Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

The medieval ruins of the church (OF008-009001-) of Kilbride [Cill Bhríde], known locally as ‘St. Bridget’s Abbey’ forms the N boundary of Kilbride graveyard with the site of a possible convent / nunnery (OF008-009002-) forming W boundary of graveyard (OSL 1840, 134). According to local tradition this parish was founded by St. Brigid before she founded Kildare (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0807, Page 203; Cogan 1867, 496). The graveyard was described in 1938 as following 'The graveyard (about 15 perches [75m] x 8 perches [40m] roughly triangular) is certainly very ancient. There is no gateway into it. There are two stiles (to cross the wall) and between them a large flat stone which was set there to take the coffin while the bearers climbed the stiles. At the farthest corner from the road towards the east there is an old ruin [OF008-009001-- which local tradition states to be the authentic ruin of St. Brigid's church (or kitchen). It is about 15 feet [5m] by 9 feet [3m] inside and the inside of the roof is rounded. The outside is so much covered with ivy that it is impossible to say what it is like. The graveyard is still used. One local family claims to have 18 generations buried there. A great improvement has been made in the keeping of this graveyard, cutting nettles etc., since my first visit to it in 1927. Legend say that when St. Brigid asked for land for her convent she was told she could have what her cloak would cover, and she got Kilbride' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0807, Page 203).
Kilbride graveyard was described in 1942 as following; ‘The graveyard is a long strip of which the central part seems the oldest and is the most raised. The ‘convent’ (OF008-009002-) consists of several poorly built walls up to 5’ [1.5m] high. I can make nothing of them, and they have no features; they suggest a series of grave enclosures rather than a monastic building. The old church must have been near them on the highest part of the mound; there are no remains save for one door-jamb’ (Oliver Davies ITA Survey).
Originally the graveyard consisted of a roughly rectangular-shaped area (approx. dims. 36m N-S x 22m E-W) enclosed by a post-medieval stone wall the low footings and external facing of which are still visible. During the 19th century the graveyard was widened by a short distance to the E and W with a large area extended to the N and S which was then enclosed by a stone to created a diamond shaped graveyard (approx. dims. 140m N-S; 37m E-W). The earlier graveyard is visible today as a the highest part of the burial ground located in the centre with traces of the earlier boundary wall best visible at S. The extension of the graveyard to the N meant that the medieval church ruins (OF008-009001-) now formed the N boundary of the new graveyard. Wall footings of a possible convent (OF008-009002-) now formed the W boundary of the graveyard. Stone stile and double coffin stand visible in S section of boundary wall. Wall footings of possible medieval church (OF008-009004-) formed N boundary of smaller earlier graveyard. The central portion of the graveyard has a concentration of memorials dating from the post-1700 period onwards with later memorials in the extended burial ground on all sides.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 02 May 2019

References

Cogan, Rev. A. 1862-70 In John F. Fowler, Joseph Dollard (eds), The diocese of Meath, ancient and modern, 3 vols. Dublin. Dollard Publishers.

OSL - Ordnance Survey Letters. Letters written by members of the Ordnance Survey's 'Topographical Department' (T. O'Conor, A. O'Curry, E. Curry, J. O'Donovan and P. O'Keeffe) sent to headquarters from the field (1834-41). MSS in Royal Irish Academy.

Irish Tourist Association. Surveys undertaken in the 1940s for the Irish Tourist Association (now Fáilte Ireland) relating to ‘Natural features, antiquities, historic associations etc.' Extracts from these surveys were copied into the Topographical files of the Office of Public Works and these have been incorporated into the Sites and Monuments Record files (National Monuments Service).