Thomas Keneally Visits IRD Duhallow

On a dry, bright February day, IRD Duhallow was delighted to host award winning author Thomas Keneally and his wife Judy who are visiting the local area from Australia. Thomas Keneally is best known for his non-fiction novel "Schindler’s Ark", for which he won the Booker Prize in 1982. This book was eventually adapted into Steven Spielberg’s film "Schindler’s List" in 1993, which won an Academy Award.

Thomas Keneally, who has well documented and established links to the townland of Glenlara in Newmarket, was accompanied by relatives Catherine and Danny Culloty on a visit to Clonfert graveyard in Newmarket. Here Sheila O’Sullivan and Kathleen Angland, who participated Duhallow’s LEADER Historic Grave research project, met with Mr. Keneally along with project facilitator and archaeologist John Tierney and IRD Duhallow’s Development Officer Nollaig Murphy.

John Tierney gave Mr. Keneally an in depth account of the historic geographical features of Clonfert graveyard including the famine plot in the graveyard. He outlined in detail the historic clues that are embedded in historic headstones and the symbolic meaning that can be attached to same when tracing your ancestry. John also explained the significance of the inscriptions and etchings that can found on historic graves and explained that many of these represent the finite nature of the human lifespan and the significance of the afterlife.

Sheila O’Sullivan gave an account of the immense heritage value of Clonfert graveyard and the role of the LEADER funded historic grave training project in recording the headstones of the cemetery for future generations to see. The care and attention given by local volunteers in attending to the graveyard to the date was also highlighted. Thomas who has a deep interest in the history of Irish emigration, heard from the group in relation to the turbulent social, economic and political context in relation to which his grandfather Tim would have been born into in Glenlara. The role of the emigrant in supporting their families in Ireland, long after their departure to foreign shores was also explored. Sheila O’Sullivan and Catherine Culotty specifically identified the exact graves which Thomas Keneally had ancestral connections to and provided information regarding his forebears.

Following on from this, Thomas visited the James O’Keeffe Memorial Institute, where a further discussion of local history occurred with CEO of IRD Duhallow Maura Walsh and Vice Chairperson of the Board of IRD Duhallow Ann Maria Bourke. The James O’Keeffe Institute was once a convent and training school for young women who were aspiring to join religious life through joining the Sisters of St. Joseph. Thomas also visited the statue of St. Mary MacKillop foundress of Sisters of St. Joseph. Many of the women who studied under the tutelage of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Newmarket ministered in education, nursing, social work, and pastoral care of the poor and suffering in Australia. The group had a very pleasant and interesting time meeting Mr and Mrs Keneally, we hope that they enjoy the rest of their visit to the Duhallow area.

John Tierney highlights some of the distinctive features of historic gravestones to Thomas Keneally

Thomas Keneally visits the James O’Keeffe Institute and statue of St. Mary McKillop

Representatives from the IRD Duhallow Historic Graves Group Sheila O’Sullivan and Kathleen Angland in the company of Thomas Keneally in Clonfert Graveyard, Newmarket along with tutor John Tierney and Nollaig Murphy, IRD Duhallow.