McSwiney Obelisks (2) and Vaults in Whitechurch Cemetery
Two McSwiney Obelisks mark two McSwiney family vaults in the old R.C. Cemetery on Church Road in Whitechurch. Our earliest known family member was Daniel McSwiney c1730-1786 (who ran a large farm in nearby Dromboy)
We managed to locate both family vaults as they are distinguished by being the only ones with a fleur-de-lis wrought iron fence around each, as well as a tall obelisk. Both are easily identifiable on Google Earth maps. One is near the wall bordering the road, and the other near the field - the latter obelisk still standing bears testimony to Patrick McSwiney (grandson of Daniel), distinguished Carlow Professor of Moral Theology and President of the Irish College in Paris, and a few other family members.
"Daniel's tombstone, on which particulars are recorded, is the oldest of four or five that mark the graves of our family at Whitechurch." (quote from Patrick's nephew Denis McSwiney, Dean of Cork and Papal Prelate, in a letter to his cousin The Rev. J.H. Herbert McSwiney in England). Herbert's son, George McSwiney, also later wrote about standing in front of the two obelisks that mark the family graves.
The obelisk (within the wrought iron fence nearer the road), which we believe marks the details of Daniel and other older family members, has toppled over and lies buried under a mass of ivy. I am hoping as a "genealogical act of kindness" that someone could volunteer to remove all the ivy in order to expose the obelisk and any remaining writings which would give us more information on our family members? I am one of three McSwiney family descendents of Daniel who live in the United States so unable to do this ourselves. Thank you. We will be eternally grateful!
