Shanrahan Cemetery
Located close to Clogheen, this ancient graveyard is steeped in history. This is where St. Cataldo, the patron saint of Taranto, Italy, preached in the 6th century before he left Ireland and ended up shipwrecked on the Italian coast.
Another priest, Fr Nicholas Sheehy, who was martyred in 1766 is buried here and his memorial was a place of pilgrimage and worship for generations of people who grew up with the story of his wrongful execution.
Reading some of the older headstones in the graveyards gives a flavour of the rich cultural heritage of the area. From the vaulted burials of the O’Callaghan family who hailed from Shanbally and Lismore Castles, to the quartermaster of the Royal Dragoons who were once stationed in Clogheen, to the paupers and unbaptised children who leave little trace in one secluded spot in the graveyard, few places are as tranquil as this “lonely little acre”.
