Kilbehenny

‘Gateway to the Galtees’

Old Graveyard

As can be seen from this photograph, the engravings are especially detailed, and much of the work was carried out with a simple hammer and chisel.

Local people who became involved in deciphering details on the old graves, under the guidance of Amanda Slattery, Ballyhoura

Resting place of John Mandeville

A group of McCormick and Manahan cousins and other families from Cobh, Cork, Dublin and England visited Kilbehenny on 9th April 2022.

They visited the ancient church and graveyard where their (great) great great grandparents, Darby O’Donnell (of Anglesborough) and Eleanor Mansell of Kilbehenny were married in the late 1790s / early 1800s.

The graves of many of the O’Donnells are also in the adjoining ancient graveyard.

Beforehand they had a picnic at the Mill River picnic spot and afterwards visited the Kilbehenny Community Centre, where they had tea and refreshments where Moss Fitzgerald delivered a very informative historical talk.

Earlier in the day they paid an interesting visit to the excellent “Fitted Furniture” furniture store at 24 Baldwin Street in Mitchelstown, which had once been the premises where their (great) grandfather, Patrick O’Neill  and his family ran a successful hardware store and undertakers business, for many decades.

Many of the group say they would like to visit Kilbehenny again!

HISTORY

The Protestant report of 1731 states that there was a Mass House in Kilbehenny in 1727.

This building was situated in Knockrour, and was replaced in the 1820’s by a new and more elaborate church built down by the roadside by a Fr. Kirby who was parish priest at the time.

It  served as a church for fifty years and later as a school until 1941 and as a community hall until 1974 when it was demolished and three houses were built on the site.

Beside the church ruins lies the Old Graveyard where many graves date back over 300 years.

The Mahoney family were later treated to ‘High Tea’ by Moss Fitzgerald, local historian, in our beautiful Community Centre, Kilbehenny.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim and Karen Mahoney, recent visitors from Australia, caught up with Patrick Mahoney, a distant relative from Kilbehenny.

They enjoyed their visit to the Old Cemetery where they found their ancestral grave.

July 2023

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------