Just some notes I hastily assembled for a short address on the occasion of the Bi Centenary of the Church – there being a lack of information on the Church and it’s congregation. Some thoughts to provoke a more inclusive look at Irish history, to remind us that while sections of the population suffered at the hands of rapacious landlords others survived because of their dedicated efforts to relive the stress of the poor.
St. John’s Church, Yellow Bog Common, 25 June 2015
Mario Corrigan
The Most Rev. Patricia Storey, Bishop of Meath and Kildare, Rev. Marsden, members of the Select vestry and all who are gathered here this evening. Thank you for inviting me as a representative of Kildare Library and Arts Services to say a few words on this the commemoration of the Bi-Centenary of St. John’s Church, Yellow Bog common, Kilcullen.
The Church is defiant in its refusal to give up its secrets and uncanny in its ability to hide from us an illustrious history and we are left with tentative glimpses of society weddings and funerals, memorials and refurbishment programmes. The site is clearly marked on the original 1837 OS Map but does not appear on earlier maps of the county which themselves were far from perfect, but it is believed that the church may have been erected on the site of an earlier parish church built to replace an earlier church at Old Kilcullen.
For many centuries Irish history has been polarised by division; initially along territorial lines, by tribal faction, feudal allegiance – political, religious and in more recent times by class, economic and societal differences.
I am glad to say that we have made a somewhat healthy progression from the interminable rail of Irish History against those who ruled not just the country but the countryside. It quite often was the establishment, the landed gentry and established church that offered hope in a land which had no recourse to poor relief or the modern equivalent of social welfare. Some were well-meaning, self-serving individuals who were moved to action. More often than not it took the form of an appeal to the congregation, with the church at is heart, that provoked a response in terms of charity, relief works, schools and indeed church buildings. And regardless of the politics of sovereignty and the new nationhood being decided on the battlefields of Europe and the dangerous waters of over-reaching empires, they provided order – as magistrates and powerful economic and political entities they had the power not simply to rule but to improve.
Rev. William Sherrard, Rector of the parish for 41 years, was treasurer of the Kilcullen Relief Committee during the Famine years.
Relief was provided for the population of Yellowbog and Old Kilcullen again in 1883 when the crops were failing because of the wet weather and congestion as evidenced by the presence of some 72 households on Yellowbog Common in Griffith’s Valuation. Some 30 families obtained seed potatoes in 1883 by virtue of funds raised by readings, recitation and musical selection.
The Board of First Fruits was established in 1711 to build and maintain churches and glebe houses in Ireland. Apparently in the twenty years following the Act of Union, over £800,000 was paid out in order to purchase glebe lands, supervise the building of 550 glebe houses, and the building, rebuilding and enlargement of 697 churches. Some of these were within Kildare – at Newbridge, Ballysax, Carnalway, Donadea, Lackagh, Ballymore Eustace, Feighcullen, Athy, Kill and Thomastown. Kilcullen itself was consecrated in 1824 with the aid of £1,000 from the Board.
In the same year that Napoleon was finally defeated at Waterloo and O’Connell fought his famous duel with D’Esterre at Oughterard, a church was built at Yellow Bog.
Refurbishment took place c. 1838, apparently under the watchful eye of architect Frederick Darley Jnr., around the time Rev. Sherrard took up his ministry of the parish,
I have long been intrigued by the remaining memorials in this county’s graveyards and St. John’s is a fine example of a well cared for 19th century graveyard containing various cut-stone grave markers of marble, limestone and polished granite in a variety of styles; testament not only to industry and affluence, but to the noted members of this congregation, Milne, McLean, Glyn, Carter, Borrowes of Gilltown, Cramer-Roberts, of Sallymount, Brereton of New Abbey and Blacker of Castlemartin – providing links not only to the land and magistracy, but medicine, the clergy, the army, constabulary, Kildare Hunt and to the post of High Sheriff of Kildare.
The funeral of Major William Blacker in 1907 a veritable who’s who of County Kildare with wreaths from The Lord Chief Justice and the Earl of Portarlington to name a few.
And indeed the Rev. Sherrard and his family, the last name on the stone tablet, that of his wife Dinah whose demise in 1895 ventured her to be ‘Reunited to her husband and Children, three of whom they had buried during their time in the parish.’
His Grace, The Rev. Dr. Peacocke, Archbishop of Dublin, visited in 1908, the Church having been recently renovated and improved, for the purpose of performing a dedication ceremony of memorials presented to the church. These included a new Telford Organ and oak panelled Chancel, family gifts in memory of Major Blacker; a carved Irish oak communion table and brass bookstand in memory of two former Rectors and patrons of Kilcullen Parish, from their descendants, the Cramer-Roberts family.
The organ was described as a welcome addition and an object of general admiration to the Church, built by Messers. Telford and Telford, St. Stephen’s Green it was presided at by Mr. Telford.
Maybe it is suitable within this decade of commemorations to look to the stained glass window within the nave; ‘The Faithful Warrior’ as a means of remembering the sacrifice of so many and also as a means of comfort as we face trials in our own lives.
“He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me”.
Thank you
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