Templemore: The Catholic Church, Methodist Church, Convent - Book of County Tipperary, 1889
About “The Book of County Tipperary,” 1889
George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.
The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. The Book of County Tipperary is the first of these to be made available on libraryireland.com, with its own search page. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.
- This online version is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
- The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
- Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.
With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.
To enjoy the rich variety of advertisements, confirm accuracy of the entries, or have a printed record of a family member, obtain an original or facsimile copy of The Book of County Tipperary.
The Catholic church is a handsome cruciform edifice in the Gothic style. The interior consists of nave and aisles, divided by polished pillars of Aberdeen granite. The Virgin’s altar, Caen stone, Sicilian and Irish marbles, was presented, with a three-light stained window, by Mrs. Anne Brannon, to memory of her father, Stephen Lanigan. St. Joseph’s altar, Sicilian and Galway marbles, was the gift of the Very Rev. Wm., Canon Meagher, P.P., 1887. The stained window above it, bequest of Surgeon Edmond Meagher, M.D., 1882. The high altar, a beautiful work in Sicilian and Irish marbles, commemorates Very Rev. Dr. O’Connor, P.P., and Rev. Thomas O’Connor, P.P., uncle and nephew, 1867, 1882. Stained windows commemorate the parents, brothers and sisters of Miss Margaret Meagher; John Connolly, J.P., 1871; Mary Josephine O’Kelly; William Bracken: parents and husband of Mrs. Anne Maria Thom, Joseph and Maria Harrington. The church was opened for worship in 1883. Over £12,000 has been expended, although the spire has yet to be built.
The Methodist church occupies a railed recess of the Main-street. It has a seating capacity for a congregation of about 150, but the average attendance, including soldiers, is only about 30.
The Sisters of Mercy came to Templemore from Cork in 1863. They have since expended £1,200 on buildings and improvements. A National School of 219 children, is taught by them, and they also have charge of an Industrial School of 60 girls, certified for by the Government in 1870.