area. 

Monsea church outside Nenagh. Dermot Gleeson in NMAJ mentions some features of note; "Outside the south door is a stone that came up with cleaning. It has embossed a panel about 1in. square bearing rosette, four quatre foils and the initials "T.B" and "S.B". The Tudor Rose and initials apparently refer to the Butler family." He earlier mentions in the same paper that the lands here were part of the manor of Ballyartela owned by the Earl and Countess of Ormond up to the 18th Century. There is a small stone immediately outside the south door but I'm not sure if it is the one referred to. Another interesting feature is a possible "Sean na Gig" or maybe some kind of folk art. "There is another stone (broken) of a rudely calved nude man. This is apparently of comparatively modern date (perhaps 18 cent) and may be a sportive effort of a local mason". I've included a sketch of a "sean na gig" from another location...

  I was reminded to reread Sheahans "Nenagh and its Neighbourhood" recently and its amazing what you come across when you go back to a book. I came across a few missing medieval graveslabs mentioned in it of great importance. One was at Knigh graveyard and is mentioned on pg 42 as follows. "one of the O'Fogarty family whose tombstone bears an inscription in Irish". I've checked the Ormond Histoical Society survey of the graveyard and there is no mention in it. Anyone ever come across it? As far as I know inscriptions in Irish from that period are rare in North Tipperary. Another missing Gaelic graveslab, this time at Templechally, Ballina, Co. Tipp. Unlikely to be found again but just interesting to known it may have existed. Sheehan in Nenagh and its Neighbourhood has this to say about it "Tombstone of Doctor James Hickie (Medicinae Doctor Peritissimus). Died 1648. Who forfeited in 1641 among the' Irish Papists' of those times....

"Here Lyeth The Body of Calib Minnit Who was Barbously Murdered By John Chery, Ann Parker, James McDowel and others, at Crannagh Duff in Dowharra, the 2nd day of April, Ano Domini 1707." From Knigh Graveyard in North Tipp. A heck of a message to leave in stone when it is still being discussed 313 years later. According to Daniel Grace's book on the area (Portrait of a Parish - Monsea & Killodiernan) - Calib Minnitt was a philanderer and may have gotten Miss Ann Parker pregnant and refused to marry her. She was probably a relative of Captain John Parker. She set up to meet him again at Crannagh Duff and gave him one last chance to agree to marry her. When he refused, she dropped her handkerchief and some of her father's tenants appeared and murdered him! It finishs by saying that the murderers were never prosecuted as Miss Parker had been dishonoured but the Minnits carved their names on his headstone for posterity. It also mentions that Minnit may have been char...

  The O'Meara Inscription on Toomevara Priory. I've made an attempt at highlighting it as best as I could in the picture attached. I've done it purely from the photo so there may be some errors. Rev. John Gleeson in 1915 pg 469 gives the following which he says "A returned America, Mr. Michael O'Meara, late of Bawn, took a cast of the inscription, and submitted it to an expert, as follows :- "Clara Meara dum Tamulo Jacet haec progago, Cui aether Precibus Paude, Viator Iter Gulielmo -Undecipherable- Helene Burc Paude Cruoris iter-illa via me Ritis stravit sedes Terra er Apcit marmor eu haec lec Tor sit Tibi testis Or, 1664, Educet Malo" I can make out a lot of it but the 1664 line at the end seems to be missing now? From archaeology.ie, it is thought to translate as "While the renowned offspring of O'Meara reposes in this tomb. To whom O Traveller happily open Heaven by thy prayer. To William. To Ellen Bourke open heaven. By the...