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Childhood in the Past
An International Journal
Volume 16, 2023 - Issue 2
634
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Articles

‘No Friend for Sorrow but Memory’: Commemorating Children in Early Post-Plantation Ulster, Ireland

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Figures & data

Figure 1. Gaelic Irish territories preceding the Ulster Plantation (prepared by Libby Mulqueeny, after https://sites.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/gif/ire1600.gif).

Figure 1. Gaelic Irish territories preceding the Ulster Plantation (prepared by Libby Mulqueeny, after https://sites.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/gif/ire1600.gif).

Table 1. Gravestone inscriptions recorded at sites currently in Northern Ireland.

Table 2. Gravestone inscriptions recorded at sites currently in the Republic of Ireland.

Table 3. Summary of memorial numbers.

Table 6. Probable ethnicity of surnames associated with seventeenth-century memorials for children.

Figure 2. ‘Transitional’ ringed cross imagery used in a Jones family memorial in Aghavea burial ground, Co. Fermanagh. THIS MONUME/ NT ERECTED/ BY JAMES JONES/ JANUARY THE 6TH/ 1762 IN ME/ MORY OF/ HIS THREE/ CHILDREN WHO/ DIED YOUNG (photograph L. McKerr).

Figure 2. ‘Transitional’ ringed cross imagery used in a Jones family memorial in Aghavea burial ground, Co. Fermanagh. THIS MONUME/ NT ERECTED/ BY JAMES JONES/ JANUARY THE 6TH/ 1762 IN ME/ MORY OF/ HIS THREE/ CHILDREN WHO/ DIED YOUNG (photograph L. McKerr).

Table 4. Site visits: eighteenth-century children’s memorial forms and associated names.

Figure 3. Stylistic sequences in recorded eighteenth-century memorials for children.

Figure 3. Stylistic sequences in recorded eighteenth-century memorials for children.

Figure 4. ‘Planter and Gael’, from Old Kilskeery burial ground, Co. Tyrone. a) Armorial ledger stone for Thomas Beacom and his family. HERE LIETH THE BODY /OF THOMAS BEAC/ OM WHO [DAUCUS]/ THE 1 1729 AGED 67/ ALLSOW THE BODY OF/ ROBERT BEACOM WHO/ DYED SEPTEMBER 28 1756 AGED 5 YEARS. A/ ND 2 OF HIS BROTHERS, 3 S/ ONS TO JOHN BEACOM O/ F GLASMULLAGH/ Edward Beacom/ Glasmullagh died 1st April 1859. Aged 100/ years (photograph L. McKerr). b) Ringed cross for the O’Neill family. HERE/ LIETH/ THE/ BODY/ OF/ MR. JOHN O’NEILL/ SON TO MR. HENERY O NEILL/ WHO DYED / THE 2 OF MAY 1714/ AGED 4 YEARS/ CATHEREN O’NEILL/ DYED THE YEAR 1711 (photograph L. McKerr).

Figure 4. ‘Planter and Gael’, from Old Kilskeery burial ground, Co. Tyrone. a) Armorial ledger stone for Thomas Beacom and his family. HERE LIETH THE BODY /OF THOMAS BEAC/ OM WHO [DAUCUS]/ THE 1 1729 AGED 67/ ALLSOW THE BODY OF/ ROBERT BEACOM WHO/ DYED SEPTEMBER 28 1756 AGED 5 YEARS. A/ ND 2 OF HIS BROTHERS, 3 S/ ONS TO JOHN BEACOM O/ F GLASMULLAGH/ Edward Beacom/ Glasmullagh died 1st April 1859. Aged 100/ years (photograph L. McKerr). b) Ringed cross for the O’Neill family. HERE/ LIETH/ THE/ BODY/ OF/ MR. JOHN O’NEILL/ SON TO MR. HENERY O NEILL/ WHO DYED / THE 2 OF MAY 1714/ AGED 4 YEARS/ CATHEREN O’NEILL/ DYED THE YEAR 1711 (photograph L. McKerr).

Figure 5. Examples of memorials with mortality symbols. (a) Front view of memorial for Michael Connolly in Killeevan burial ground, Co. Monaghan. THIS STONE WAS ∼/ ERECTED BY ARTHUR/ CONNOLLY IN MEMORY/ OF HIS SON MICHAEL/ CONNOLLY WHO DE∼/ PARTED THIS LIFE/ OCTOBER THE 7TH / 1779 AGED 10 YEARS. (b) Rear view of the Connolly memorial with verse. STAY PASSINGERS STAY/ AND SEE AS YOU ARE∼/ NOW ONCE HAVE I BEEN/ BUT AS I AM NOW SO/ SHALL THOU BE. PREPARE/ FOR DEATH AND FOLLOW/ ME∼ (c) Front view of the gravestone for the Edmeston boys in St Patrick’s graveyard, Coleraine, Co. Derry. HERE/ LIETH/ THE BODYS OF TWO/ CHILDREN ALSO ROBT/ WHO DEP DECMR 1795/ AGED 4 YRS& 3 MONTHS SONS /OF ROBT EDMESTON (d) Mortality symbols on the rear of the Edmeston gravestone. REMEMBER DEATH (photographs L. McKerr).

Figure 5. Examples of memorials with mortality symbols. (a) Front view of memorial for Michael Connolly in Killeevan burial ground, Co. Monaghan. THIS STONE WAS ∼/ ERECTED BY ARTHUR/ CONNOLLY IN MEMORY/ OF HIS SON MICHAEL/ CONNOLLY WHO DE∼/ PARTED THIS LIFE/ OCTOBER THE 7TH / 1779 AGED 10 YEARS. (b) Rear view of the Connolly memorial with verse. STAY PASSINGERS STAY/ AND SEE AS YOU ARE∼/ NOW ONCE HAVE I BEEN/ BUT AS I AM NOW SO/ SHALL THOU BE. PREPARE/ FOR DEATH AND FOLLOW/ ME∼ (c) Front view of the gravestone for the Edmeston boys in St Patrick’s graveyard, Coleraine, Co. Derry. HERE/ LIETH/ THE BODYS OF TWO/ CHILDREN ALSO ROBT/ WHO DEP DECMR 1795/ AGED 4 YRS& 3 MONTHS SONS /OF ROBT EDMESTON (d) Mortality symbols on the rear of the Edmeston gravestone. REMEMBER DEATH (photographs L. McKerr).

Table 5. Site visits: religious inscriptions on eighteenth-century gravestones for children.

Figure 6. Some distinctive early gravestones for young girls of settler families. (a) HERE LYETH THE/ BODY OF MARIE BELFOURD OF TWO YEA/ RES OLD DAUGHT/ ER TO CHARLES BALFOURD ESQR WHO DEPAR/ TED THIS LYFE THE/ 10 OF NOVBR AN/ NO 1672. Aghalurcher graveyard, Co. Fermanagh (© Crown DfC Historic Environment Division). (b) MARGRET WILSON DIED YE 1 OF/ DECR 1740 AGED 1 YR 9 MONTH/ ALSO WILLM WILSON HER FATHER/ WHO DIED YE 23 OF APRIL 1742/ AGED 33 YEARS. St Patrick’s graveyard, Coleraine, Co. Derry (photograph L. McKerr).

Figure 6. Some distinctive early gravestones for young girls of settler families. (a) HERE LYETH THE/ BODY OF MARIE BELFOURD OF TWO YEA/ RES OLD DAUGHT/ ER TO CHARLES BALFOURD ESQR WHO DEPAR/ TED THIS LYFE THE/ 10 OF NOVBR AN/ NO 1672. Aghalurcher graveyard, Co. Fermanagh (© Crown DfC Historic Environment Division). (b) MARGRET WILSON DIED YE 1 OF/ DECR 1740 AGED 1 YR 9 MONTH/ ALSO WILLM WILSON HER FATHER/ WHO DIED YE 23 OF APRIL 1742/ AGED 33 YEARS. St Patrick’s graveyard, Coleraine, Co. Derry (photograph L. McKerr).