Graveyard’s historical significance recognised with heritage walk

“THE week went extraordinarily well!” beams Damian MacGarry regarding the Heritage week walks in the Old Graveyard in Rathfarnham.

Damian curated 11 walks between August 16 and August 24 in association with Rathfarnham Village Tidy Towns (RVTT), with the walks being organised by Maud Conroy-Kane and RVTT Chairperson Lynn McCrave.

The community showed significant interest, with Damian remarking that if they had “maybe 200+” in attendance, they would be thrilled. “We had 420!”

South Dublin County Council (SDCC) supports the project, recognising the graveyard’s historical significance after 15–20 years of closure.

Volunteers from RVTT spent months clearing the paths, and the council helped remove truckloads of material before Heritage Week.

The next event is the switching on of the Christmas lights and the Church of Ireland Christmas fair on November 22.

The goal is to make Rathfarnham a destination for visitors, highlighting its rich history and heritage.

The Church of Ireland opened its doors for visitors to see the Viking Age slab from the churchyard.

Damian explains that the Shaw family plot is in the churchyard, with the last Shaw buried there in 1968.

Robert Shaw was one of the first subscribers to the Dublin Cemetery Company in 1836.

The churchyard contains significant historical connections, including the family plot of the Shaws.

He mentions a survey conducted in 1985 by Sean Murphy for the Irish Genealogical Society, which identified 134 memorial slabs.

The overgrowth currently hides many of these memorials, but the inscriptions have been transcribed.

The churchyard holds the records of several hundred people, and future projects will delve into their backgrounds.

The churchyard is a valuable source of information, especially since parish records for Rathfarnham were destroyed in 1922.

Archbishop William Magee, a controversial figure, has the largest memorial in the church, which was only in use until the end of the 18th century, with no burials before then.

The churchyard provides unique records of people involved in Dublin’s commercial life in the 18th century, as there were no censuses at that time.

Damian hopes to link the churchyard to the Office of Public Works’ heritage site open days, held on the first Wednesday of each month, in the new year, and keep the two heritage sites in Rathfarnham functioning for people to visit.

Plans include conducting walks to showcase the churchyard’s historical treasures. The project aims to uncover more connections and information about the people buried in the churchyard.

The community’s involvement and support are crucial for the success of the project.

RVTT will also, in conjunction with the Rathfarnham Parish Christmas Fair, be switching on their Christmas Light display in the village on November 22, 2025.

Congratulations to Maud, Damian, Lynn, and all involved on a successful week.