The Earl of Desmonds Grave — Glanageenty

In Glanageenty Wood, 67m N of Glanageenty River, annotated 'The Earl of Desmond's Grave & Place where Killed in 1583' on 1841 ed. OSi 6-inch map where it is depicted standing on N side of roadway annotated 'Boheranearla'. In 1841 the Ordnance Survey recorded the following details about this site; 'In the townland of Glennaginki or Glennaginty in this parish is shown the spot where the Earl of Desmond was taken and murdered in the year 1583 by the Moriarty's. For an account of this transaction. I refer the reader to the Annals of the Four Masters at the year 1583, and to O'Sullivan Beare's History of the Irish Catholics. I find the following curious account of it inserted in an Irish MS in the possession of Messrs Hodges and Smith: In 1580 the Geraldines made the last effort to gain their ancient sovereignty but superior force crushed the Rebellion and after three years of war with variable success, the forces of Elizabeth under Sir George Carew succeeded in taking and demolishing his castles and dispersing his followers. Desmond, meanly apparelled and with a few faithful attendants, retired to a wood about four miles from Tralee (to the east) with some booty they ventured to take (seize). To this spot they were followed and on entering a ruined house his pursuers only found one venerable man stretched before a fire. Kelly O'Moriarty regardless of inferior strength or age assailed the old man, who fainly exclaimed, 'Spare me, I am the Earl of Desmond'. But Kelly struck off his head and carried it to the Earl of Ormond, who sent the bleeding remains of his ancient foe to the Queen who impaled them upon London Bridge. The family of Moriarty are still in disgrace among the peasantry for this act of brutality. O'Sullivan Beare says that the mark of his blood was to be seen at the place, which he calls Gleann na Ginki, and translates Silva Cunei. 'In rei memoriam locus qui tunc ejus sanguine perfusus adhuc sanguineo colore fertur esse affectus' (O'Donovan 1983, 65). In 1841 the Ordnance Survey Name Books recorded the following details; 'This road which is five feet [1.5m] wide and & a few chains long leading thro' a wood, took its name from the Earl of Desmond who was killed there. About one chain from the West end, and on the S. side of this road is still in being the trunk of an oak tree, under which he was killed and about 30 yards E of this and on the N. side of the road is pointed out his Grave; a small hole about five feet [1.5m] long and 3 [0.9m] wide with a little ridge or bank, one foot [0.3m] high surrounding it; and inside a few suckers from a large tree which is now decayed and which was, they say, planted there for a memorial' (OSNB Ballymacelligott parish). A stone plaque attached to a stone wall in 1983 marks the site of the killing with the following inscription; FitzGerald. Earl of Desmond. Here at Glangenty, Gerald FitzGerald, the last earl of Desmond was beheaded on 11th Nov. 1583. His body was later buried at Killanma [Kilnananima] Graveyard [KE040-106001-] near Castleisland'. Killanin and Duignan (1962, 440) described the site as; 'a low, coffin-shaped mound hear the head of the glen is the Desmond's Grave of local tradition'. Folklore collected from Kilduff School in 1938 recorded the following tradition about a low cairn which marked this burial site; 'Old Graves The Earl of Desmond is buried in Glengeenty Rathanny Co Kerry. It is marked by a heap of stones. It is up in a height. There is an old road by the side of it. Many people do not use it. There is supposed to be a light seen there at night. There is a big wood not far away where he was killed' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0444, Page 196;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706344?pageNum=196). Folklore collected from Ballymacelligott School recorded the following tradition about this burial; 'The place where he was killed is called 'Bóthar an Iarla". There is an old tree over the grave under which it is said the old earl was buried, but later his body was exhumed and taken to Castlemain for burial. A green mound marks the spot presently' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0443, Pages 105-6;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706340/4704175). Another story collected from the same school recorded the following details about a burial ground known locally as 'Páirc Reilge', the precise location of which has not been identified. Local tradition recorded that; 'There's a filed beyond Glennageenty called "Páirc Reilge"{.} Tradition has it that there was a churchyard here in old times' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0443, Page 150; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706340/4704219) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 2 June 2022