The Dead Centre Of Delgany

Walk this way..,

he tours of Delgany’s 7th century graveyard – one of the oldest in Wicklow – were truly a thing of wonder…

Conducted with some authority – and plenty of insight and wit – by nearby resident Lailli De Buitlear, you could indulge in this macabre slice of local history that revealed far more about life in the village than it did about death.

From the apprenticeship of a gravestone mason and the fact that all stones faced the rising sun to the fashion for the sunburst design being replaced in the 1700s by the letters IHS – Iesus Hominem Salvator (Jesus Saviour of Mankind).

And then there was Lailli’s journey to restoring the graveyard, a photography course assignment many years ago sending her here to picture gravestones for her portfolio. A portfolio she later used to get a grant for the restoration of the graveyard, Lailli’s photographs also helping to identify the original positions of fallen and falling gravestones.

Is it any wonder that Ms De Buitlear has become something of a folk hero in the village for keeping this history alive.

And, as luck would have it, the Delgany Tidy Towns gang realised it would be wise to record one of these very tours, and got local filmmaker Robin Kavanagh in to do the honours.

Smart move. And fine video.

You can also find out more about Delgany’s rich history here, and indulge in some more graveyard digging with loco historian Shay Clear here, and revisit a tragic 1798 murder in Delgany here.

This post originally appeared in 2015. Pics by GG. More graveyard digging with loco historian Shay Clear here, and Rosemary Raughter here.