The Parish Graveyards
THE PARISH OF MONAGHAN & RACKWALLACE HAS THREE GRAVEYARDS, ALL LOCATED IN THE TOWNLAND OF LATURCAN, THE OLD GRAVEYARD IN WHICH THERE ISTHE OLD CHURCH THAT PREDATES THE CATHEDRAL, ST JOSEPH'S CALVARY GRAVEYARD IN THE CENTRE OF WHICH THERE IS A DEPICTION OF CALVARY AND THE NEWER CEMETERY, THE NEW ST. JOSEPH'S GRAVEYARD.
Irish Graveyards Surveyors is a website that allows you to access a grave in Latlurcan Cemetery, providing it is named on a headstone. The three cemeteries of Latlurcan were mapped and photographed by the company in November 2013. Log into the website and click on the correct cemetery, then enter the surname of the deceased. Next, a number of deceased sharing the same surname may show, next click on the christian-name for which you are seaching and when clicking the name a picture of the grave will appear. It is possible to have a photo or a memorial card of your loved one scanned which will appear when you click on 'memorial'. If you have a question regarding details of someone else buried in that same plot but is not named on the headstone, then you may phone Irish Graveyards at 094 9365048/9366912 or email your message and contact details at www.irishgraveyards.ie. Though there will inevitably continual updating the cemetery maps will be renewed in 2019, every five years.
The Old Graveyard
The Old Church in this cemetery is thought to have been built in 1790 and served as a parish church until 1892.It also served as a pro-cathedral from around 1851 when Bishop Mc Nally took up residence in Monaghan until St. Macartan's Cathedral was completed and dedicated on September 23rd 1892. The other catholic church in Monaghan town was St. Joseph's Church on Park Street, built in 1824 which was replaced by the St. Joseph's Church that stands today, completed in 1898. The church in the old grave yard is a 'barn church' and it stands in a low lying area removed from the town centre, typical in penal times. The sanctuary of the Old Church was at the end of the church in the photo directly below. There was a choir loft on the opposite end of the church of which the track of the disappeared stair case is visible. Today the Old Church serves as a store for the utensils and machinery of the cemetery caretaker. The stone-work was recently repointed, the roof repaired and the window frames renewed. The Old Church has the potential for future restoration.
Burials do take place on unmarked ground.
The Old Graveyard - north face of the Old Church
Old Graveyard, left of the old church
Old Graveyard from the top looking down on the south facing wall of the Old Church
St. Joseph's Calvary Graveyard
St. Joseph's Calvary Graveyard was opened circa 1925 and it's identifying feature is the Calvary grotto in the centre
Photo - Hugh Rooney
St. Joseph's Calvary Graveyard
The New St. Joseph Graveyard
This cemetery was officially consecrated on July 2nd 1974. The Liber Defunctum (The Book of the Deceased) for the parish records that Mary Mc Carron, aged 80, St. Patrick's Terrace and interred on 30th June 1974 was the first person to be interred in the New St. Joseph's Graveyard. In the late 1990's New St. Joseph's Graveyard was extended.
The rear of the St. Joseph Fountain in the New St. Joseph's Graveyard
A view of the New st. Joseph's Graveyard from St. Joseph's Calvary Graveyard
On Cemetery Sunday 6th September 2009 Bishop Joseph Duffy blessed the newly erected Shrine to St. Joseph in the New St. Joseph Graveyard. The shrine's designer is Gerard Touhey, Durrow, Co Laois.
The St. Joseph Shrine
St. Joseph is observed holding the infant Jesus. Bishop Duffy stated that the presence of Jesus brings Joseph directly into the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The three waterfalls are the three sources from which Joseph got his strength, from Mary, from Jesus and the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.The circular stone to the left of the shrine and shown more closely at the top of this page is a traditional symbol of the eternal life of God, "as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end." The cross is at the centre of the stone.
St. Joseph: J Chester
Prayer of Blessing of St. Joseph's Shrine
Lord,
Today we praise you for the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on St. Joseph,
in whose honour we dedicate this shrine.
May we follow in the footsteps of the Lord,
keeping before us the example of St. Joseph
and grow to maturity
measured not by nature, but by the person of Christ
who reveals for us in its fullness the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
You chose Joseph to be the support of the Virgin-Mother and the foster-father of Jesus.
He responded by a perfect obedience and a great faith
when the angel explained to him the truth of Mary's motherhood
and changed his grief and doubt to joy.
Holy Scirpture records his goodness and the loving care
with which he played so important a part in the life of Jesus and his mother.
For these reasons we honour him today
as patron of the universal Church and of a holy death.
Lord, source of grace and holiness,
look kindly on your servants
who have erected this shrine of St. Joseph, friend and coheir of Christ.
He is for your witness to the life of the Gospel
and stands in your presence to plead for us.
Grant that we may benefit from his intercession.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
The names of those who died during the year in the parish are listed in the 'Obituary Page'.
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