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Looking for the grave of my great grandparents

Cork

Hi, I'm looking for the grave of my great grandparents John and Margaret Bowen. They lived in a house called Rathclare in Fermoy. John died in 1965 after Margaret,  I don't know when she died. My dad found the grave a few years ago but we came over recently and couldn't find it. Dad thinks the graveyard was on the Mallow Road out of Fermoy,  it was very overgrown and there were only ruins of a church. Have the graves and/or headstones been moved to another cemetery?

If anyone could help I would be so grateful  Dad is 80 now so it would be lovely to find it.

Thank you NikkiB

nb7541@googlem…

11 replies

Local volunteer contacted.

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Nikki,

The graveyard you are referring to is Castlehyde, which is on the Mallow Road from Fermoy. It had become very overgrown in recent years and I am involved in a project on doing some work to tidy it up a bit. Part of the project is to transcribe all the headstones and erect an information board so that graves can be located. I found a headstone to Margaret Bowen, Rathclare, who died in 1956 aged 83 and John Bowen who died in 1965, aged 93. In a grave close by there was also William Bowen, infant son of John and Margaret Bowen, who died in 1902. Let me know if you want photos or anything else.

Best wishes, Kieran 

 

Kieran Jordan, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Kieran

 

Thank you so much for your reply. That is great news that you found the graves, if you send a photo of them that would be grand  thank you.

Huge thanks

Nikki

nb7541@googlem…

Nikki,

See attached a few photos I took.

1) Castlehyde graveyard improvements taken last summer.

2) Bowdren headstone with William Bowen mentioned.

3) The Bowen headstone with the inscription, In loving memory of Margaret Bowen, Rathclare, Fermoy. Died 18th.  Of June 1956, aged 83 years. John Bowen died 1 Feb. 1965, aged 93 years. R.I.P. 

Let me know if there is anything else I can do to help.

Best wishes, Kieran

 

Kieran Jordan, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Kieran

Thank you so much for sending the photos. The Bowen headstone has got very weathered, well done for making out what was on it.

If you come across any more Bowen headstones I'd be very interested to know who they are.

There is still a bit of a mystery to solve. Was there ever or might there still be another cemetery on the Mallow Road out of Fermoy.  Dad still reckons there was a different headstone that he came across abt 15yrs ago to John & Margaret Bowen and a few other names but it was a tall white marble one & the cemetery was not as far as Castlehyde Stud. It had ruins of what was a church & it was only a small graveyard.  They were Catholic aswell. Is there anything within the walls of the Castlehyde estate?

Sorry to be a pain!

Regards 

Nikki

nb7541@googlem…

Nikki,

No problem, glad to help. No, there is no other cemetery on the road to Mallow. Castlehyde cemetery is on the grounds of Castlehyde estate. The Bowdren headstone (that I sent a picture of) would come to mind. It is marble and it does mention John and Margaret Bowen in the context of being the parents of baby William, and it has other names on it. Margaret's maiden name was Bowdren and that is why the child was buried in the Bowdren plot. See this link: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…. Margaret and John are buried close-by. I am very familiar with the cemeteries around Fermoy; this is definitely what you are looking for! I do know the Bowdren family and if you give me a bit more information I can ask if you like. You can get my personal email address from the IrelandXO office and we can communicate off the message board if you like.

Best wishes, Kieran

Kieran Jordan, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Kieran 

Thank you so much for your reply. I've emailed the office so hopefully they'll get back to me.

Look forward to finding out more & once again thank you for all your help.

Nikki

nb7541@googlem…

Hi Nicky

Such a small world! John and Margaret are my great, great grandparents.  Their son, John (known as Jack), emigrated Australia around 1919 and had 7 children (my grandma, Mary, was born in 1928).  

I visited the grave at Castlehyde in 2015 and was told by a local historian that the original headstone was buried in the plot and a new one installed as more of the family passed away.  There were family members who lived (may still live) on the otherside of the road in a big house (can't remember exactly where) but I believe it was originally part of the Bowdren family. 

I have a bit more information about the family in Australia if you want to go that far.

 

Thanks

 

Kel

kelspence

Hi Nicky 

A cousin just sent me this picture - thought you might like to see it. 

Thanks 

Kel

kelspence

Kel,

Thanks for attaching the photo. I passed it on to Brede Walsh (née) Bowdren, a great grand niece of Margaret. She lives in the house across the road from Castlehyde graveyard. She hadn't seen it before and was delighted with it. If it is OK with you, she would like to get in touch and learn more about her Australian relatives. If that suits you, please get my email address from the IrelandXO office and send me an email. I can then pass your email address to Brede.

Best wishes, Kieran

Kieran Jordan, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Kieran

I believe i met Brede back in 2015 just before Christmas - I was in Fermoy with my partner (at the time) and his aunt had organised a local historian to take us around to a few places. 

I met Mrs Murray (I think that is her name - absolutely lovely lady) at Rathclare, saw where the Cinema was, went to the burial plots and across to the house at Castlehyde.  Shaun and I went back the following night for dinner and it was lovely.  

We have a family Facebook page which I'm happy to share with Brede and Nicki.

Will work out how to get your email and send you some details.

Thanks

 

Kelly 

kelspence

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