Athlone and Bigmeadow in County Westmeath, Leinster, Ireland — Mid-East (and Dublin)
Séipéal Corpus Christi Church
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Former Burial Ground/Sean Reilig
Athlone Historic Town/Ath Luain Baile Stairiúil
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Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 4, 2025
1. Séipéal Corpus Christi Church Marker
㉘ Corpus Christi Church
Formerly St. Peter's Church of Ireland, it was built in 1840 to the design of Joseph Welland (1795-1860). He was an architect to the Board of First Fruits and subsequently to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for the ecclesiastical province of Tuam until 1837. From 1843 until his death in 1860 he had sole reponsibility for the whole country. The site for the church was a gift from Colonel Owen Lloyd, who was later buried in the churchyard.
St. Peter's functioned as a church until the amalgamation of the parish with St. Mary's in 1941. After its closure the memorial tablets from the interior walls were removed to St. Mary's Church of Ireland, Church Street. Eight of them commemorated military men and one was to an organist. It was then used as a church hall and later as a warehouse.
Since 1992 it has served as Corpus Christi Church, a church of The Society of St. Pius X where traditional Tridentine rites are observed.
㉙ Former Burial Ground
In the 1980s local authority housing was built on part of the churchyard and a large area of open space
this page online
Many of those interred in the burial ground were military personnel. The deceased were brought for burial here from the adjoining military barracks. The numerous memorials record their regiments and ranks and also list various foreign places where they served.
A number of drowning accidents on the River Shannon are also recorded; four young officers of the 31st Regiment lost their lives on 14 December 1848. Another drowning accident on 17 August 1868 claimed the lives of five members of 'A' Battery, 9th Brigade Royal Artillery.
Rev. Hugh Murray (d.1870) and his wife Anne (d. 1864) were also laid to rest here, adjacent to the western gable of the church. He was pastor of St. Peter's Parish for 23 years and was the first pastor of this church.
It officially ceased to be used as a burial ground in 1871 although a number of people retained the rights to be buried here.
The inscriptions were recorded by Dr. Burgess in 1938 and form part of the Burgess Papers which are available in the Aidan Heavey Library, Civic Centre, Church Street, Athlone. Dr Burgess noted that the earliest monument dated to 1810.
During the widening of Church Street in the 1950s
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 4, 2025
2. Former Burial Ground/Sean Reilig Marker
Teampall Naomh Peadar a bhiodh ar an séipéal seo de chuid Eaglais na hEireann roimhe seo. Sa bhliain 1840 a tógadh é de réir leagan amach de choid Joseph Welland (1798-1860). Bhiodh seisean fostaithe ina altire ag Coimisinéir Eaglasta phroibhinne eaglasta Thuama suas go dtí an bhliain 1837 agus ag an Board of First Fruits roimhe sin. Ón mbliain 1843 go dtí go bhfuair sé bás sa bhliain 1860, bhi cúram air maidir leis an tir ar fad. Ba é an Coilineál Owen Lloyd a bhronn an suíomh le haghaidh an tséipéil agut is i reilig an tséipéil seo a cuireadh eisean tar éis a bháis.
Bhíodh Teampall Naomh Peadar in usáid mar shéipéal anuas go dtí an bhliain 1941 nuair a nascadh an paróiste le paróiste Naomh Muire. Baineadh na leaca cuimhniúcháin a bhí ar na ballaí taobh istigh anuas nuair a dúnadh é agus tugadh go Séipéal Naomh Muire de chuid Eaglais na hÉireann i Sráid na hEaglaise iad. I gcuimhne lucht airm ocht gcinn de na leaca agus i gcuimhne cheoltóir orgáin ceann eile. Bhíodh an foirgneamh in úsáid mar halla de chuid na heaglaise ar feadh tamaill agus mar stór ina dhiaidh sin.
Ón mbliain 1992, tá sé in usáid faoin ainm Séipéal Corpus Christi mar shéipéal de chuid Chumann
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 4, 2025
3. Séipéal Corpus Christi Church / Former Burial Ground/Sean Reilig Marker
㉙ Sean Reilig
I rith na mblianta roimh 1990, tógadh tithe de chuid an údaráis áitiúil ar thalamh an tséipéil agus fágadh réimse mhaith spáis oscailte chomh maith. Baineadh amach leaca na n-uaigheanna agus leagadh in aghaidh an bhalla teorann iad. Tugadh séadchomhartha amháin go dti an t-ionad ina bhfuil sé anois d'fhonn cuimhneachán ar shuíomh na seanreilige.
Daoine a bhain leis an arm cuid mhòr diobh shúd a adhlacadh sa reilig seo. Thugtaí na coirp ón mbeairic in aice láimhe go dtí an reilig lena n-adhlacadh. Ta tuairisc ar an reisimint agus an rang den arm lenar bhain siad ar na leaca chomh maith le liosta na n-áiteanna thar lear ina raibh siad ar fianas.
Tá tuairisc le fáil freisin ar roinnt eachtraí baite ar an tSionainn; maraíodh ceathrar oifigeach óg de chuid an 31ú Reisimint ar an 14 Nollaig 1848. Bhí cúigear eile de Bhataire 'A' an Naou Briogáid Airtléir Rioga a báthadh ar an 17 Lúnasa 1868.
Cuireadh an tOirmh, Hugh Murray († 1870) agus a bhean, Anne († 1864), anseo chomh maith, in aice le binn thiar an tséipéil. Chaith seisean 23 bliain ina thréadaí i bParóiste Naomh Peadar agus ba é an chéad tréadaí é i mbun an tséipéil seo.
Thainig deireadh le húsáid na reilige go hoifigiúil mar láthair adhlactha sa bhliain 1871 cé gur fhad de
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 4, 2025
4. Former Burial Ground Monument/Séadchomhartha Sean Reilig
Bhreac an Dr Burgess tuairisc ar na hinscribhinní sa bhliain 1938 agus tá sín anois mar chuid de Pháipéiri Burgess atá ar fail i Leabharlann Aidan Heavey. Ionad an Bhaile, Sráid na hEaglaise, Baile Átha Luain. Luaigh an Dr Burgess gur leis an mbliain 1810 a bhain an séadchomhartha ba shine.
Le linn na hoibre d'fhoon Sráid na hEaglaise a leathnú sna blianta tar eis na bliana 1950, cuireadh athrú ar reilig Naomh Muire agus tugadh cuid mhaith leaca go dti reilig Naomh Peadar.
Inscription on the monument
Panel 1 (West face)
This monument was erected by
Major Longworth 31,st Regm.t
to the memory of
his beloved and affectionate wife
ISABELLA SOPHIA
who departed this life suddenly
May the 20,th 1849 in the 23rd year of her age
Her kind and endearing manners
and her many virtues caused her
to be loved and esteemed by all who knew her
Panel 2 (South face)
Also to the memory of her Sister
EMILY ADELAIDE RATHBORNE
third daughter of W,m Rathborne Esqre
of
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 4, 2025
5. Former Burial Ground Monument/Séadchomhartha Sean Reilig
who departed this life Suddenly may 21.st 1849
in the 19,th year of her age
universally regretted
————————————————————————————————
[Monument inscription]
1985
Re-erected to the
memory of the dead
interred in this
former burial ground
of St. Peters
Erected by Town of Athlone, National Development Plan, and Fáilte Ireland.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1840.
Location. 53° 25.366′ N, 7° 56.83′ W. Marker is in Athlone, Leinster, in County Westmeath. It is in Athlone and Bigmeadow. It is on Connaught Gardens 0.1 kilometers east of Connaught Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Athlone, Leinster N37 E671, Ireland. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Hidden Heartlands. Globally, it is in the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Atlantic Region, in Europe, on the Island of Ireland, on the Celtic Fringe, in the European Union, in Atlantic Europe, on one of the British Isles, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Desmond Egan (within shouting distance of this marker); Connaught Street (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Connaught Street And Environs (about 90 meters away); John Broderick (about 90 meters away); Remembering Denis J Hannon (Dinny Hannon)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 4, 2025
6. Former Burial Ground Monument/Séadchomhartha Sean Reilig
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 4, 2025
7. Former Burial Ground Monument/Séadchomhartha Sean Reilig
Credits. This page was last revised on December 3, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 16, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 125 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on April 16, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
