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Inscriptions at
Killorglin, Co.Kerry |
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The CHAPEL at CASTLE CONWAY, Killorglin
BLACK JACK'S MONUMENT TO HIS FAMILY
A marble monument in the private Chapel at Castle Conway was erected by John “Black Jack” Blennerhassett (b.c1665 d.c1738) in memory of his wife Elizabeth Cross (b.c1669, d.22-March-1732 aged 63 years) & others of their family. The latin inscription on this monument is recorded by Black Jack himself, in “Black Jack's Book”, the second version of a Ms.genealogy of Blennerhassett and related Kerry families compiled by him c1720-1736.
The "Castle Conway" of the Blennerhassetts is long demolished, the house becoming a quarry for later buildings of Killorglin. Some ruins survive, normally accessible only through the premises of the Allied Irish Bank, from whom permission should be obtained. As no one is claiming ownership of the castle, the owner of "Kingston Bar" at Killorglin has recently opened the area inside the castle for picnics and parties. The chapel and its Blennerhassett monument are lost, but I am told "..contractors digging a foundation to a house in the general area of the Castle Conway grounds uncovered an opening that may have been a vault or tomb. They closed up the opening and continued their construction..." [DG].
The inscription, in latin, has been transcribed by three Co.Kerry historians, as follows: 1. Dr Charles Smith (bef.1756), 2.Mary Agnes Hickson (bef.1872), 3. Arthur Blennerhassett Rowan (1855).
Charles Smith may have seen the original monument with his own eyes, but the Hickson and Rowan transcriptions are definitely taken from "Black Jack's Book", which they each independently transcribed. The Hickson transcription was published in vol.1 (1872) of her "Selections from Old Kerry records : historical and genealogical : with introductory memoir, notes and appendix". vol.2 was published in 1874.
Mary Hickson's published version of "Black Jack's Book" [BJB/OKR] valuable though it is, when compared with Arthur Blennerhassett Rowan's Ms. [BJB/ROWAN] gives, in a few places, an impression of work not thoroughly checked. Where there are differences between the two transcriptions, Rowan appears correct in most cases and he successfully transcribes other latin texts that Hickson finds illegible.
For this particular inscription, her version may be a copy of Dr.Smith's earlier work, rather than a copy of the inscription as it appears in the Ms. "Black Jack's Book". She differs in detail (shown here in red) from Rev. Rowan's version by omitting “...in my Chapel at Killorglin...” to identify the location of the monument, by omitting 'amabilis' (kind) and by dating the death by drowning of Avice (Conway) Blennerhassett as April 1663 (MDCLXIII) instead of April 1683 (MDCLXXXIII).
The correct year is most probably 1683 as stated by Rowan. Her eldest son John “Black Jack” Blennerhassett has an estimated date of birth, from other sources, of c1665, and several siblings were born after him, which makes 1663 as her date of death difficult to accept, whereas Rowan's date of 1683 fits perfectly. [BIFR p.136] and other sources have repeated Hickson's 1663 date so it now has wide circulation, but I believe it to be mistaken.
Bill Jehan |
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SMITH |
HICKSON |
ROWAN |
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“The Ancient & Present State of the County of Kerry” by Dr.Charles Smith was published in 1756, 24 years after the monument was erected.
His pages pp.148-9, devoted to Killorglin, record the inscription, which he will probably have seen. He gives the date of death of Avice Conway Blennerhassett as 1663 (as Hickson later used) not 1683 (as Rowan later used).
NOTE: In the chapter “ Ecclesiastical State”, Smith on page 70 describes Killorglin ' Church of Ireland' parish (c1756) as:
“Killorglin, Rectorial, church in ruins, Patron, The King. Proxy 5 shillings”. |
Black Jack's original c1720-1736 Ms. [BJB] was transcribed before 1872 by Kerry Historian & Genealogist Mary Agnes Hickson (b.1811 d.1899)
Her Ms. is in the library of the Society of Genealogists in London, recently rebound.
Hickson transcribed this prior to publishing the same as “The Blennerhassett Pedigree, A.D. 1580-1736” in “Selections from Old Kerry Records” vol.1 1872, p.55. [BJB/OKR]
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Black Jack's original c1720-1736 Ms. [BJB] was transcribed c1855/8 by Kerry Historian & Genealogist Arthur Blennerhassett D.D. (b.1800 d.1861), Archdeacon of Ardfert [BJB/ROWAN]
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Smith describes the location of tomb & monument:
"In the chapel of this place is the following inscription, on a monument, over the lady of John Blennerhasset, Esq;"
and records the inscription: |
JOHANNIS BLENNERHASSET armigeri;
pia, sobria, casta, amabilis, multis desiderata;
obiit 22, die Martii MDCCXXXII. Annoq;
aetatis suae LXIII. Maerens maritus posuit.
Hic etiam jacet AVICIA, mater dicti
JOHANNES mersa mari, mense Aprilis
MDCLXIII (1663). Etiam JENKIN & EDWARDUS
CONWAY, avus et pater dictae AVICIAE.
Nec non HENRICUS frater dicti JOHANNIS; in
quorum omnium memoriam ipse haeres AVICIAE
hoc marmor instrui fecit.
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Hickson records the inscription:
"...and Elizabeth Cross my wife, to whose memory I raised a monument and had the following inscription writt on her tomb"
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Hic jacet Elizabetha charissima conjux
Johannis Blennerhassett armigeri;
pia, sobria, casta, multis desiderata;
obiitt 22. die Martii MDCCXXXII, Annoq;
aetatis suae LXIII. Maerens maritus posuit.
Hic etiam jacet Avicia, mater dicti
Johannis mersa mari, mense Aprilis
MDCLXIII (1663). Etiam Jenkin et Edwardus
Conway, avus et pater dictae Aviciae.
Nec non Henricus frater dicti Johannis: in
quorum omnium memoriam ipse haeres Aviciae
hoc marmor instrui fecit.
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Rowan records the inscription:
"...and 3rd Eliz'th Cross my wife who died anno 1732, in whose memory in my Chapel at Killorglin (I) raised a monument and had the following inscription cutt on her tomb, viz:"
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Hic jacet Elizabetha charissima conjux
Johanns. Blennerhassett armig
pia, sobria, casta, amabilis, multis desiderata
obiit 22nd die Martii Ano.1732 Annoq
atatis suae 63. Maerens maritus posuit.
Hic etiam jacet Avicia mater dicti
Johannis mersa mari mensa Aprilis
1683 Etiam Jenkin and Edwardus
Conway, avus et pater dictae Avicia
Nec non Henricus frater dicti Johanis in
quorum omnium memoriam ipse hores Avicia
hoc marmor instrui fecit
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translation of Rowan's version
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Here lies Elizabeth dearest wife of
John Blennerhassett gentleman;
pious, sober, chaste, kind, missed by many;
died 22nd of March 1732;
in her 63rd year. Her grieving husband buried her.
Here also lies Avice, mother of said
John, who was drowned at sea in April
1683. Also, Jenkin and Edward
Conway, grandfather and father of said Avice.
As well as Henry the brother of said John: in
the memory of all of these the heir himself of Avice
had this marble made
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KILLORGLIN TOWN CENTRE
Monument in memory of
Capt. TOWNSEND BLENNERHASSETT (b.11-Feb-1829 d.20-Jun-1867)
of Ballymacprior Lodge, Killorglin, Co.Kerry
Drowned in Castlemaine Bay (Killorglin Bay) near Valentia while attempting to rescue a boy, son of the boatman Mr.Costello, who had fallen overboard. Both were lost. Two monuments were erected, a stone cairn on the coast where his body was brought ashore (perhaps at Ballykissane near mouth of the river Laune?), and a fine stone obelisk outside a church in the centre of Killorglin, into which are set marble plaques with these inscriptions...
 photographs of these monuments to be added... |
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IN MEMORY OF
TOWNSEND BLENNERHASSETT
LATE CAPTAIN KERRY MILITIA
DROWNED IN CASTLEMAINE BAY
20th JUNE 1867
WHEN GALLANTLY ATTEMPTING TO
SAVE THE LIFE OF A FELLOW CREATURE.
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ERECTED
BY HIS BROTHER OFFICERS
OF THE KERRY MILITIA
IN TESTIMONY OF THE AFFECTIONATE
ESTEEM IN WHICH HE WAS HELD
BY THEM AND TO PERPETUATE
THEIR RECOLLECTION OF
THIS HEROIC ACTION
BY WHICH HE LOST HIS LIFE
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from "The Irish Times" Monday 24-Jun-1867, p.3
(also reported in "The Times" 25-Jun-1867, p.13) |
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DROMAVALLY CHURCHYARD
over the river from KILLORGLIN
three illustrations from "History of Killorglin" by Kieron Foley, 1988, pp.2, 10 & 15
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p.2 photo: copyright © Kieron Foley 1988
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PETER THOMPSON'S TOMB AT DROMAVALLY
Tomb of Peter Thompson (b.c1775 d.3-Jan-1850), a noted builder,
of the family of Thompson of Clonfin, Co.Longford,
he became Treasurer of Co.Kerry following the death of his father-in-law.
also his wife Anne Thompson, nee Blennerhassett (b.est.c1775 d.13-Aug-1856),
daughter of Thomas Blennerhassett (b.est.c1750 d.c31-May-1815),
for many years Treasurer of Co.Kerry.
This tomb was opened a few years ago, the vault underneath measuring "8 to 10ft" (square?) and containing six lead coffins. Two of the coffins had readable nameplates, one "Thompson" with no first name, the other "Anne FitzGerald" [DG]. Who in this family was Anne FitzGerald? |
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p.10 photo: copyright © Kieron Foley 1988
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COAT OF ARMS ON PETER THOMPSON'S TOMB AT DROMAVALLY
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upper Motto |
Blennerhassett |
FORTES FORTUNA JUVAT
"Fortune Favours the Bold" |
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Crest |
Thompson of Clonnfin, Co.Longford |
an arm, in armour, embowed,
in hand, all proper, five ears of wheat, or,
arm charged with a trefoil, vert |
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Arms |
Thompson of Clonfin
quartered with
Blennerhassett |
or, on a fesse indented azure three etoiles argent
on a canton of the second, a sun in his glory, proper
gules, a chevron ermine, between three dolphins niant, embowed argent |
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lower Motto |
Thompson |
IN LUMINE LUCEM
(more usually "IN LUMINE LUCE")
"Shine in Light" |
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p.15 photo: copyright © Kieron Foley 1988
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INSCRIPTIONS at Killorglin, Co.Kerry
