During the 19th and 20th centuries the parish priest was a dominant personality and the enforcer of morality in the parishes, villages and towns of Ireland. The list below gives the names of all those who have served as the priest in the parish of Paulstown. The parish of Paulstown and Goresbridge was created circa 1822 with an entry in the Graiguenamanagh parish registers stating that “1822 – About this time Goresbridge was taken from this parish and with Paulstown, made a separate parish.[1] Today, according to the website of the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, the parish is called Paulstown.[2]
The list of priests from Michael Brennan (1833-1851) to the current priest, Fr. Laurence Malone, is to be found in chapter fourteen of Paulstown Schools Past and Present.[3] To supplement this list, I have added examples from other sources where their names were also found. I have also found some examples of priests who served in Paulstown from before the time of Michael Brennan.
1618 Sir Edmund Seix, listed as someone who says mass and sometime stays with Sir Richard Butler of Pawlestown[4]
1704 Anthony Forstall, listed as PP of Graiguenamanagh and Paulstown[5]
1704 William Walsh[6]
1731 William Walshe,listed as PP of St. Kill and Kilmacahill[7]
1733 William Walshe[8]
1741 Dr. Walter Jacob[9]
1766-1783 Paul Cullen, listed as PP of Leighlin, Wells, Shankill and Kilmacahill.[10] He could have served as priest before 1766 as this year is the first time he is mentioned in documents as the priest of this area
1796 William Cullen[11]
1824-1829 Daniel Nolan[12]
1830-1833 James Maher[13]
1833-1851 Michael Brennan[14]
1851-1870 Bernard Kinsella[15]
1870-1901 Patrick Joseph Mulhall[16][17][18]
1901-1934 Richard O’Brien[19] (See footnote)
1934-1948 Mark Walshe
1948-1950 James Breen
1950-1962 Cornelius Brennan
1962-1977 James Kavanagh[20]
1977-1978 Pierce Kavanagh
1978-1996 Sean O’Laoghaire
1996-2000 James O’Connell
2000-2004 Tom McDonnell
2004-2011 Laurence Malone
2011-Current John McEvoy
[1] Comerford, Michael. 1886. Collections Relating to the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin Vol 3. Dublin:J Duffy and Sons. p.336.
[2] Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. 2011. Parishes. Available at: http://www.kandle.ie/parishes/paulstown/ : accessed 28 February 2011.
[3] Paulstown History and Education Society. 2007. Paulstown Schools Past and Present. Kilkenny: Grange Silvia Publications. p.101
[4] Comerford, Michael. 1886. p.335.
[5] Carraigan, Canon William . 1905. History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory Vol 3. Dublin: Sealey, Bryers and Walker p.412
[6] Ibid. p.281. Walsh could have taken over from Forstall in this year or it could be a mistake on the part of Carrigan to list two different priests in the same year.
[7] Comerford, Michael. 1886. p.335
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid. p.336
[11] His name is on a tablet in the current Roman Catholic Church as the serving priest when the church was built in 1796.
[12] Catholic Record Society of Ireland. 1984. Archivium Hibernicum. Unknown vol but between 39-44
[13] Boase, Fredrick. 1897. Modern English Biography. Truro: Netherton and Worth. p.1622.
[14] House of Commons. 1836. House of Commons Papers: Report from Commissioners, Poor Law Ireland Col XXXI. p.72
[15] Kavanagh, James. 1865. Catholic Directory, Almanac and Registry for Ireland, England and Scotland. Dublin: John Mullany. p.189
[16] Keogh, Canon. 1872. The Irish Catholic Directory, Almanac and Registry. Dublin: John Mullany.
[17] Bassett, George Henry. 1884. Kilkenny City and County Guide and Directory. Dublin: Sealy, Bryers and Walker. p.318
[18] The National Archives of Ireland, 1901 Census of Ireland, County Kilkenny, DED Paulstown, Townland/Street Kellymount, Form A, Number on Form B 1 (stamped), house 1, Patrick Mulhall; digitial image, The National Archives http://census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Kilkenny/Shankill/Kellymount/1449156/ : accessed 21 February 2011: original manuscript not cited.
[19] In the 1911 Census of Ireland Richard O’Brien is listed as a curate and living in Goresbridge. Peter Kavanagh is listed as a priest and living in Paulstown.
The National Archives of Ireland, 1901 Census of Ireland, County Kilkenny, DED Paulstown, Townland/Street Paulstown, Form A, Number on Form B 1 (stamped), house 12, Peter Kavanagh; digitial image, The National Archives http://census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kilkenny/Paulstown/Paulstown_Town__part_of_/567547/ : accessed 21 February 2011: original manuscript not cited.
[20] Duffy, J. 1968. The Irish Catholic Directory. p.164
Fabulous blog. Look forward to working my way through it in the new year.
Who was the “mad priest” who dumped the damaged gravestones from the old graveyard?
Hi Pól, thanks for the comment.
Unfortunately, I am unaware of what sounds like a very interesting story! Can you shed any light on it yourself?
Regards,
Joe
Hi Joe, i am trying to trace my relations who hale from Billinvally in the parish of Kilmocahill in co kilkenny. name is purcell. i can trace a mary purcell from the 1901 and 1911 census but any information prior to that would be helpful. i am willing to pay for your time and expences if you wish to take on the task, regards, john purcell y