As the Celtic tiger roars on and changes take place in our beloved city, life goes by so swiftly that it seldom allows much lingering on days gone by. But some of us are happy to look back over the years that both separate and connect us with our new Dublin.
History has a way of hiding itself and Dublin has its history hidden in places, stones and names. These thoughts were uppermost in my mind as I walked up Camden Street and onto Camden Row, my destination the old St. Kevin’s Church and graveyard.
Thankfully this old place that time has consecrated, did not fall into the hands of the speculators and lose its identity. It is now a small city park redesigned and landscaped successfully in keeping with the atmosphere and tranquillity of the old graveyard, treating with the utmost respect the memory of all who are buried here.
As I entered through the small side gate into this very old graveyard it was scarcely possible for me to go half a dozen steps without bringing to mind Christian martyrs, poets and hosts of figures who it seemed were walking the pages of history and coming to life again in this special place.
The area is quite small, 0.3 hectare. The old church dates back to 1226, therefore the site is of great historical interest. It was situated in the native Irish section of the city. The present ruined church built on the foundation of the medieval one dates to around 1750. This was used as a place of worship until 1912, the last service was held on April 28th that year. The roof was removed in 1930 and the graveyard closed in 1884. Use of the church for Catholic worship ceased under the penal legislation of Elizabeth and James 1st.
The graves have been preserved undisturbed with their original headstones because of their historical value. They span 600 years of Irish history, Tudor persecution through penal times, the revolutionary period of 1798 and the cultural heritage which Thomas Moore preserved for us and the great work of the Catholic Emancipation Group.There are six graves left in their original position in St Kevin’s.
1. Rev John Austin (1717-1784)
A pioneer of catholic education in Ireland, the penal days themselves may be said to be marked by his grave. This Jesuit friend to the poor people of Ireland laboured heroically to keep catholic schools in Ireland going. Worn out by charity, zeal and labour for the people of Dublin he died at the age of 66.
2. John Keogh (1740-1817)
This man who may be described as the first civil rights leader was a successful catholic businessperson when he became, in 1790, a member of the catholic committee seeking alleviation of the penal laws. The debts of Catholics in both England and Ireland to this quiet forerunner of the great liberation have been forgotten. John Keogh fought the battle for catholic emancipation almost single handed. He was also an intimate friend of Theobald Wolfe Tone.
3. The Moore Family Grave
Interred in this grave are the Father and Mother of the Irish poet Thomas Moore along with his brothers and sisters. Thomas Moore himself is not buried in this graveyard but he was responsible for having the headstone erected.
4. Jasper Joly (died November 9th 1823)
Jasper was a Captain of the Irish Volunteers in 1799. He built a number of houses on Harcourt Terrace to an obviously French Pattern. He was a friend to Lord Edward Fitzgerald. While the latter was on the run in March 1798 he was hidden in the Joly house. It was raided and he took refuge in a well in the garden. From there he escaped on to a barge which brought him to Thomas Street. The houses are still preserved in Harcourt Terrace to this day thanks to the efforts of Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir.
5. John Darcy (Died 1825)
Mr Darcy was a distinguished catholic layman who died in 1825. At his burial the protestant church dignitaries who would not allow any prayers to be said in the grounds or the graveyard halted the funeral procession from Francis Street at Camden Row entrance. The prayers were accordingly recited in Camden Row outside the graveyard on the street. Daniel O’Connell used this incident as basis for agitation, which lead eventually to the granting in 1829 and 1831 of legal authority for the establishment of Golden Bridge and Glasnevin cemeteries to be used by Catholics, as a place to bury their dead with dignity. This grave could therefore be said to mark Ireland’s emergence from the darkness or the penal days.
6. Dermot O’Hurley (Died June 1584)
The monument to the martyred Archbishop of Cashel Dr. Dermot O’Hurley who was buried in the ruined church was erected following his beatification in Rome on 27th of September 1992. A native or Emely, following extreme torture he died for the faith on Saturday June 20th 1584 at Hoggins Green near St Stephens Green. His feast day thus falls on June 20th.
As the evening bells of the two cathedrals peeled over the city I sat alone in this sacred place and pondered how Dublin will always remain just Dublin in spite of all its modernisation, wealth and splendour.
I left St Kevin’s Cemetery looking back with pride on Dublin’s history and remembering the many great people who shape our city. May they rest in peace.