(V) Blessing of the Graves

PREAMBLE – It’s been 7 long months since I’ve updated this blog. I was traveling extensively and work just had to take precedence. Now here we are March 22, 2020, in the worldwide throws of CoVid19 pandemic- the virus that is so reminiscent of the pandemic of 1918, The Spanish Flu (that wasn’t from Spain folks).  So now that I , along with the rest of the nation, am “social distancing” “self Isolating” and working from home…I finally have a few moments to continue the story. So forgive the delay and thanks for reading on!

And so to continue…

It is decided we should take a trip to the Ballylannon Graveyard which is just at the end of the road. Joining us is Jimmy’s wife, Joan; another town historian, Mary Murphy and Mary O’Brien (nee Murphy) down from Dublin. Set on a small slip of land between the main road and the mud flats of the Owenduff and Corock rivers inlets, the Graveyard is perched with the ruins of a church , the provenance of which is long lost even to our historians. We park snugged up to the stone wall and riggle our way out of the car so as not to get swiped by passing traffic. Ireland is not known for its vast road widths and this is example of that to the extreme. But the sun is shining , the breeze is coming off the river and I can’t think of more stunning place to spend some time on a Saturday afternoon. However, I am completely surprised by the number of people (at least 5) that are here beautifying this small cemetery of less than 50 souls.

Jimmy and Mary prove to be great guides and with the added help that Jimmy transcribed most of the pertinent grave stones the night before, he is able to take me directly to the Farrell’s and Carroll’s – a multitude of each. It is all a bit overwhelming and you will not be shocked to know that being very emotional, I was struggling to hold it together and not let the tears flow. Jimmy and Mary had a lot of intel on the Carroll clan but then as I was asking about the Farrell’s and any knowledge of our John Farrell who emigrated in 1871, Mary spotted a tall rugged steely haired gentleman across the yard and called him over. What luck – Sean Farrell striding across the cemetery to say hello! He told me he had never heard of any Farrell’s emigrating and was astonished to know there is quite a Clan amassed in upstate New York, thanks to his voyage. I had lugged along with me a green binder filled with both the Farrell and Carroll family history, group sheets, maps, vital records and anything else I thought might come in handy. I am glad I did as it gave us the perfect prop to peruse and compare with the many headstones as we wandered through, chatting all the while. Mary and Declan O’Brien have come down from Dublin and seem to be enjoying this as well as the rest. Just prior to leaving Jimmy’s house, he reveals that Mary’s grandmother is also a Carroll so she and I are in fact related! Yet another unexpected happy surprise for both of us.
Sean tells me that the next day is The Blessing of the Graves, The Pattern for their Parish.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cemetery_Sunday

Having been brought up Irish Catholic, I felt bewildered that I had no idea what he was talking about – I quickly texted my sister, Cindy to ask if she had heard of it…. Nope, neither had she, no I could breathe a sigh of relief that it was not just my lapsed Catholicism to blame. I’m told this is always planned for the Sunday after the summer solstice and is a big day for the parish community. Many of Sean’s siblings will be arriving from other cities such as Cork and Dublin to celebrate the day together and he invites me to join them for the service and to the Farrell Farmhouse for tea after. I am thrilled and honored (and really worried I won’t remember how to say my catholic mass responses correctly!)

So having spent the afternoon wandering the graves we all agree to meet back for the Blessing of the Graves at 2pm on Sunday followed by Tea with the Farrell’s and another meet up with Jimmy to chat a little longer about the town and history of the Carroll Family in Clongeen.

The Pattern, Sunday June 23, 2019

The first Sunday of Summer, Ballylannan, Wexford Ireland… It’s pouring rain which seems to affect no one but myself. Bernie and I head to the graveyard along with her friend and our host for the weekend, Helena Thorne. We park down the way at a local coffee shop so as not to take up parking space for those more intimately involved. It’s a beautiful walk across the Wellington bridge. I’m nervous, excited and maybe a little hungover. It’s such a crowd and the graveyard is lovely, filled with pots of flowers and freshly groomed stone paths. I see some familiar faces from yesterday, Declan and Mary Murphy, Jimmy, his wife Joan and their family. The Farrell’s are there and I am excited to meet Sean’s brother Patrick and the many Farrell’s in attendance. They are all kind, curious and seem just as excited to have us over to tea as I am to have the invitation! I am so touched and thrilled by this that I almost don’t worry as much that I can’t remember my Hail Mary – Luckily, Pat Farrell is holding an umbrella over me and knows his Hail Mary’s and everything else that comes along, so I shyly mumble along… Hail Mary full of Grace, the lord is with the…etc…. I have the opportunity to meet Father Michael Byrne, who was officiating the ceremony but as I was told is not their usual Parish Priest. The blessings are given; prayers are said and the socializing begins. I meet The JOAN’s, all from various branches of the Carroll family and I meet Ann O’Connor; Great Grand Daughter in law of John and Kitty Carroll who established a pub and grocery in Clongeen in 1838. It still stands and Ann is the proprietor inviting us all to stop over to have a look. But first, it’s off to the Farrell Farm on Farrell Road for tea. More about that in the next post.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Thanks for visiting! Next post will be about the amazingly memorable Tea with the Farrell Clan of Wexford! Hope you’ll join me then.
Slán,
Cristen