School: Ballintotas (roll number 15165)

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1. A Story of the Penal Days (continued)

   

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   St Mary's Church, Shandon, Cork, now no longer used for Catholic service, was once a Catholic Church and the adjoining cemetery was used for Catholic burials. During the Penal days Catholics were not forbidden to bury their dead in the cemetery, but the officiating priest or priests may not recite prayers, nor read the burial service. A prominent merchant (OConnor) died and his remains were brought to the cemetery at Shandon for internment. Because of his unlimited charity and piety, this merchant was mourned by rich and poor, lay and clerical. It was no wonder that his funeral attracted such attention, nor that the Dean of Cork, Dean MacSweeney, decided, despite the penal regulation to read the burial service, and recite the usual prayers at his graveside. As he did so, he was tapped on the shoulder by the sexton or warden of the Protestant congregation, and told he should desist. His reply was that he would continue to read and pray, and it drew a tremendous cheer from the assembled thousands. Among the clergy who witnessed this scene was the then young Franciscan Fr. Theobald Matthew. He was so deeply moved by the incident that he immediately decided to take steps to acquire an independent cemetery where Catholics could bury their dead without interruption.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
         1. penal times (~4,335)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Joseph Buckley

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   60

   Occupation

   Saddler

   Address

   Midleton, Co. Cork