By Andy Spearman
I’ve lived in Drogheda since 1969 but sometimes I still discover places in the locality that I haven’t visited and on the bank holiday Monday, when I joined 30 or so other people on the Beaulieu Estate and Gardens walk was one of those occasions.
The first part of the walk, which was part of the Boyne Valley Trails Walking Weekend, took us through Beaulieu Woods and happy memories came flooding back of walking there when my kids were young.
Unfortunately the woods have been closed to the public for many years following an unfortunate incident in which a man fell from a tree, injured himself and ended up suing the owners for compensation.
While the first leg of our walk was a trip down memory lane, the second was a voyage of discovery. We left the woods and walked through fields until we came to an ancient graveyard at Newtownstalaban which is situated on a raised site overlooking the Boyne.
The graveyard is very overgrown now, the last burial there took place in the early 1970’s. Our guide, a very knowledgeable and decent young chap by the name of Dusty Flanagan of Drogheda Walking quoted local historian, the late Jim Garry who wrote in the Louth Archaeological and Historical Journal of 1970:
“It is difficult to realise that in just fifty years’ time the creeping suburbia of Drogheda will have extended well into County Louth. Familiar country roads and by-ways will give way to wide fast motorways with factories and houses on each side.
“Well known fields and laneways will be transformed and small country graveyards will be by-passed and left alone, or cleared by the bulldozer to make yet another site available.
“It is hoped that such a fate does not befall the beautifully situated graveyard of Newtownstalaban.”
Mr. Garry was right to worry about the fate of Newtownstalaban Graveyard. It has indeed been by-passed and left alone in the last half century but thankfully not bulldozed. Not yet at least.
Jim Garry goes on to describe the beautiful view from the graveyard: “From here the view south looks across the river Boyne to Eden View and Mornington” he says.
“To the East are the woods and mansion of Beaulieu with Queensboro and Baltray beyond. Behind to the north is the Newtown Demesne while to the West is Drogheda and the factories.”
Sadly though, this little gem of a final resting place no longer looks out over the Boyne. The beautiful view Jim Garry writes about has been totally blocked by a hideous dump containing millions of tonnes of waste material from the Premier Pericalse factory.
Graveyards have a macabre fascination and the inscriptions on the gravestones in Newtownstalaban graveyard have some very poignant stories to tell.
One such story concerns Thomas Bowden who is buried in Newtownstalaban along with other members of his family.
Bowden was the master of the S.S. Grainneuaile and he died at sea on April 15th 1847 after a fire broke out on board as he was approaching Drogheda having sailed from Liverpool the previous day carrying a cargo of grain, flax a crew of 24 and an estimated 60 or do passengers.
Most of the people on board were saved thanks to a heroic effort by the crew of a fishing vessel called the Bessy from Ringsend but sadly an estimated 22 people, including Bowden, lost their lives.
The exact number of fatalities is unknown as many of the passengers were impoverished Irish people who had sailed to Liverpool in the hope of continuing their journey to America or elsewhere to escape the famine which had gripped their home country. They had been denied entry to Britain and were sent home on the boat in which they had arrived. Click here for a report of the sinking.
Moving swiftly along, it was off to the glorious walled garden at Beaulieu House where we stopped for a cup of tea and a biscuit and a quick look inside the lovely little church before setting off through the woods and fields overlooking the Boyne at Queensborough and Banktown before retracing our steps and making for home.
These are just some of the delights on offer to people living in this great town of Drogheda. It is vital that we appreciate the beauty that surrounds us and perhaps there is some organisation out there that could help Co-ordinate the preservation of little gems such as Newtownstalaban Graveyard for future generations to enjoy.
Thanks to the organisers of this wonderful walk and to Beaulieu House and other landowners for allowing access to their lands. It is important to note that all of the above route was over private land and this has to be respected. Hopefully this will become a more regular event – it is certainly something that everyone who lives in the Drogheda area should do at least once in their lifetime.
