Some History of Tinahely

A SIGNIFICANT part of the history of Tinahely was uncovered recently when an eighteenth century cemetery, which lay covered for nearly a century, was finally cleared.

The story began a few months ago when a number of interested people decided that the old cemetery at Whitefield, Tinahely, should be restored.
Well known Tinahely man Paddy Murphy pioneered the planning of the clearance work in search of sponsorship and volunteers.

In February last, the mammoth task of clearing away bushes, briars and thorns was bravely undertaken by the Lennon duo, Hugh and Martin from Lugduff. Over the weeks, steady progress was made into the jungle of ten feet high thicket and thorn.

Other volunteers joined the briar attack, including Jimmy Hogan, John Healy, Mattie O’Neill, Pat Walsh, Pat Kavanagh and Jim Byrne. As the weeks progressed, more headstones and memorials were uncovered and were immediately inspected by eager family descendants.

The old boundary wall was rebuilt by the skilful John Cunningham while the Ross brothers delicately restored the quaint granite entrance piers.
A very interesting register of the graveyard recording burials from the 1930s survives in the possession of Tom Kenny, Whitefield, who has also done Trojan work in the graveyard restoration.

The cemetery also includes the site of the old catholic church, dating back to the early penal law days of the 1700s.

It was used until 1843, the year when the present church of Killaveney was built, according to Fr Fintan Morris, church historian and a native of the parish. Within the site of the old church, there was uncovered a very interesting limestone memorial stone on six granite pillars, which sadly bore no inscription.

Following his extensive research in Christianity in the Wicklow area, Fr Morris found reference to a Fr Brennan, PP of Killaveney from 1780 to 1801, who was buried in the aisle of the Whitefield church.

“This is most likely the tomb of Fr James Brennan, the man who endured the atrocities of the 1798 Rebellion, including the burning of his church here during that fateful November of 98, and he never recovered from the shock,” added Fr Morris.

Coincidentally, this year Tinahely celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the Exodus of 1,200 people, led by Fr Thomas Hore, PP of Killaveney, to America, in search of a new life.

Fr Hore was the person instrumental in the building of the present church and moving from the old site. The restoration of the graveyard was marked by the celebration of a Jubilee Mass by Fr Ray Gahan, PP, and Fr Thady Doyle, CC.

During the well attended celebration, Fr Gahan paid tribute to the great work done by the volunteers, stating how important it was to remember and honour the memory of our families and people. A memorial stone, donated by the Morris family, marking the site of the old church, was then blessed during the blessing of the graves.

Following the mass, Tinahely local resident Paddy Murphy said: “It had been a wish of mine to see the cemetery cleaned and renovated so that people could come here and visit. It is a dream come true.”

For those interested in family history, the cemetery is worth a visit. There are over thirty headstones surviving the elements, with many other graves marked by only a simple fieldstone.

Many more families, particularly those who died during the Famine era, had no markers