Drumconrath
The parish of Drumconrath in County Meath lies in the north of the diocese andshares its boundaries with Kingscourt, Nobber and Lobinstown as well as with parishes in both the diocese of Clogher and the archdiocese of Armagh.
When Edward Wakefield was compiling his Survey of Ireland in 1811 a friend gave him the following interesting document:
‘According to a registery kept by the Rev. John Hacket, parish priest of Drumcondra, the Baptisms were:
In 1764 36
In 1783 77
In 1798 98
In 1801 126
In 1810 172
Parts of my parish have been depopulated by graziers, yet the number of communicants has been doubled since my coming; I had then about 800 and now about 1,900; from 60 to 70 baptisms annually and now from 100 to 120. There were then eleven protestant families. The father of one family died a catholic and his survivors are Catholics. Can any of our enemies doubt the increase of Catholics? They are more prolific, being more laborious and less luxurious. If any forsake
us, it is exultingly gazetted and how seldom this happens. The poor cannot be tempted; they expect no comforts in this life and look forward to eternity.
Older people in the parish remember seeing the holy water font in the wall of the old ruins at the
top of Chapel Lane towards Ardee Rd around the 1920s. This font was to be seen in the present
church grounds until it was removed and placed on Calvary in the present graveyard.
A custom associated with burial in this parish is related here. At the eastern end of Chapel Lane there was a huge table rock (9ft x 3ft). It was an old custom that all funerals proceeded up the lane and laid the coffin on the slab where prayers were said. The coffin was then carried to its resting
place in the local cemetery.
Researched and Compiled by Kathleen McArdle, “Brookville”, Drumconrath. Source: Faith History of Drumconrath – Meath Hill.