Lost Medieval Artifacts Resurrected in Tipperary!
On a recent outing to photograph the Antiquities of Slieveardagh, Sean
O Brien photographer and Maura Barrett of Slieveardagh Rural
Development made two fascinating discoveries at a place known locally
as Perry's Well. As part of the ongoing documentation of historical
sites and research into the Lecture Series, Maura Barrett had come
across an article about a Holy Well known locally as Perry's Well
which has been a site of pilgrimage for over 100 years and its water
is reputed to have curative qualities. This article referred to a
Madonna at Perry's Well. Seán O'Brien, Postmaster at Killenaule from
1957 until 1970, and a founder-member of Carrick-on-Suir's
two-year-old camera club had been engaged by Maura Barrett, Business
and Development Manager of Slieveardagh Rural Development to deliver
a talk on Selected Antiquities in the Slieveardagh Area. Maura
mentioned this article to Sean who could remember going to the Well as
a child in the 1940's and by his recollection it was placed on the
gable of Perry's Well in the lands of Jack Bergin. Sean could also
remember another stone which was known as 'The Dancers.' After an
arduous search through briars and dense undergrowth they found two
long-lost artifacts – a Pieta Carving and another carving that can
best be described as 'Three Dancing Men'
The Pieta is described in Hunt's book Irish Medieval Figure Sculpture
1200-1600 (published in 1974) vol.1, p. 227 and there is a photograph
of it in vol. 2, plate 320 and it is said to have originated in
Kilboy Church which is a few hundred yards away on Church Hill. The
dancing figures are very unusual and are quite crudely executed – they
look more like folk-art figures and are a mystery. There are also
accounts of 'An Iron Man' at the same site, but no trace of this was
found on that date. The artifacts were photographed by Sean O Brien
from various angles and brought forth once more to see the light of
day. 'There is likely to be significant interest, even at national
level, in the two items' says Sean. Both Maura and Sean wish to
thank the land owner Jack Bergin, for permission to visit the site.
The Barony of Slieveardagh is an area in South East Tipperary
stretching from Thurles to Mullinahone. To date Slieveardagh Rural
Development have developed a number of amenities in the area including
the Lough Doire Bhile Angling site, which is a special area of
biodiversity near New Birmingham, the refurbishment of St Mary's
Church Of Ireland into a Cultural, Heritage Centre and Library in
Killenaule and the development of the Grange/Craig Loop walk near
Kilcooley Abbey. Every month it hosts a heritage lecture in Killenaule
outlining the rich cultural history of the area. They have also
published information leaflets, Kilcooley Land and People in Tipperary
and a Heritage Calendar depicting the O Tunny Carvings on the Medieval
Tombs in Kilcooley Abbey. They recently took part in a Nationwide
programme on the same subject. Maura Barrett is their Business and
Development Manager.
Slieveardagh Rural Development is concerned that these medieval
monuments be protected as they are significant finds. 'It would be a
shame for these to lay exposed to the elements or vandals or worse'
says Maura Barrett. The Derrynaflan Chalice from the 8th- or
9th-century was discovered in 1980 near Killenaule.
Slieveardagh Rural Development is a community based charity formed in
1994 to harness the tourism and heritage potential of the Slieveardagh
region of Tipperary. Its mission is to revert the decline of
enterprise and the lack of employment opportunities within the area by
focusing on its heritage, its communities and its natural landscape.
Slieveardagh Rural Development is based in the Culture and Enterprise
Centre, River Street in Killenaule, Co Tipperary.
--
I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.
-- Peter De Vries
