Garvey

This headstone is a memorial to John Lee Jeffers, Carnally House, grandson of Francis Forde, the builder of Carnally House. Francis Forde's two wives and son, Francis, may also be buried here.

This flat headstone, bearing an incised "Red Hand", is a memorial to Daniel and Art Og O'Neill, Annaghad. Daniel O'Neill was engaged in the linen trade and, according to the Cardinal Tomas O'Fiaich, he was probably the last of the O'Neills of the Fews ". . . to maintain some semblance of the family's earlier greatness in the Parish of Creggan. ." He died around 1773.

Art Og O'Neill was Daniel O'Neill's son. He died in 1769 at the age of 26, an event which inspired Art MacCooey to write "Marbhna Airt Oig Ui Neill" (Lament for Young Art O'Neill), his longest, most ambitious and most mournful poem. According to Henry Morris, the Gaelic scholar "- Art Og O'Neill was ". . . The last scion of the chiefs of the Fews whom MacCooey - and perhaps many other - had been building high hopes, and his early death was a severe blow. MacCooey regarded it as a national disaster . . . ."

This headstone, erected by Jem Murphy in 1973, is a memorial to the MacMurphy family, Carnally, the most famous of whom was the 18th century poet and outlaw,

Seamus Mor. Seamus Mor MacMurphy was born around 1720. His closest friend was Peadar O'Doirnin, the Gaelic poet who, with him, founded a school of Gaelic poetry. They held regular sessions at Dunreavy Wood arid Mullaghbane, During the period 1740 to 1745, MacMurphy and O'Doirnin were active agents of the Scottish "Young Pretender", Charles Edward Stuart, and, at the instigation of John Johnston, Roxboro'- "Johnston of the Fews", the tory-hunter- O'Doirnin was proclaimed as ".. a person ill-disposed to the King, a favourite of the Pretender, who stirs up the people to rebel by his treasonable composition. . . .". In 1744, Mac Murphy and O'Doirnin mustered a monster meeting on the top of Slieve Gullion to organise the people, should the "Young Pretender" come to Irelan and, shortly afterwards, John Johnstoll was attacked and barely escaped with his life. Fearing open rebellion, he met Mac Murphy and O'Doirtnn under a flag of truce and air uneasy peace followed. MacMurphy arid O'Doirnin had two weaknesses - drink and women - and their favourite place of retreat was a shebeen on the eastern slopes of the Flagstaff, owned by Patsy MacDacker. The chief attraction there was the shebeen-keeper's daughter, Molly MacDacker. Seamus MacMurphy and Molly MacDacker were in love but the malicious tongues of gossipmongers caused them to quarrel, Molly's love for Seamus turned to hate arid she planned her revenge. She plied Peadar O'Doirnin with plenty of drink, persuaded him to write an insulting poem - "The Heretic Headcutter" - about John Johnston and, taking the poem with her, set out for Johnston's home, at Roxboro'. An account of Molly MacDacker's conversation with John Johnston has come down in tradition:

Johnston: "Was it to insult me that you came here? You'll suffer for this, and so will the man who wrote it".

Molly: "It is because I want revenge myself that I brought you this poem. It was MacMurphy who composed it and there's not a child in the ten townlands of Omeath nor in the eight townlands of Killeavy that's not singing it today".

Johnston: "I see. He has injured you too and you want me to help you to revenge. I'd do it willingly - make no doubt about it that if he gets into my hands, he'll have plenty of material in hell to write a new song about the Headcutter's vengeance. But how to catch him - why, the whole countryside guards him arid brings him news".

Molly: "I'll help you and no one knows better how to do it. My father will help, if he gets a reward - he'd sell his own mother for blood-money. Isn't there a price on MacMurphy's head?".

Johnston: "Fifty pounds - dead or alive".

Molly: "Can I have that in writing, under your own hand?".

Johnston: "You'll get that certainly - when I hear how you're going to manage".

Molly: "I have my plan ready. Next Sunday is the Patron of Killeavy - you know what that means. MacMurphy is to spend Saturday night in our house on the Flagstaff arid take me to the Patron on Sunday. If you do your work properly, he'll never see the Patron - but your men must be early afoot. It you send them at daybreak to the Flagstaff, we'll see to the rest. When MacMurphy is helplessly drunk, I'll call in your soldiers - arid you call take it that his powder will be well soaked. . .".

And so the plot was hatched. And so Seamus MacMurphy was captured by John Johnston. Eight months later, he was tried, sentenced to death arid hanged. He was buried here.

... Died May VII 17(?) Aged (?) 7 years 174(?).

This headstone is a memorial to the Grant family, Tullynvall. One of these Grants was an organiser of the United Irishmenin the Silverbridge-Carrive area and he is mentioned in the beautiful ballad, "The Carrive Blacksmith".

This headstone, erected by Thomas Conelan, is a memorial to Cecily Branagan. According to Cardinal Tomds O'Fiaich, ". . . A Thomas Conelan of Cregganduff who died about the end of the 18th. century was the scribe of Gaelic Ms. F. 1. (containing a life of St. Patrick in Irish) now in Maynooth College Library. The Thomas Conelan who erected the memorial may be the scribe of the Ms.

This flat headstone, now almost totally illegible, is a memorial to Fr. Terence Quinn, P. P. of Creggan Parish from 1741 to 1767. Fr. Terence Quinn was born in 1715 and he was probably a native of the Cullyhanna district. He studied for the priesthood in Spain and obtained a doctorate in theology at the Irish College, Salamanca. In 1741, he was appointed P.P. of Creggan Parish. According to some of the South-Armagh poets, he was a "big-man's-man", very overbearing in manner and very fond of money and kind. Art McCooey in particular disliked him and blamed him for his excommunication from the Church and his subsequent banishment from Creggan Parish. If in fact Fr. Quinn was a "big-man's-man", his sister and housekeeper, Mary Quinn, was for sure a "big-man's-woman"! Once, Art MacCooey had occasion to visit the parochial-house and had arrived at the same time as a well-to-do parishioner. Mary invited the well-to-do parishioner into the parlour and gave him a glass of wine, while she left Art standing in the kitchen with a mug of buttermilk! Stung by the slight, Art resorted to a poet's most deadly weapon - scathing satire - and seizing upon a eye defect which she had, wrote a poem about her called "Blind Mary Quinn". Two verses of Cardinal Tomas O'Fiaich's translation gives the flavour of the poem:

"A handsome young fella is not what would please her-
Who'd give her a kiss and maybe would squeeze her-
But the bloke with a present of spuds for the bin,
'Tis he'd drink the punch with blind Mary Quinn.

MacCooey the poet she reckoned unable
To drink with the gentry or sit at the table,
But in some nook or cranny, left perched on his legs,
He drained all his buttermilk down to the dregs".

Later, after his reconciliation with the Church and his return to Creggan, Art made amends for his insult to Mary by composing a fulsome tribute called "The Fair-haired Lass of the Quinns" which, according to Cardinal Tomas O'Fiaich "…. is metrically perfect and patently insincere. . . ."!

In 1767, Fr. Terence Quinn was transferred to Tandragee/Mullabrack Parish. He died in 1775 and was buried in Creggan Graveyard.

This headstone, erected by Dr. Vaughan alias McVeagh, Castleblayney, is a memorial to members of the Vaughan/McVeagh family. It is possible that the 18th. century Gaelic poet, Fergus MacVeagh, is buried here.

This headstone is a memorial to the McLean family, Cregganduff. It was erected by Rev. William McLean, grand-uncle of David Lowe, the present Sexton of Creggan Church. Rev. William McLean served most of his ministry in England.

This headstone is a memorial to Patrick O'Callaghan, Ballymacnab. According to Cardinal Tomas O'Fiaich "......a Patrick O'Callaghan of Ballymacnab figures as witness to the marriage settlement made by Daniel O'Neil of Annagad in 1769 on the occasion of the marriage of his daughter Eleanor to John O'Toole of Aughnagurgan." The Patrick O'Callaghan named on the headstone may be the Patrick O'Callaghan who witnessed the marriage settlement.

Thomas

Treanor

This headstone, erected by Dr. James Woods, Dundalk, is a memorial to his parents, Peter Woods and Rose Treanor, Loughross. Dr. James Woods was a Gaelic poet and scribe and he was born at Loughross around 1758. Originally, he had intended becoming a priest and, with this in view, he went to study at one of the Irish Colleges on the continent, possibly Louvain. However, due to ill health, he gave up the idea and returned to Ireland. He then took up the study of medicine and, after all apprenticeship with a Dundalk doctor or chemist and a period of study at Apothecaries Hall, Dublin, he qualified as an apothecary and set up a medical practitioner in Dundalk. He married Anne Tyrrell, a Protestant lady much younger. than himself, who survived him by over thirty years. Towards the end of his life, in 1826, he organised the famous "Bardic Contention" in Duildalk and planned a project for the erection of memorials to the poets of Oriel. He died on 6th January 1828 and was later buried at Creggan, presumably here with his parents.

This headstone is a memorial to Pat Loye. It is of interest, in so far as it is the oldest headstone discovered in the graveyard (302 years now in 1987).

McVeagh

Bell

Bailie

Charleton

Sacred to the memory of Thomas Bell of Killin Co. Louth formerly of Druminnis Co. Armagh born 13 Feby 1775died 24 Feby 1868; Eliza Bell formerly Charleton his wife born 4 June 1801 died 21 June 1873; and their children Eliza Bell born 4 March 1833 died 23 May 1892; Isabella Bell born 20 July 1828 died 9 March 1908; Leonard Gillespie Bell born 11 Septr 1826 died 13 Feby 1911; Jane Alicia Bell born 6 June 1831 died 30 Novr 1914; Dorothea Bell born 18 Septr 1825 died 9 Feby 1917

Here lies the body of Andrew Donaldson of Philipstown Co. Louth died 29 Oct 1773 aged 61 years; Catherine Donaldson alias Bailie his wife died 12 April 1811 aged 82 years and their only son Alex Donaldson died 7 Novr 1843 aged 72 years; also their daughter Alice Donaldson died 5 Feby 1788 aged 19 years and Dorothea Charleton alias Donaldson died 26 Jan 1821 aged 52 years and her sons Alex Charlelon died 28 Septr 1828 aged 25 years and William Charleton died 25 Septr 1875 aged 77 years.

The three headstones in this plot are memorials to some members and relations of the ban Donaldson family, Cloghoge. Alexander ban Donaldson was one of the earliest Presbyterians to settle in Creggan parish. He came from the Barony of Lecale, in East Down, settled first at Drumhammond, Co. Monaghan, then at Philipstown, Co. Louth and finally, in the late(?) 1730's at Cloghoge. At least three of Alexander ban Donaldson's grand-children were members of the United Irish Society (United Irishmen) - Alexander, William and Margaret (Peggy ban) - and at least one of their homes, the "Ambush House", Freedutf, was burned by Lord Blayney's "flying column", in 1797. Another of Alexander ban's grandson's(?), colonel William Donaldson, fought against the English in the American War of 1812 - 1815.

Babe(?)

Best(?)

Bell(?)

This headstone, erected by his sister and nephew, is a memorial to John Reed, Rahans, near Carrickmacross. John Reed was a landlord and magistrate. He married the niece of Captain James McCullagh, Camlymacullagh, and owned part of the McCullagh estate. There is another memorial to him in Donaghmoyne Parish Church which reads. "In loving memory of John Reed Esqr of Rahans for many years churchwarden of this parish. This table was erected by his brother James and Willian Reed".

Quin

This headstone is a memorial to members of the McDonneell/McDonald family, Carnally. These McDonnells were the owners of the plot of ground on which Carnally House was built.

Condell

The squat stone building in the centre of Creggan graveyard always attracts attention and the inevitable question, "What is it?", always follows. In "Armagh Clergy and Parishes", in 1911, Rev. J. B. Leslie wrote: ". . . There is in the centre of the churchyard, an old stone house, with stone roof, said by some to be the old burial place of the Eastwood family, and by others to have been an old watch-house erected, as we find them in Scotland, to guard against corpse stealers. . .". However, it is now generally accepted that the stone building is in fact the Eastwood family vault. Inside Creggan Church there is a plaque which reads: "In her family vault near this church lie the remains of Mary, wife of the Revd. Gervais Tinley, Rector of Faughart and Master of the Endowed Classical School of Dundalk, eldest sister of Frans. Eastwood Esqr. of Killencool Castle, and of the Revd. Wm. Eastwood, Rector of Kilscoran and Chancellor of the Diocese of Ferns. She died on the 28th day of Novr. 1815 aged 58 years. Her affectionate husband who inscribes this tablet to her memory forbears to fill it with superfluous praise or useless lamentations, yet justice to her merits requires him to inform posterity that she exhibited in every period of her life such purity of mind, benevolence of heart and pious resignation to the will of the Supreme Being, during a most painfull and long protracted illness, that her whole conduct as a Christian justly entitles her to universal approbation, imitation and love. In the same vault also lie the remains of her much respected mother Mrs. Jane Eastwood, and likewise of her nephew Frans. Matilda Eastwood, an amiable youth of eighteen"

Further information about the Eastwoods can be found in the following articles in the Journals of the Creggan Local History Society-

Issue No 7 - 1994/95: "In Searh of the Eastwoods" by Len Gourd
Issue No 8 - 1997/98: "In Search of the Eastwoods 2" by Rev David M. Eastwood

In "Creggan - A Celtic Christian Site" published by the Creggan Local History Society in 1996, Dr Geraldine Carville concluded that the stone building was, in fact, an early celtic church likely to be linked with St Jarlath Mac Tréana, the 3rd Bishop of Armagh who was a local man and disciple of St Patrick himself.

This headstone, inscribed on both sides, is a memorial to Dr. John McIver, Ardee, and to other members of his family who lived at Ardee and Carnally. In "Seanchas Ardmhacha", in 1972, Cardinal Tomas O'Fiaich wrote: "The later descendants of this family have spelled the surname both MacIvor and MacKeever. The medical tradition must go back a long way in the family as An Doctuir MacIomhair is mentioned in Seamus MacCuarta's poem on Peggy Markey's ale house at Drumbilla in the early 18th century. The Doctor was evidently a well-known 'Character' and some quatrains in an Art Bennet ms. in St. Patrick's College, Armagh, are attributed to him. . ." Bridget McIver was a sister of Fr. Michael Lennon, P.P. of Upper Creggan from 1829 to 1871. Buried here also are the parents of Fr. Nicholas Mclvor, P.P. of Forkhill from 1790 to 1827.

McCuoy

* Installed by Jem and Bryan Murphy, Silverbridge

This plaque, erected by Eigse Oirialla arid installed by Jem arid Brian Murphy in 1987, is a memorial to Patrick Mac aLiondain, the Gaelic poet and harper. Patrick Mac aLiondain was born in Creggan parish, perhaps in the townland of Lisleitrim(?), around 1666. Not much is known about him but it appears that he was comparatively well-off and acted as a patron to the other poets of the Fews, correcting their work and holding bardic contentions in his home. His best known poem is a lament for Eoghan Rua O'Neill. He died in 1733 and was buried in Creggan graveyard. No stone marks his grave and the actual spot is unknown.