The Story of Ardkilmartin Graveyard, Co. Limerick

This graveyard is in the townland of Ballygrennan, in the parish of  Kilmallock and in the barony of Kilmallock. On the R512 northwards out of KiImallock take the first road to the right.This site is located 2 km from the junction, on the southside, after a sharp bend in the road. Bulgaden lies immediately to the east, where this road joins the L1585.

 

The Irish name for Ardkilmartin is Ard Chill Mhartain. Ard meaning Height, high. Cill, Chill meaning church. The high place of the church of Martin, (www.logainm.ie.) Martinstown townland is located 7m to the southeast of Ballygrennan and we wonder are the names related?

 

The graveyard is rectangular in shape, fronting onto the road. The ruins of St. Martin’s Church stand in the northern quadrant, orientated east/ west. The graveyard measures 37 N-S x 48 E-W and is enclosed by a post-1700 rough limestone wall with a narrow railed entrance gate at the north side, adjacent to the road. 

 

Westropp (1904-5,428) records that a chapel dedicated to St. Martin

has been on this site as early as 1291. In the early 15th century the chapel was referred to as ‘Chapel Martini’. By the 17th century the church and graveyard were held by the bishop of Kilmallock.

 

Memorials dated to the 18th,19th and 20th centuries have been recorded and the graveyard is still used for burials. A total of 97 memorials were recorded (www.historicgraves.com). Seven memorials date to the 18th century, the earliest is marking the burial place of Mary Glin who died in 1704, (memorial no. 0072).

Surnames included Heffernan, Casey, Roche, Brazil, Meade, Meara, Burke, Dea, Brien, Lyons, Cooke, Deely, Halpin, Collins and Carroll.

Interesting Facts

Two burial plots commemorating the Roche family are focal points of the graveyard. Reverend John Roche (died 1806) was the parish priest of St. Patrick and Monaleen, in Limerick city. His burial plot has used part of the remains of the medieval church. Also on this plot is a plaque commemorating Michael Roche (junior) who died in 1840 and his wife Mary Roche (nee Lynch) who died in 1852. 

Reverend Patrick Roche who died in 1786 along with other members of the Roche family are commemorated with three lengthy inscriptions on a limestone screen. It is enclosed to the front by an iron railing. The screen is topped by two pinnacles on either end, with an obelisk in the middle.

 

18th Century Memorials in Ardkilmartin Graveyard

0014 Thomas Casey 1788

0027 John Roche 1759

0031 Catherine Leahy 1780

0045 Mary Leahergh (nee Cooke) 1784

0064 Edmond Collopy 1794

0065 Thomas Roche 1741

0072 Mary Glin 1704