School: St John of God Convent, Rathdowney (roll number 16203)
- Location:
- Rathdowney, Co. Laois
- Teacher: The Sisters
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0828, Page 166
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- XML School: St John of God Convent, Rathdowney
- XML Page 166
- XML “Ruins of St Kieran's Church”
- XML “The Moat Graveyard and St Kieran's Tree”
- XML “Castlefleming Heath”
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- (continued from previous page)The side-walls are 20 ft high being thus much higher than those of most of our old churches.
- Close to Errill Village in the part of Moonamaura known as Garryvicken there is a very ancient graveyard. It is called "the Moat". It consisted of a circular area 50 or 60 yds accross and enclosed by an earthen rampart. Enclosure and rampart are now to a great extent uprooted. Human skulls and bones have been frequently turned up here. There is no trace of a church. A huge ancient ash called "St Kieran's Tree" grew beside the moat till it was blown down in the memorable storm of the 6th of January 1839. As the tree bore St Kieran's name it may be assumed that if ever there was a church in the adjacent graveyard it was dedicated to the same Saint.
- There is an obsolete graveyard here, a little to the north of the Great Southern and Western Railway in Mr Dowlings "Churchyard field". The burying plot is very small being only 14 yds square there are no remains of the Church. there are some rude head-stones, marking the graves of unbaptised(continues on next page)
