The Story of Old Fedamore Graveyard, Co. Limerick

This graveyard is in the townland of Fedamor' (pronounced locally 'Fedamer), in the parish of Fedamore and in the barony of Small County. It is located c.1 km east of Fedamore village on the R514, beyond the crossroads with the R511, on the left side of the road.  The Camogue River (The little winding stream, Logainm.ie) flows to the south. The name Fedamore comes from ‘Fiadh Damair’, meaning  Damar’s Wood (Logainm.ie). According to Folklore, Damair was a Tuatha de Danann chieftain. (Duchas .ie.)

 

 

This is a Church of Ireland graveyard which was associated with a church  which was built in 1740, but there is little trace of the ruins today. It had been demolished in 1956 (Limerick Diocese Heritage.org). It is said to have replaced an earlier medieval church, possibly 13th century in date, which had been dedicated to St. John The Baptist by 1410, (Westropp,1904-5, 373-4). The graveyard was square in shape, the ruined church at its centre. It measured 37m N-S x 47m E-W. It was extended eastwards by almost the same area size. The entrance to the graveyard is at the western end and is marked by a stile and two rounded limestone piers with a single iron gate. 

 

A total of 134 memorials were recorded. Most of the monuments are dated to the early 19th century and onwards to the present day. Only four memorials date to the 18th century, two of which pre-date 1710, Andrew Glison who died in 1706, (memorial no. 0017) and Nicholas Glison, (memorial no. 0018) who died the following year in 1707.

 

There are a few box tombs, for example memorial no. 0130 which commemorates David Griffith who died in 1810.

There are also recumbent slabs, for example memorial no. 093 which commemorates Elizabeth Moran (nee Raleigh) who died in 1807.

 

The following surnames were included; Hayes, Howard, Ryan, Glison, Lynch, O’Donnell, O’Moloney, Bennett, Hannan, Keane, Harty, Clifford, Marshall, Colman, Hynes, Hartigan, Daly and Walsh.

 

Interesting Facts

William P. Clifford, who was president of the GAA from 1926-1928, is buried in this graveyard. He died in 1949, aged 73 years. (Memorial no.0058). 

 

In Castletown townland to the south of the graveyard there is the site of Fedamore Castle. Westropp (1904-5, 373-4) recorded that the castle and surrounding lands, and possibly including the church and graveyard, were granted by John, Earl of Mortain to Magio Abbey, c. 1185. The Earl of Mortain was otherwise known as John 1 , King of England (1167-1216). Magio is the latin name for Mainistir an Aonaigh Abbey, Monastery of the Maigue River,  near Croom. It was a Cistercian Abbey, founded in 1148 by Turlough O’Brien, King of Thomond.

 

A well dedicated to St. John is marked north west of the graveyard on Cassini’s 6 inch map. According to O’Kelly (1943, 226) a water pump had been erected over the well and that it was no longer a ritual site.

 

18th Century Memorials in Fedamore Old Graveyard

0017 Andrew Glison 1706

0018 Nicholas Glison 1707

0064 Catherine Flin 1798

0078 Nicholas Grady 1787