What is recorded here

Kilmactalway lost its medieval granite font to Newcastle, where Ellen Maria Bagot moved it in 1860 to honour her husband James John. The rude block, marked only by an oblong hole, left the old graveyard and became a private monument at St Finian's Church. Its journey turns a forgotten baptismal vessel into a marriage memorial, carrying the life of Kilmactalway into another town's sanctuary.

According to D'Alton (1838, 684) there was a baptismal font in Kilmactalway graveyard (DU021-003002-). Medieval font moved from Kilmactalway graveyard to St Finian's Roman Catholic Church at Newcastle, Co. Dublin which was described in 1904 as follows; 'The Roman Catholic chapel at this place [Newcastle], built a.d. 1813, as an inscription over the door testifies, has monuments from that date in the graveyard, and some interesting memorial windows.' Old Font at the Chapel. It is a rude, granite block, with an oblong hole in the centre. It is of fair size, and lay in the churchyard of Kilmactalway [DU021-003002-] In Dalton, the County Dublin historian's, time. Its subsequent history is detailed by the inscription above it. It is placed at the west door, on the north side: This Holy Water font belonged to the Church of Kilmactalway on the property of the Bagot family for centuries I have removed it and placed it here in memory of James John Bagot my beloved lamented husband his name is dear to you all he departed this life, on the 9th of June 1860 Pray for him also for me Ellen Maria Bagot' (Fowler 1906, 281). Folwer, J. 1906 Newcastle Lyons Church of St. Finian. Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland, Vol. VI, 1904-06, 275-81. Dublin Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 13 March 2023

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