Community Magazine May 2017 No. 355 EDITORIAL CALENDAR It probably has a lot to do with the lengthen- ing of the days and the improvements in the Monday 1st-Saturday 6th May weather but there is a sense that the year is Clane Musical Society present the musical moving on. St. Patrick’s Day, with all the “ Carousel” in the Abbey Community Centre preparations it involves, has come and gone at 8pm. nightly. and also Easter. The various events which act as markers in the community year follow Saturday 13th May Beatification of Fr. in an inevitable succession. Community John Sullivan, S.J. in St. Francis Xavier Games Swimming was early this year on Church, Gardiner Street, Dublin 1. 28th January. The results were published in the February edition. With regard to the Monday 15th May Clane & Rathcoffey Field and Track Events, we have applied to Community Games will Hold their annual the Board of Management for the use of the Field and Track Events on the grounds of field at Scoil Mhuire on the evening of Mon- Scoil Mhuire Community School, by kind day 15th May. The entry forms will be cir- permission, commencing 7pm. culated to the 5 schools of our area plus the Parish Office in order to provide for students Wednesday 17th May attending schools outside our area. Forms As a contribution to the Fleadh, C.L.H.G. may also be obtained on contacting Tony will host a History Walk of the Village on McEvoy on 045 868474. Wednesday 17th May. All welcome. See p.9 At time of going on line Clane Musi- cal and Dramatic Society are putting the Thursday 19 May An Illustrated Talk final touches to “Carousel”, which promises will be given in Rathcoffey GAA by Larry to be a first class production and something Breen on Memories of Visit to WW 11 Bat- to look forward to. Tidy Towns inspections tlefields. All are welcome. See p. 9. commence any time after 1st June. Like the Community Games, both events have now Saturday 27th May Wild About Clane been running uninterruptedly since the es- Nature Walk by the Liffey at Clane. Time tablishment of Clane Community Council 44 3pm. All welcome -free event. See p.12 years ago. They are a big undertaking but we are fortunate to have the help of stalwarts Monday 29th May Monthly meeting of who support us with both their efforts and Clane Community Council in the Abbey ideas. Of course we are always open to fur- Community Centre at 8pm. ther offers of help. This is how community works. Work parties meet each Tuesday evening throughout the summer. At this stage Tuesday evening work parties will Web site: www.clanecommunity.ie have already commenced. New volunteers are always welcome. Tuesdays after seven EDITOR’S DEADLINE will not be possible for everyone but an hour The deadline for receipt of material for the of one’s own choosing is of course equally September issue of Le Chéile is welcome. Contact can be made with any Committee member. It is a good way to Monday 28th August keep fit and healthy, not just physically but To 142 Loughbollard please. socially and in community terms also. Tel. 045-868474. E-mail: [email protected] 2 +7 +19 +18 +17 +16 +22 +23 +24 +25 +20 +21 +15 +26 +27 +28 +29 +30 +6 +10 +3 +9 +14 +5 +2 +8 +11 +12 +13 +4 +1 +1 GRAVESTONES WITHIN THE and there are no gaps depicted anywhere, RUINS OF THE FRANCISCAN including on the western end. This, and the fact that it was out in the middle of a large FRIARY ON THE NAAS ROAD agricultural field, suggests the walls had sufficient height all around to exclude farm [We repeat the first page of our April animals. Within living memory the founda- article on burials within the ruins of the tions on the western end of the ruin (the end Franciscan Friary in order to identify nearest the road) have not been above the stones and to provide notes on the ground level. One would have to query families concerned and hopefully to whether this is where the stones came from invite further information on these or in order to build the boundary wall in 1915. other families.] This coincided with the official closure of the ancient graveyard surrounding what is A study of the gravestones in the now the Abbey Community Centre. Abbey Cemetery on the Sallins Road shows that it was only subsequent to the 1920s that A very early photograph of Clane it came into intensive use as a burial Franciscan Friary ruins in 1899 may be seen ground. This is in keeping with the fact that in the Journal of the Kildare Archaeologi- the 25 inch map of 1913 still shows the Fri- cal Society, Vol. III, page 102. This is re- ary ruins out in the middle of a large agri- produced in “A History of Christianity in cultural field of over 9 acres with the famil- Clane and Rathcoffey”, page 31. The ruins iar boundary walls of the cemetery and the at that stage were not surrounded by the long entrance drive leading up from the present graveyard walls and were complete- road not yet having been constructed, nor ly without ivy due to being grazed by sheep. any of the trees having been planted. 1915 The Franciscan Friary was in exist- is in fact the year in which the cemetery at ence from its foundation in 1258 to its clo- the ruins of the old Church of Saint Mi- sure under Henry VIII in 1540. At some chael, now the Abbey Community Centre, stage following this some local families was officially closed for burials and the began to use the area within the high walls County Council commenced work on devel- of the ruins for family burials, as is often oping the cemetery out the Sallins Road. the case with such church ruins. There had been a number of burials It is worth recording the inscriptions within the walls of the ruin and 30 existing on the gravestones within this area -where gravestones testify to this. While the grave- they can be deciphered- because they pre- stones within the ruins date back to the ear- ceded its recognition as an official grave- ly 1700s, there are no gravestones outside yard and the era of keeping burial records the ruins which predate 1915. The 25 inch by a Local Authority. Of course, as might map of 1913 shows a sharp outline on all be expected, there would also be many sides to the ruins of the Franciscan Friary graves unmarked by any stones, except per- 3 haps small trip stones. This is probably the Mrs. Fitzpatrick, and was located in first time in 3 centuries in which all the 30 the building now shared by the stones have been read and transcribed; all A.I.B. and Paddy Power. We quote that is except for ones, which are lying face par. 2: “James O’Neill was down. They were practically all covered from a background of strong farmers with thick moss and mud. The project took and came from Bodenstown. A over two weeks to complete. branch of the family still lives there on the family farm and were the Stones (For full details see April edition): owners of the present golf course. In 1. Alexander Westlake: Died Jan. 21 1875, his school days James O’Neill rode aged 65. -No information. his own donkey to the Boys’ School in Clane. At twelve he went to Mull- 2. William Murphy of Clain, Merc, ingar to become apprenticed for a died 1755, aged 34. Also his fa- business career. When he returned he ther, Mathew died 1737 aged 74. went to work for Mrs. Fitzpatrick “Merc.” we assume to indicate and afterwards bought out the busi merchant. Note there is a stone to ness himself”. There are 6 O’Neills the memory of a James Murphy of listed among the 20 members of the Smithfields, Dublin, who died in Clane Traders Association in 1907. Dec. 1829, in the Abbey Cemetery opposite the Prosperous Road junc 4. In memory of Joseph D. Whyte . tion. There are no Murphys listed Died 9th July 1902 aged 73 years. in the Main Street (plot 94) in the R.I.P. Note: Whytes were the own- Griffith Survey of 1853. Note the ers of Viewmount House, situated hill encountered on the Ballinagap- up a long avenue opposite and just pa Road leading up to the Clonwood be yond the Community School, Heights junction is traditionally with lands extending back to the known as “Murphy’s Hill.” The road between Firmount and Milli- 1853 Survey actually shows a cent Cross. They were progressive Christopher Murphy (plot 58) and a farm- ers and tradition has it that John Murphy (plot 55) located here they had the first trashing mill on the right hand side of the road in Clane. They were big into as you go up the hill. Note also that horse racing and had a race there is a “Miss Murphy “ listed track on their own lands. among the 20 members of the Clane 5. The Fox family are still in the Milli- Traders Association in 1907. cent and Clane area and a number 3. Here lieth the body of Catherine Fitz of de ceased family members are - Patrick, relict of buried also in the post 1915 section Laurence Fitzpat rick, niec to of the cemetery, outside of the old Rev.