Carrick-on-Suir Churches, Convents, Charitable Institutions - Book of County Tipperary, 1889
About “The Book of County Tipperary,” 1889
George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.
The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. The Book of County Tipperary is the first of these to be made available on libraryireland.com, with its own search page. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.
- This online version is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
- The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
- Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.
With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.
To enjoy the rich variety of advertisements, confirm accuracy of the entries, or have a printed record of a family member, obtain an original or facsimile copy of The Book of County Tipperary.
The Franciscan Abbey, the foundation of which is referred to in a previous chapter, was rebuilt by the Rev. Michael Power, P.P., and the parishioners of Carribeg, in 1827. Of the original structure, the church and tower only remained. The interior of the church is spacious, and has one gallery. Mural tablets commemorate Rev. Ml. Fogarty, 1853; Sir Matthew Sausse, 4th son of Richard Sausse, Carrick-on-Suir, “late Chief Justice of the High Court, Bombay, the 1st Roman Catholic who ever sat on the Indian Bench, of ancient lineage.” Died 1867. “Erected by his only surviving brother, Sir Richard De La Saussaye, Major-General in the Armies of Spain;” Patrick Hayden, 1852.
In 1822, a Franciscan Friary was erected in view of the old edifice, by the Rev. M. A. Fleming, afterward Bishop of Newfoundland. The exterior of the church is handsome, and one of the features is a castellated turretted tower, after the style of that attached to the ancient abbey. The interior of the church is cruciform, with modern seatings in pitch-pine, a gallery and organ. The abbey cemetery is tastefully laid out, and has several large and exquisitely sculptured Celtic crosses.
The Protestant Church of St. Nicholas occupies the site of an older edifice. The interior is plain. It was seated in pitch-pine over nine years ago, and a new chancel added. This has a handsome encaustic tiling. The mural tablets commemorate Rt. Hon. John Power, Earl of Tyrone, 1693; Jas. Power, Earl of Tyrone, 1704, and Anne, his widow, 1729; Lorenzo H. Jephson, 1866. He was killed with a stone thrown at him by a person of weak intellect while leaving the Union workhouse; Beene, wife of Arthur Bowes Smyth, 1874; Major Henry Whitby Briscoe, R.A., 1876. The church-yard of St. Nicholas is well-planted. It communicates with the rectory grounds, which are tastefully laid out.
The Catholic Church of St. Nicholas was built in 1804, and the rebuilding begun in 1879 upon quite an ambitious scale. It was originally intended that the amount expended should not be over £5,000, but as the work proceeded each costly addition suggested something else, until it came to be seen at last that £10,000 would hardly complete the undertaking, including tower and bells. The nave is divided from the aisles by thirteen polished granite columns. There is a beautiful apse, with Munich windows. The high altar and side altars are of white marble, the Communion rail of pink and white marbles, and the pulpit of white, pink, black and green marbles, with a sculpture representing Christ as a boy teaching in the temple. A fine organ, presented by Mr. Pierce O’Donnell, occupies a gallery with sculptured caen stone front, supported by polished granite pillars, erected to the memory of Johanna Lynch. Stained windows, nearly all by Mayer, of Munich, bear the names of John, Margaret and Hanoria Kelly; John and Ellen Lynch; James and John Quinlan; William and Bridget Hearne; James and Mary Hickey and family, and Mary Cahill; husband, parents and brother of Anna Quirke; William and Mary Morrissey; Patrick Bourke; John and Anne Phelan; Eliza Higgins and family; Thomas Lalor; parents and sister and uncle of Teresa Kirwan; Richard Fitzgerald; John and Margaret Kenny; Ml. and Margt. Malone; Catherine Hayes and relatives; Roger and Celia McLoughlin; Jas. McM. Murphy; Ml. and John Quirk; Anastasia and Eliza Power; Ellen Hayes; Jos. M. Rivers; Alice Dowley. The stations are oil paintings, in frames of carved oak, and bear the names of Wm. Stapleton and relatives; Teresa M. Kirwan; Ml. and Mary O’Shea;. Wm. Cuddihy; Mary Bourke alias Lynch; J. McKay and relatives; John and Ann Phelan; Ml. Foley; Mary Scanlan; Patrick Brennan; Mary Hegarty and parents; Mrs. Sarah O’Donnell; Mrs. E. O‘Ryan alias Scully. St. Joseph’s altar commemorates John and Edward Power; the Virgin’s altar, Edward and Mary Ann Slattery, and the Communion rails, Michael and Mary Dowley, and John and Mary Ann O’Neill. The Very Rev. Richard Fitzgerald, P.P., who initiated the movement, died in May, 1889. After the payment of several bequests for charitable objects, the will directs that half the residue of his property shall be used to help in liquidating the debt on the church.
The Society of Friends at Carrick dates from before 1843. In 1866 a meeting-house was erected at a cost of about £400, on a portion of a castle at Ash Park. The members numbered about 20 in 1889.
A Convent of the Presentation Order was founded at Carrick in 1813. Three sisters and Rev. Mother Jane de Chantal came from Waterford. There are now twenty-five in community. The present extensive buildings have handsomely laid out grounds. One school under the National Board, is taught by the sisters. It is divided into five departments. The poor children are partly fed and clothed. Bequests from the Rev. John O’Neill, P.P., and Very Rev. Richard Fitzgerald, P.P., are used for this purpose.
The Sisters of Mercy came from Wexford to Carrick-on-Suir in 1874, to the Red House, a handsome residence bequeathed to them by the late Mr. Maurice O’Donnell. This was considerably enlarged, and is now called St. Joseph’s Convent. The grounds extend from Main-street toward the river. There are twenty-four sisters in community. Of these four take charge of the workhouse school and hospital. The other work includes the teaching of a day school for young ladies, and schools for boys and girls under the National Board. Very poor children are partly fed and clothed. The Very Rev. Richard Fitzgerald, P.P., left £500 to the superioress to be invested so that the interest may be applied toward providing a daily meal for the poor children of the parish. He also left half the residue of his property to assist the work of this community.
The Christian Brothers have a pleasantly situated convent and two schools.
The Wadding Alms House was established under the will of Thomas Wadding, who died in 1782. He was either a native or had resided in Carrick-on-Suir early in his career, removing thence to Spain. Through the failure of a local bank, Sausse’s, £1,400 out of £2,000, the amount of the bequest, was lost. The parish priest, Rev. Dr. Connolly, who had deposited the money, insured his own life for £1,000, and after his death, that, with other moneys placed the charity again upon a favourable footing. Mrs. Osborn is matron.
The Burke Asylum, a large brick building, with handsomely enclosed grounds, was built in 1867 at a cost of £1,500. Edmond Burke, a native of Carrick, bequeathed £27,000 for the foundation in the belief that the interest would sustain ten men and ten women. The trustees invested the principal so judiciously that the interest now suffices for fifteen men and fifteen women. The women must be widows and all the inmates natives of the township. Miss Ann Burke is matron.