Eglish Castle is currently within a working farmyard. Ruins of original outbuildings and traces of the original yard at the rear (N) of the house include the stables on the E side and two small barns/outbuildings on the NW (shown on ordnance map above).  Some cobbles remain in front of the stables. There are the remains of a high stone wall adjoining the NW corner of the house with gate hinges. The walled orchard was entered through high stone gateposts on the W of the house, only one of which remains partially intact. There is no sign of the hand water pump that was in the yard. This appears to have been the only source of water for the house, although the Alexanders built a concrete water tank in the recess between the original house and the Palladian addition on the the SE. This was filled by a downpipe from the roof.

The O’Molloy Tower House in the 21^st Century

Kerrigan⁵ describes the O'Molloy tower house as follows: “...the remains of the poorly preserved tower house (ext. dims. 10.4m N-S x 9.9m E-W; wall T 1.9m) comprise portions of its N and W walls constructed of roughly coursed limestone rubble standing two stories high. There are traces of a slight base-batter on the surviving walls and the original entrance was probably located in the E wall. A later 18^th century house adjoins the N Wall. A rebuilt doorway at the west end of the N wall gives access to a mural stairs running from W-E . The now destroyed first floor was reached from this mural stairs. Among the surviving features at this level are a mural passage in the west wall and a guardroom in the NW corner containing a musket loop. The support for a wall-walk is discernable on the N wall. A bawn wall which is largely intact adjoins the tower house at its SW angle and encloses the site on its S and E sides. Several later outbuildings adjoin the bawn, and cobblestone paving is visible in the SW corner of the courtyard. (Cooke 1875, 25-6; O’Flanagan 1933, vol 2, 2-6).”

According to Richard Alexander (pers. comm. 2011), stone from the castle was removed by his father probably in the 1950’s and used for roadworks at Thomastown. Additional observations I made in 2011 include recording the existence of two more musket loops high in the S and SE walls which are not visible externally, having been filled in presumably when the exterior of the north face of the castle was rendered to match the adjoining house additions. There are four doors between the house additions and the castle: The first, and possibly the main connection between the 17^th C house, is a large arched doorway at the E end of the basement passage (see photo). This has been infilled with stone, presumably when the 18^th C extension was done. Second is a rectangular door at the landing level of the steps between the first (ground) floor and basement. This is infilled with concrete. The third is in the E end of the first (ground) floor passage and enters the castle at ground level in the present shed. It is infilled with bricks, probably done when Sam Alexander sen. added the toilet. The fourth is from the stair landing between the second and third floors and is infilled with bricks which are now partially removed.

 

East wall of house Basement passageway showing                                             Steps in mural passage of castle W wall. (photo: PFB)

 arched entrance to Castle. (photo: PFB)

It is clear that the ground level at the time the 17^th C house was added to the castle was lower than it is today because its basement windows and doors are below today’s level.

Holy Trinity Church

Holy Trinity (Eglish) Church built in 1839 by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners stands just to the E of Eglish Castle. It is accessible  through an opening in the graveyard wall on the N side of the Castle. Being so close to the house, the Church and the family burial enclosure must have been an integral part of the lives of my family at Eglish.  The Church faces S and appears to be located on the original medieval road past the tower house. Unfortunately there is now a hole in the roof and some window panes are missing which allows birds and rain to enter and consequently deterioration of the interior appears to be happening quite rapidly. The under-floor heating system (where the sexton died of asphyxia ⁶ ) has been filled in. The graveyard contains outlines of stone structures, probably medieval buildings, and many very old and interesting burials, both Catholic and Protestant. Unfortunately there appears to be no available record of surviving inscriptions, something that should be undertaken. The church and graveyard is said to be for sale.

.                 
                                   

                 Holy Trinity Church, Eglish in 2008. (Photo: Pat David)               Undated early photograph of Holy Trinity Church, Eglish.

                                                                                                                              Walled Berry burial enclosure on left. (L.Wilson mss).

                                                                                                     

Interior of Church: view from rear to pulpit (B.Pey).                                     Interior of Church: view from pulpit to rear (G. Ma)

The Berry Burial Enclosure

During my visit to Eglish in Sept. 2011 I drew the following plan of the burial enclosure and recorded all the tombstone inscriptions in it.My list of burials is not in total accord with the lists made in the late 1900's by the Rev. William Berry and Rev. J.T. Webster, or recorded as located there by L.A.Wilson.

The burial enclosure is surrounded by a 2m high stone wall. Although there is a view that this is built on the location of the old ruined church this is unlikely, though the wall may have been built on the outline of a medieval building.

List of people buried in the Berry enclosure

* = recorded as buried in the Berry enclosure by Rev. William Berry who died in 1920, and in 1921 by Rev. J.T. Webster.

^ = recorded by P.F. Berry in 2011

# = reported to be buried at Eglish by L. Wilson, but no marked grave found by P. F. B in 2011.

Red font = Dovegrove Family

Name ordered by death date	Dates	Plan No (by death date)	Remarks
BERRY, Knight	(1714 -1793)* ^	1	Tombstone broken in 3 pieces; part of inscription missing.
BERRY, Frances	(1743 -1807)* ^	2	Broken tombstone upside down on ground next to elevated grave. Originally probably in elevated alcove with husband Thomas.
BERRY, Luke Michael	(1781 -1815 c.)*	3	Not found by P.F.B. 2011. Elevated grave; no slab.
BERRY, Thomas	(1737/8 -1815)*	4	Not found by P.F.B. 2011. Probably originally in elevated alcove.
BERRY, John	(1764 -1815)*	5	Not found by P.F.B. 2011. Elevated grave; no slab.
BERRY, Catherine Frances	(1818 -1822)^	6	Buried with her father
BERRY, Robert Fleetwood	(1777 -1822)^	7	Buried with his daughter. Long inscription legibility difficult in places. This grave was not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W.
BERRY, Maria	(1819 -1824)* ^	8	Buried with twin John, sister Frances and parents Dorothy and Sterling
BERRY, John	(1819 -1825)^	9	Buried with twin Maria, sister Frances and parents Dorothy and Sterling
BERRY, Frances	(1813 -1825)* ^	10	Buried with twins Maria and John and parents Dorothy and Sterling
BERRY, Dorothea	(? -1825) ^	11	This grave was not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W.
WINSLOW, Dorothy	(1780 -1826)* ^	12	Buried with her twins Maria and John, daughter Frances and husband Sterling.
BERRY, Sterling	(1771 -1828)* ^	13	Buried with his twins Maria and John, dau. Frances and wife Dorothy.
BERRY, Frances (Fanny)	(1809 -1832)* ^	14	Buried with her mother Alicia.
ADAMS, Alicia	(1777 -1833)* ^	15	Buried with her daughter, Frances. Part of an uninscribed  broken stone lying over this grave may be from grave1.
BERRY, Martha	(1800 -1833) ^	16	Gravestone broken in two longitudinally; part has fallen off elevated grave; inscription largely illegible. Not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W.
BERRY, James Armstrong	(1770 -1833)^	17	Not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W.Buried in same grave as Margaret his wife and Sophia their daughter.
BERRY, Marlborough Parsons	(1773 -1842)^	18	Not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W.
BERRY, Isabella Adams	(1820 -1848) #	19	Daughter of Smith Massy Berry and Margaret Adams, she was probably buried in this family grave, though not named on the tombstone
CROW, Elizabeth	(1786 -1848)^	20	Not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W.
BERRY, Margaret	(c.1790 -1851)^	21	Not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W. Buried in same grave as James Armstrong Berry her husband and Sophia their daughter.
BERRY, Thomas Francis	(1819 -1852) #	22	Not found by P.F.B. 2011.
BERRY, Francis Fetherstonhaugh	(1847 -1857)*	23	Not found by P.F.B. 2011.
BERRY, Sophia	(1822 -1860)^	24	Not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W. Buried in same grave as James Armstrong Berry and his wife Margaret.
BERRY, Smith Massy	(1787 -1863) *	25	Not found by P.F.B. 2011. Possibly in same grave as his wife Margaret.
BERRY, Francis (Frank) Octavius	(1779 -1864)* ^	26	Inscribed vertical headstone and horizontal slab which is displaced to the left. Same grave as his wife Susanna .
BERRY, Robert Alexander	(1845 -1864) ^	27	Not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W. Buried in same grave as his brother Edward and father Edward Fleetwood Berry.
BERRY, Edward Nathaniel	(1848 -1869) ^	28	Not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W. Buried in same grave as his brother Robert and father Edward Fleetwood Berry.
BERRY, Edward Fleetwood	(1817 -1875) ^	29	Not recorded by W.B or Rev. J.T.W. Buried in same grave as his sons Robert and Edward.
FETHERSTONHAUGH, Susanna	(1816 -1876)* ^	30	Buried in the same grave as her husband Francis.
BERRY, Frances	(1870 -1882)* ^	31	Inscribed vertical headstone
BERRY, Penelope	(1851 -1890) #	32	Not found by P.F.B. 2011.
BERRY, Allan Noble	(1823 -1890) #	33	Not found by P.F.B. 2011.
ANDREWS, Penelope	(1819 -1892) #	34	Not found by P.F.B. 2011.
MITCHELL, Margaret	(?-1905) * ^	35	Inscribed standing headstone
MITCHELL, James Berry	(c.1862 -1935) ^	36	Inscribed standing headstone

Gravestone Inscriptions recorded by P.F.B. in 2011

Numbers corresponds to those in plan of Berry Burial enclosure above. Script is laid out as it is on the tombstones and I have tried to retain characteristics of the script used i.e. spelling, upper or lower case, underscored etc. ? denotes illegible.

(1)

The Remains of Knight Berry

Who Died the 27^th of March 1793

In the 79^th Year of his age

……………………………………….

(tombstone broken along next line of illegible script and missing)

(2)

Sacred to the Memory

Of M^rs FRANCES BERRY

Wife of Thomas Berry of Eglish Castle Esq

She Departed this Life May 26^th 1807

AGED 63 YEARS

And was the Sole Heir

Of the late Knight Berry Es^q

And Sophia his wife

(6, 7)

Sacred to the Memory

of

Robert Fleetwood Berry Esq

Who died August of 1822

Aged 45 Years

He won the enduring afection

Of his neighbours

Yet he sought not popularity

?through the awful impression upon his mind

Of the inestimable love of GOD

In a redeeming Saviour

Was ?vinced

In the integrity of his Transcention

The earnestness of his vigilance

For the Welfare

Of his Fellow men

He is laid in this Grave

To which he had himself

But three Weeks before his death

Committed the body of his daughter

Catherine was aged four years

(8,9,10,12,13)

Under This Tomb are interred the mortal remains of

Maria Berry who died on the 6^th of November1824

Also

Of John Berry her twin brother who died on the 19^th February 1825

Also

Of Frances Berry who died the 24^th May 1825

In the 12^th year of her age

Also

Of their Mother M^rs Dorothy Berry wife of

Sterling Berry Esq^r of the City of Dublin

Who died on the 30 of July 1826 in the 46^th year of living

And

Of Sterling Berry Esq^r whom died on the 10^th of April

1825 in the 57^th year of his age

(11)

Within this Tomb

are deposited

the Mortal remains

of

Dorothea late Wife of

M P Berry

Tullamore

Who died 9^th of November

1825

universally and deservedly

 lamented

she assigned her pure soul

into the hand of her

MAKER

firmly relying on the

merits and intercession

of her generous and merciful

REDEEMER

for Salvation

and everlasting happiness

in a World

of

GLORY

(14,15)

Underneath this Stone Lie

the Remains of

Frances Berry

Daughter of Francis and Alice Berry

of Tullamore

Who died on the 12 July 1832

Aged 23 years

Also of her Mother Alice Berry

Who joined her Beloved

only Four* Months

on the 20^th May 

* apparently an error

                                     (16)             (stone broken longitudinally)

                Sacred To the | Memory

                                                          of Martha Berry|

           Who Died March| 7^th 1833

Like crowded forest trees|we stand

And some are marked| to fall

           The axe will smite at G|ods  command

         And soon shall smi|te us all

             God--------------| on high

          We leave                |delighted

                                             |o         hand

                ----------------|--------

         This Tomb|

              Was erect|ed

          By her husba|nd

                        Smith Mas|sy Berry

(17,21,24)

The Remains of the Late

James Armstrong Berry of Eglish Esq^r

Are Interred Beneath this stone

He died July 10th 1833 in the

Sixty second year of his age

Also Margaret his Wife

Who dep^d this life June 30^th 1851

In the 61^st Year of her age

ALSO THEIR DAUGHTER

SOPHIA

WHO DIED 2^ND FEB 1860

AGED 38 YEARS

 

GOD IS LOVE

(18)

In

Memory

of

MARLBOROUGH PARSONS BERRY Esq

Late Barracks of the Buffs 64 Reg of Foot

Who departed this life

The 28^th of October1842

Aged 69 Years

(20)

Sacred

 To the memory of

M^rs ELIZABETH Berry wife of the late

ROBERT FLEETWOOD BERRY Esq

Of Shannon Harbour in Kings Co

She  died April ?---

Aged ?----

(26, 30)

SACRED

TO THEMEMORY OF

FRANCIS BERRY ESQUIRE

OF TULLAMORE AND EGLISH

WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE

ON THE 31^ST OF OCTOBER 1864

AGED 85 YEARS

ALSO

SUSANNA HIS WIFE WHO DIED

AT MONKSTOWN COUNTY DUBLIN

ON THE 3^RD OF JULY 1876

AGED 60 YEARS

 

“THEM ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS

WILL GOD BRING WITH HIM”

1 THESS. v 14

(27/28/29)

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF ROBERT BERRY ELDEST

SON OF THE REV EDWARD BERRY RECTOR OF ATHLONE

AND OF PENELOPE HIS WIFE WHO DIED NOV 6 1864

AGED 18 YEARS ALSO EDWARD SECOND

SON OF THE SAMEWHO DIED JUNE 4 1869 AGED 21 YEARS

ALSO

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE VEN

ARCHDEACON OF MEATH & VICAR OF TRAM

FORMERLY RECTOR OF ATHLONE

WHO DIED AT TREAM 29 APRIL 1875

AGED 58 YEARS

(31)

SACRED

 TO THE MEMORY OF

FRANCES

DAUGHTER OF

MARLBOROUGH P BERRY

CLONEEN

WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE

21 JULY 1882

AGED 12 YEARS

(35)

ERECTED BY

JAMES BERRY MITCHELL

IN REMEMBERANCE OF HIS BELOVED

MOTHER

MARGARET MITCHELL

DAUGHTER OF THE LATE

JAMES ARMSTROMG BERRY ESQ^R

DIED 18^TH SEPTEMBER 1905

AGED 82 YEARS

 

WITH CHRIST IN PERFECT PEACE

(36)

IN LOVING MEMORY

OF

JAMES BERRY MITCHELL

CLOGHEEN MANOR BUTTEVANT Co CORK

DIED 30 DECEMBER 1935

AGED 73 YEARS

 

References

    ¹ Bog of Allen http://www.ipcc.ie/bogofallenvisitorguide.html

²O’ Flanagan, 1933, vol. 2, 6).

   ³  Pey, Brian (ed) 2003. Eglish and Drumcullen A Parish in Firceall. p.90. Published by Firceall Heritage Group.

   ⁴ National Inventory of Architectural Heritage

⁵Kerrigan, Paul M., 1995. Castles and Fortifications in Ireland, 1485-1945. Collins Press, Cork, 1995.

  ⁶ Pey, Brian (ed) 2003. Eglish and Drumcullen A Parish in Firceall. p.33. Published by Firceall Heritage Group.