Goldenbridge Cemetery Inchicore Dublin 1828.
Goldenbridge Cemetery lies parallel to the path of the Grand Canal at Inchicore, once shrouded by Richmond Barracks later rename to Keogh Barracks after 1922 and the departure of British forces. The new Irish army occupied the barracks replacing the Kings own Welsh Regiment and the Shropshire Regiment, it was rename to commemorate Commandant Tom Keogh who fought in the war of Independence who was a good friend of Michael Collins. Today the Cemetery is visible from Emmet Road, the towers of St Michael Estate which shadowed the graveyard for many years have been demolished.
The Cemetery at Goldenbridge is a 19th century ‘garden’ cemetery it was the first Catholic Cemetery to be laid out after the passing of the 'Act of Easement of Burial Bills'. Before the passing of the bill Roman Catholics living in Dublin City had no cemetery to bury the remains of their dead. By Law all burials could only take place in Protestant churchyards with fee’s been paid to the relevant pastor and no prayers could be recited. In 1823 a confrontation at a funeral in St Kevin's graveyard in Dublin, when the Catholic Archdeacon of Dublin Michael Blake was officiating at a funeral of Arthur D'Arcy brought things to ahead. D'Arcy was a well respected Dublin citizen and his funeral drew a large attendance. Archdeacon Blake was told to desist in his prayer for the dead by order of the Protestant Archbishop Dublin Dr. Magee. This incident angered those attending the funeral and had consequences for Archbishop Magee.
In 1823 Daniel O’Connell campaigned to change this situation, his goal was to acquire land were Catholics could be buried free and without any harassment. In the middle 1828 the Catholic Association purchased 3 acres of land 2 miles from the City of Dublin for the sum of £600 from Mathais O’Kelly. The first Trustees included Dr Coleman the Archbishop of Dublin along with the Rev Dean Lube P.P., Daniel O’Connell, Nicholas Mahon and Christopher Fitzsimon.
The graveyard was enclosed by a high limestone wall the entrance was by means of an iron gateway. Over the gateway stood a stone cross an inscription D.O.M. was inscribed below the cross, these letters are the initials of a Latin words "Deo Optimo Maximo" which means "to God The Best The Greatest". A bell was installed inside the gate and was rung when a corpse arrived for burial at the cemetery, this bell remains in place today. The foundation stone was laid by Patrick Joseph O’Kelly on the 26th May 1829 and John Graham was the building contractor.
The Cemetery at Goldenbridge is a 19th century ‘garden’ cemetery it was the first Catholic Cemetery to be laid out after the passing of the 'Act of Easement of Burial Bills'. Before the passing of the bill Roman Catholics living in Dublin City had no cemetery to bury the remains of their dead. By Law all burials could only take place in Protestant churchyards with fee’s been paid to the relevant pastor and no prayers could be recited. In 1823 a confrontation at a funeral in St Kevin's graveyard in Dublin, when the Catholic Archdeacon of Dublin Michael Blake was officiating at a funeral of Arthur D'Arcy brought things to ahead. D'Arcy was a well respected Dublin citizen and his funeral drew a large attendance. Archdeacon Blake was told to desist in his prayer for the dead by order of the Protestant Archbishop Dublin Dr. Magee. This incident angered those attending the funeral and had consequences for Archbishop Magee.
In 1823 Daniel O’Connell campaigned to change this situation, his goal was to acquire land were Catholics could be buried free and without any harassment. In the middle 1828 the Catholic Association purchased 3 acres of land 2 miles from the City of Dublin for the sum of £600 from Mathais O’Kelly. The first Trustees included Dr Coleman the Archbishop of Dublin along with the Rev Dean Lube P.P., Daniel O’Connell, Nicholas Mahon and Christopher Fitzsimon.
The graveyard was enclosed by a high limestone wall the entrance was by means of an iron gateway. Over the gateway stood a stone cross an inscription D.O.M. was inscribed below the cross, these letters are the initials of a Latin words "Deo Optimo Maximo" which means "to God The Best The Greatest". A bell was installed inside the gate and was rung when a corpse arrived for burial at the cemetery, this bell remains in place today. The foundation stone was laid by Patrick Joseph O’Kelly on the 26th May 1829 and John Graham was the building contractor.
Mortuary Chapel was erected for the sum of £230 in 1829.
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A Mortuary Chapel was erected for the sum of £230 in 1829, this structure resembles a classic Roman Temple although it has been vandalised over the years but is still in place today. This chapel was designed by architect Patrick Byrne, he was responsible for the building of many Catholic Churches throughout Dublin. Patrick Byrne was the vice president of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, he also worked with the Dublin wide Streets commission. Churches such as St. Paul's on Arran Quay, StAudeons High Street and St James on James Street were some of his work. The Mortuary chapel at Goldenbridge is a neo-classical design is typical of the period and it is very similar to the Mortuary chapel erected at Pére-Lachaise in Paris.
“Sack em Ups” or grave Robbers were active in the early years of the cemetery. Corpses were robbed and sold to for anatomical research to satisfy their need to perform autopsies to learn more about human anatomy, and to educate their students. Under the Murder act of 1752 allowed surgeons legally to dissect the bodies of convicted murderers who were hung for their crimes. Robbers used wooden shovels as they make less noise than metal along with ropes hooks and sacks. As the ground was freshly dug they were able to remove the bodies fairly easily.
Bodies been dug up caused some issues in the early days of the cemetery, this called for a night watchmen patrol to be employed in the cemetery aided with Cuban bloodhounds. The practice of body snatching and grave robbing ended with the passing of the Anatomy Act of 1832.
“Sack em Ups” or grave Robbers were active in the early years of the cemetery. Corpses were robbed and sold to for anatomical research to satisfy their need to perform autopsies to learn more about human anatomy, and to educate their students. Under the Murder act of 1752 allowed surgeons legally to dissect the bodies of convicted murderers who were hung for their crimes. Robbers used wooden shovels as they make less noise than metal along with ropes hooks and sacks. As the ground was freshly dug they were able to remove the bodies fairly easily.
Bodies been dug up caused some issues in the early days of the cemetery, this called for a night watchmen patrol to be employed in the cemetery aided with Cuban bloodhounds. The practice of body snatching and grave robbing ended with the passing of the Anatomy Act of 1832.
On the 15th October 1829 Rev. George Canavan blessed the new garden cemetery just six months after the Act of Catholic Emancipation was passed. The first burial was Margaret Lowry her head stone reads... Erected by William Lowry of Watling Street, In Loving Memory of his daughter Margaret Lowry, Who departed this life on 2nd October 1829, She was the first to be interred in the cemetery. Confusion lay for a number of years that Father Whelan C.C. who had been interred beneath the earthen floor in Dolphins Barn church was the first to be interred in Goldenbridge Cemetery. His remains were exhumed from Dolphins Barn church and were re-interred in Goldenbridge.
The demand on the Goldenbridge Cemetery was such that it led to the purchase of 9 acre of land to establish Prospect Cemetery on the north side of Dublin, which Is known today as Glasnevin Cemetery. Back at Goldenbridge, the cemetery suffered the wrath of the 92nd Highland regiment in residence in Richmond Barracks. The complaint of noise and commotion caused by funeral processions passing their barracks caused a hearing by the Privy Council. Lord Chancellor Abraham Brewster limited burials and future interments to those with Burial rights only, this impacted highly on the cemetery.
During the famine years interments took place in a mass grave located in the south east corner of the graveyard. In 1867 a cholera epidemic hit the City which resulted in a high level of burials, as the cemetery was basically closed by 1872 there were not too many interments of Small Pox victims of that epidemic most of them were buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. William.T. Cosgrave, former President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State, which took place on the 18th November 1965.
In 1988 as a Millennium year project the Irish genealogical Research Society carried out a major task over an 18 month period recording the inscriptions on the graves in Goldenbridge Cemetery. A total of 1100 headstones and 4402 references were recorded.
Goldenbridge Cemetery is a very important part of the fabric of the history of Dublin, regeneration of the graveyard was a serious requirement. For those that have visited Glasnevin you will witness the enormous work that has taken place on that site. Goldenbridge Cemetery has been neglected over the last number of years, but the graveyard is now seen the potential of been a tourist location. Glasnevin Trust will continue and will gradually refurbish Goldenbridge Cemetery, it will be restored to the garden cemetery as it was designed to be.
The demand on the Goldenbridge Cemetery was such that it led to the purchase of 9 acre of land to establish Prospect Cemetery on the north side of Dublin, which Is known today as Glasnevin Cemetery. Back at Goldenbridge, the cemetery suffered the wrath of the 92nd Highland regiment in residence in Richmond Barracks. The complaint of noise and commotion caused by funeral processions passing their barracks caused a hearing by the Privy Council. Lord Chancellor Abraham Brewster limited burials and future interments to those with Burial rights only, this impacted highly on the cemetery.
During the famine years interments took place in a mass grave located in the south east corner of the graveyard. In 1867 a cholera epidemic hit the City which resulted in a high level of burials, as the cemetery was basically closed by 1872 there were not too many interments of Small Pox victims of that epidemic most of them were buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. William.T. Cosgrave, former President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State, which took place on the 18th November 1965.
In 1988 as a Millennium year project the Irish genealogical Research Society carried out a major task over an 18 month period recording the inscriptions on the graves in Goldenbridge Cemetery. A total of 1100 headstones and 4402 references were recorded.
Goldenbridge Cemetery is a very important part of the fabric of the history of Dublin, regeneration of the graveyard was a serious requirement. For those that have visited Glasnevin you will witness the enormous work that has taken place on that site. Goldenbridge Cemetery has been neglected over the last number of years, but the graveyard is now seen the potential of been a tourist location. Glasnevin Trust will continue and will gradually refurbish Goldenbridge Cemetery, it will be restored to the garden cemetery as it was designed to be.
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The foundation stone was laid by Patrick Joseph O’Kelly on the 26th May 1829 and John Graham was the contractor.
REDEDICATION OF GOLDENBRIDGE CEMETERY SUNDAY 14th MAY 2017
Goldenbridge Cemetery has reopened to the public as a historial landmark and working graveyard, almost 150 years after it closed. John Green chairman of Glasnevin Trust said at the dedication ceremony "Glasnevin Trust is truly gladdened to announce the reopening of Goldenbridge Cemetery as a working graveyard. "Not only will it be open to new burials, but the cemetery is inextricably linked with the local community's efforts to revitalise the area.
A re-enactment of Daniel O'Connell's 'speech of the establishment of the non-denomination cemetery', musical recitals by St James's Brass and Reed Band and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, a lecture from Professor Maurice Bric on the history of the cemetery took place on the day. A wreath-laying ceremony at the mortuary chapel took place in remembrance of the cemetery’s founder Daniel O'Connell.
There are 4,250 graves in the cemetery of which 498 have been identified as available for purchase the price for a grave in the reopened and rededicated cemetery starts at €2,175. Headstone and materials will be in keeping with the style and era of the originals, as part of the conservation ethos of Glasnevin Trust.
A re-enactment of Daniel O'Connell's 'speech of the establishment of the non-denomination cemetery', musical recitals by St James's Brass and Reed Band and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, a lecture from Professor Maurice Bric on the history of the cemetery took place on the day. A wreath-laying ceremony at the mortuary chapel took place in remembrance of the cemetery’s founder Daniel O'Connell.
There are 4,250 graves in the cemetery of which 498 have been identified as available for purchase the price for a grave in the reopened and rededicated cemetery starts at €2,175. Headstone and materials will be in keeping with the style and era of the originals, as part of the conservation ethos of Glasnevin Trust.
Goldenbridge Cemetery book launch
On Thursday 21st March 2019 a new book on the history of the Goldenbridge cemetery was launched at Richmond Barracks Inchicore, the book was researched and written by Liam O’Meara from Inchicore.
George McCullough of Glasnevin Trust was on hand to Launch the book officially as the Glasnevin Trust are the publishers of the book. Glasnevin Trust have over the last few years been restoring Goldenbridge Cemetery bringing it back to a a beautiful example of a garden Cemetery.
George McCullough of Glasnevin Trust was on hand to Launch the book officially as the Glasnevin Trust are the publishers of the book. Glasnevin Trust have over the last few years been restoring Goldenbridge Cemetery bringing it back to a a beautiful example of a garden Cemetery.
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