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Subject: [R-M222] The Niall Mór Headstone
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 16:26:29 EST



The Niall Mór Headstone

Erected at St. Mary of the Visitation Church, Killybegs, Co. Donegal.

Article by Moira Mallon, Killybegs, Co Donegal.
Committee Member County Donegal Historical Society.
First Published in 'Dearchadh -The Ardara View', 2004-2005.

(We are grateful to heraldic scholars and historians who have given us
permission to publish their work.)

Niall Mór McSwyney (Mac Sweeney) was, according to the Four Masters, one of
the most eminent members of the Clan McSwyne of Banagh, or indeed Tirconaill.
He died at his castle at Rahan, St. John's Point, Dunkineely, on the 14th
of December 1524.

(The Annals of the Four Masters recorded his death, under the year 1524,
thus:
Mac Sweeney of Tir Boghaine, i.e. Niall More, the son of Owen, the most
renowned constable of his own noble tribe for action and heroism, for
determination of mind and counsel, for arraying and attacking, for hospitality and
generosity, for great troops and active warriors, by whom most dangerous passes
were forced, died after extreme unction and repentance, in his own castle at
Rahain, on the 14th of December.)

Niall Mór was buried within the precincts of the Franciscan Church at
Ballysaggart, St. John's Point, which his father, had founded and built for the
Franciscan Friars of theThird Order. His grave was marked by a unique and
remarkable headstone which is to-day preserved at St. Mary's Church, Killybegs, to
which it was removed at the request of Monsignor Stephens P.P. in order to
protect it from the effects of the weather. Monsignor Stephens was Parish
Priest of Killybegs/ Killaghtee. Some years previously he served as Curate in
Killaghtee, when Dr. William Drummonds was his Parish Priest in Killybegs.
Monsignor Stephens would have an intimate knowledge of the Killaghtee part of the
Parish and would know of the Niall Mór headstone and other antiquities of
St. John's Point. At this time he was writing a book Illustrated Hand Book of
South West Donegal which was published a few years later. He was also a friend
of Thomas Colin McKinley (1830-1887) who was principal of Croagh National
School. His famous book The Cliff Scenery of South Western Donegal was
published a year before the removal of the headstone to Killybegs. This book was
re-printed by Four Masters Press Ltd. Dublin, in 2000. Tomas Colin McGinley
wrote under the name Kinnfaela.

The Niall Mór Headstone was erected inside St. Mary's Church near the rear
wall, and was there for eighty five years, until it was removed outside during
repairs to the church in 1953. It can be seen to the left of the main door.
The headstone is now protected from the weather by a glass panel, which was
erected a few years ago at the request of Fr. Lorcan Sharkey P.P. According to
the Four Masters, Niall Mór was an honoured chieftain of Banagh, famed for
his hospitality and prowess, and his heroism in battle. His main residence
was at Rahan, St John's Point. He had other castles in and around Killybegs
and Kilcar. One was on a small headland known as Castle Point, in Killybegs
Harbour. This area is now occupied by Mooney Boats; another large castle was
at Bavin in Kilcar Parish.

According to Kinnfaela (Thomas C. McGinley) in his book published 1867 “The
old church of Ballysaggart stood in a secluded spot between two grassy hills,
close to the noisy surges of the Eastern shore of St. John's Point. It is a
plain oblong structure about fifty feet long and twenty feet wide. The walls
are formed of dark limestone and pierced with mullioned windows, highly
elaborate in execution and finish. The designs of the columnar jambs of the doors
and windows of this ancient Church have been copied with fine effect into
the new Church of St. Mary's Killybegs (opened for Christmas Eve Mass 1844) by
the late Dr William Drummond P.P. One of these model pillars may still be
seen standing at the Parochial House, opposite the door of St. Mary's doing
service as a gate-post, and arrests the attention of the passers-by on account
of its antique appearance.”

Kinnfaela continued to say that “the principal object of attraction to the
visitor at this ancient and venerable spot, is a large slab of stone,
apparently unconnected with the structure. It is about the size of an ordinary grave
stone, but wider at one end than the other, and is made of the finest
granulated sandstone - well polished. Its entire surface is marked out into square
compartments, arranged in two rows, one row on each side. Some of the
compartments are filled in with the finest tracery, all in relief, such as may be
seen on the ancient crosses of Monasterboice and other places. In one of these
compartments there is the well wrought figure of an Irish mailed warrior,
with moustache, and flowing beard, wearing a helmet with plume of horse-hair, a
sword by his side, and holding a battle axe in his hand. In another
compartment are represented two skilled athletes in the act of wrestling. In a
third may be observed a well executed coat of arms bearing the effigy of the
Irish elk. I have not observed anything in the character of an inscription, nor
am I able to say whether there are similar devices on the underside of the
stone“.

The slab seems to be related to another slab at Doe Castle, North West
Donegal, another stronghold of the Mac Sweeney clan. The ancient name Mac Suibhne
(Mac Sweeney) is first recorded in 615 A.D. when a member of the clan was
High King of Ireland. A Mac Suibhne bishop was in Armagh in 730 A.D. and
another Suibhne was abbot of Iona in 766 A.D. About 1000 A.D. the clan conquered
Western Scotland, and later their descendants returned to Ireland in the 13th
and 14th centuries and became powerful once again.



The Removal of the Headstone to St Mary's Church.
Local tradition maintained that the Headstone or the slab was taken to
Killybegs by horse and cart from its resting place at the Franciscan Church
dedicated to St. John. There is another remarkable and interesting story regarding
the removal of the headstone to the safe haven of St. Mary's Church in 1868.
The story gives great insight into the character of the Parish Priest Father
James Stephens (later Monsignor Stephens). Fr. Stephens came from a wealthy
Ballyshannon family. He was educated on the Continent, he liked to travel,
and was a man of culture, a scholar of history and literature, and was often
visited by men of culture of the day. He planned the removal of the Headstone
with precision and care, and left nothing to chance. He received information
from a reliable person, from the Killaghtee part of the Parish, with the
alarming news that the authorities were planning to remove the Niall Mór
gravestone to another place. Fr. Stephens moved quickly and secretly. He would
have known many people from St. John's Point, since the time he was curate in
Killaghtee. His good friend Thomas Colin McGinley was headmaster in Croagh
National School and would have known who could be trusted to help the priest.
He came up with a brilliant plan to move the stone by sea, and take it to
Killybegs. To transport it by road to Killybegs would attract attention, and
perhaps get the people involved into trouble with the law.

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