Knights Templar Graveyard Lacken Road

queev1988

Hey guys was at this graveyard this evening. Its accessible through the industrial park. Was wondering does anyone have any information regarding it? Find it amazing that it is in such a state of ruin for something that's centuries old

wellboy76

My grandad used to own the land around it. I was renovated about a decade ago and left to ruin afterward. My ancestors are buried there 1700-1800's

Finnbar01

Are you talking about the graveyard behind the Yellow House?

queev1988

Its a bit past the Yellow House, down that slip road and past the dump entrance. Some of the headstones inscriptions were so faded. Alot of celtic art and symbols were present on some tombs..very eery place and so hidden away!

wellboy76

A lot are famine headstones, particularly my ancestors (1 is a family of about 8-9 kids from the 1840's) but many are from before.

There is another out the airport road at the roundabout. These really should be looked after better

Finnbar01

queev1988 wrote: »

Its a bit past the Yellow House, down that slip road and past the dump entrance. Some of the headstones inscriptions were so faded. Alot of celtic art and symbols were present on some tombs..very eery place and so hidden away!

I remember my dad bringing me down there and the headstones were fantastic when it came to celtic art.

Unfortunately I think that graveyard has been vandalised.

queev1988

Was there at 9pm this evening..spooky out!Heard it was the burial place of some Knights of Templars?Anyone have any unusual stories or experiences of the area?

Hoffmans

true, templars hall derived its name from it

navalus

Kilbarry graveyard its known as, the table tomb inside the entrance with the coat of arms is to the Fitzgerald family of Kingsmeadow, its dated 1598. Last monument is dated 1877.

Nas10

Maybe we can petition the council to look after it or get onto Deise Am to hound them. It is people's place of rest and it is also history of our city so it should be looked after, they can look after a big rusty crane on the quay so they should do work on the graveyard. I know Carey builders did work on the walls as they built all around it.

queev1988

Completely agree,and it wouldnt take a hell of alot to even tidy it up!Seems like such a shame to see it in a state of ruins..

S28382

Its such a shame that little graveyard is so run down i remember as a kid going down there and sh*tting myself going in there as the stories we were told about it frightened the bejayus out us. When i was a kid it was like it was in the middle of no where.

mike65

When a burial ground gets beyond a certain age I tend to think they should be left to nature. But maybe that's just my love of Gothic nonsense.

jad2007

For anyone interested in the history of the Templars in Ireland check out "The Irish Crusade" by Niall Byrne. Its a highly detailed work that looks at the extensive templar presence in the South East of Ireland.

The Templars owned several farms, hospitals, and churches just in Waterford and also had huge holdings in other parts of the country.

In relation to the Graveyard it is sad to see it as it is but like lots of other historical sites there is not the interest or resources within the City Council to maintain it.

Books like the De Vinci code and films like Empire of Heaven have re-ignited interest in the crusader orders. Although it is a very niche market im sure that there are people that would love to visit sites in Ireland that relate to the crusades.

PTH2009

im doing Tourism in College at the moment and i think restoring this graveyard mite make a good project.

wobbles

There were a load of run down graveyards near my parents house at home. A few people got together and cleared them all up themselves. Once the word got around, they had 20-30 people a night helping out to get them all cleared up. It doesnt cost a lot if anything to do it. It now takes 1 person to keep each one maintained by cutting the grass every now and then.

I dont see how a few people interested from here couldnt get together and do the same.

jad2007

I think that it has the potential for a good project, it may not be as straightforward as people think though. The Heritage council published a guide for graveyards its well worth a look.

http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Archaeology/ChurchGrave_Poster.pdf

Permission would have to be sought from City Council and they would probably want a conservation plan. Their concern would be that the wrong methods or techniques would be used that might end up damaging the site.

However if you got past the red tape it would provide a nice project and once the initial work was done would need little maintainence.

queev1988

Amazing how one post can change so much!Power of the web!Yup would make a great project!tbh not much has to be done with the place:)

ikeano29

Sorry to bring up an old thread but was anything done with it after?
Is it still accessible?

MRnotlob606

I am looking for directions to this Graveyard., Is there anybody who can give me specific directions?

Johnboy1951

Some historical info on Knights Templar
http://homepage.eircom.net/~seanjmurphy/irhismys/templars.htm
They were present in both Crooke (near Passage East) and Lacken Road areas.
Another link for background
http://www.irishmasonichistory.com/the-knights-templar-and-ireland.html

PTH2009

Someone get some pics if they find it. Sounds cool assassins creed like lol

MRnotlob606

The graveyard at Kill St Lawrence was also owned by Templars of Kilbarry at one point.

Aquos76

PTH2009 wrote: »

Someone get some pics if they find it. Sounds cool assassins creed like lol

I'm out here now, I've a video and some pics I'll upload shortly

Aquos76

Its fairly easy to access, I drove down past the entrance to the dump and kept going to where the road stops, there is a break in the railings and its just across one field. Id imagine its easily accessible from that adjoining business park just off lacken wood also.

The graveyard itself is in a desperate state and all bar one or two headstones/tombstones are legible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQhKqbf_kGU

Johnboy1951

It appears someone has been doing some maintenance there ....... I notice some tree branches cut and also some of the top of the surrounding wall seems to have been protected by plaster or such.

Thanks for the video & pics.

MRnotlob606

Ballygunner temple Cemetery is another interesting Cemetery also in need of repair.

PTH2009

Aquos76 wrote: »

Its fairly easy to access, I drove down past the entrance to the dump and kept going to where the road stops, there is a break in the railings and its just across one field. Id imagine its easily accessible from that adjoining business park just off lacken wood also.

The graveyard itself is in a desperate state and all bar one or two headstones/tombstones are legible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQhKqbf_kGU

thanks for the pics. shame its not known well enough

barneystinson

PTH2009 wrote: »

thanks for the pics. shame its not known well enough

Why, do many people hang around graveyards for the craic..?

Johnboy1951

barneystinson wrote: »

Why, do many people hang around graveyards for the craic..?

By the time we get to use one we will be long past havin' a bit of 'craic' ......

MRnotlob606

There are many such sites as these across the county and many in urgent need of repair. I was at Ballgunner Temple Cemtery recenty (Dates from the 17th century) It was in a sad state of disrepair with sombody from the Waterford History group alleging that there are vandals trying to break into some of the tombs.

Ballygunner Temple Cemtery has a Church of Ireland Church at ease- which was a small church for parishoners who could not make the journey to their local Diocesan church.

A video of Ballgunner Temple Cemtery.

MRnotlob606

barneystinson wrote: »

Why, do many people hang around graveyards for the craic..?

No, but maybe is more knew about it some of these old Graveyards would be better maintained.

MRnotlob606

A rather frightening description of the Graveyard from the Waterford News dated the 11th of February 1870 "I also visited Kilbarry; I cannot find words to describe this church yard. It is a mass of rotting flesh. The dead are packed in layers, over each other, and not sufficient clay to cover them."

Wanderer78

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

A rather frightening description of the Graveyard from the Waterford News dated the 11th of February 1870 "I also visited Kilbarry; I cannot find words to describe this church yard. It is a mass of rotting flesh. The dead are packed in layers, over each other, and not sufficient clay to cover them."

now thats how you write lyrics!

alta stare

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

A rather frightening description of the Graveyard from the Waterford News dated the 11th of February 1870 "I also visited Kilbarry; I cannot find words to describe this church yard. It is a mass of rotting flesh. The dead are packed in layers, over each other, and not sufficient clay to cover them."

Sounds like a review of the foundry.

eoinfitzokk

In Dundrum in Tipperary they have a CE scheme where people who are out of work put their skills to good use. They maintain the graveyards, communal grass, and even sanded and painted all the local church pews. Called the Marl Bog CE scheme. That's what's needed for the local graveyards.

Gael23

There's an old graveyard as you drive towards the ferry out to Waterford castle. It's walled and gated so it's hard to access. Never tried to get inside, just walked by. I wonder was one of those large houses a monastery or convent long ago and it belonged to it?

debok

Whereabouts are you talking on the way to the castle? Never heard of anything
down there

Rubberlegs

I first heard of this graveyard in a post from Humans of the Deise , if I'm remembering rightly, on Facebook about a year ago, and still haven't gone for a look. Must make the effort now, thanks to the poster who put up the photos, it looks fascinating

MRnotlob606

73Cat wrote: »

I first heard of this graveyard in a post from Humans of the Deise , if I'm remembering rightly, on Facebook about a year ago, and still haven't gone for a look. Must make the effort now, thanks to the poster who put up the photos, it looks fascinating

I went out there for the the first time yesterday.Its a rather odd sort of Graveyard. Quite eerie too. The landscape is is very uneven due to over burial in the site, in fact the sanitary authority closed it down in the 1870s due over burial. In 1879, a small coffin was lowered over the wall of the cemetery with ropes. The small coffin was found inside the cemetery and had still-born child in it due the fact the family could not afford to bury their child. Worth visiting, its very unique.

MRnotlob606

http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Archaeology/Guidance_Historic_Graveyards.pdf - A very important and useful document for those who want to find out more a the preservation of historical graveyards in Ireland. 64 pages long but worth reading.

What's more useful is that many of the examples included are actually from County Waterford.

MRnotlob606

Knockeen graveyard is pretty special too, has a dolmen on the edge of the graveyard wall.

BBM77

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbUF2uMthH4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soA8eMgKCUI

This is pretty cool to, surprised there has not been more talk about it. Looks like the old urban myth of tunnels beneath Waterford city has some fact in it.

Johnboy1951

BBM77 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbUF2uMthH4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soA8eMgKCUI

This is pretty cool to, surprised there has not been more talk about it. Looks like the old urban myth of tunnels beneath Waterford city has some fact in it.

Any idea where this tunnel is?
The videos look a wee bit suspicious TBH ...... no flash light available when going into a tunnel?

BBM77

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Any idea where this tunnel is?
The videos look a wee bit suspicious TBH ...... no flash light available when going into a tunnel?

Well it’s the Waterford History Group that posted it on their Facebook page and the story was in the News and Star so it seems genuine. They have not released the location for safety reasons. Apparently they were discovered during prep investigations for the urban renewal works about to start in the city. Also, there was another such tunnel found under Michael St once when sewer works where being carried out about ten years ago.

MRnotlob606

My father used to work for the council, he told me there's a tunnel under the river suir He also told me where it is and that the entrance is blocked up.

Wanderer78

dish the dirt for feck sake

tankbarry

While I worked in the Applemarket area years back 1995 / 1996 I remember just outside the doors of the old News & Star office they were digging down can't remember what they were doing there was a tunnel going all the way nearly up the street I can remember being amazed would like to see more like that.

ikeano29

Looks an interesting place, good video and pictures.

Will be interesting to to see what happens with the tunnels too

MRnotlob606

Kill St Lawrence Graveyard is no longer accessible to members of the Public. Front Gate it locked. Its rather sad that this graveyard has been left overgown and in a state of disrepair. Doesn't look like there will be anything done there anytime soon either.