The Story of Dromin South graveyard, Co. Limerick

The ruined church and adjoining graveyard are in the townland of Dromin South, in the parish of Athlacca/Dromin, in the barony of Cushma. The townland is North of Kilmallock Town, west of the R512. The graveyard is located 4.5km east of Bruree, on the L1550, and southwest of Dromin village. The name Dromin can be translated as Dromainn meaning ‘a high ridge of land’(Logainm.ie).

 

The medieval church ruins, also dedicated to the Holy Trinity since the 15th century, stands in the middle of an almost square graveyard, measuring 87m NW-SE x 81m NE-SW. The entrance is to the northwest and the graveyard is enclosed by a stone wall, built around 1700. 

 

Most of the memorials in the graveyard were recorded in 2022, amounting to a total of 226 memorials.The area yet to be surveyed is the oldest part of the graveyard and this work is due in late Summer 2023.

Predominently 19th and 20th century headstones were recorded, with the main concentration being to the north, east and west sides of the ruined church. The earliest recorded memorial is memorial no. 0062 which marks the burial place of John Streich who died in 1802. This headstone has unusual iconography of angels. Many low uninscribed grave markers were identified too, particularly in the southern half of the graveyard. There is a crypt in the interior of the church.

 

Surnames recorded include Daly, Birane, Gubbins, Cotter, Maher, Enright, Collins, Mockler, O’Malley, Leahy, Coll, Hayes and Stubbins.

 

Interesting Facts

Maidstone castle, also known as Ballyvenoge (Baile Bhean Og) Castle is in fact a tower house believed to have been held by Captain Ormsby in 1660. The crypt in the interior of the ruined church is said to be his burial place. Folklore believes the crypt to be the entrance and passageway leading to the castle, which is located approximately 3 km to the north west. (Duchas.ie)

The castle later passed to the Gubbins family. There is a plaque over the doorway of the church to this family and there are also Gubbins buried in the graveyard.

 

Also buried in this graveyard is Thomas Hogan, who was nineteen years old when he died from gunshot wounds received in Croke Park in Dublin on ‘Bloody Sunday’ in 1920. He was a native of Tankardstown, the youngest child of a family of seven. With his brothers, he joined the Irish Volunteers and their home was a safe house for volunteers and a hiding place for IRA messages. He was working in Dublin as a mechanic before he died.

 

Early 19th Century Memorials

0021 - Birrane 1825

0041 James Hannon 1844

0060 Edmond O’Dea 1841

0062 John Streich 1802

0065 John O’Dea 1804

0100 Patrick McNamara 1804