The Moving Graveyard of Matehy

The Story of Captain Fox and the Moving Graveyard

Matehy Graveyard

Matehy graveyard is a special one
A place of mourning for everyone
Historic legends happened here
Retold by generations, give a cheer
Fox rode in with his gang
Burst open the door with a bang
Walked up the aisle with a devilish grin
He drew his sword sharp and thin
Cut off the priest's hands with a swing
Fox exited the church and began to sing
"Good one" Foxxy, bellowed his group
Fox punched the air with a whoop
The congregation devised a plan
And after Captain Fox they ran
Now Captain Fox was at a river
But his horse began to quiver
A dog had run out in front of the gang
Fox hit the floor with a bang
The men arrived with pitchforks and knives
A battle to the death took many lives
Fox was taken to Loughane Graveyard
The spirits of Loughane took it very hard
They grabbed their graves and picked them up
The dragged and dragged them through the muck
Flying up the hill they quickly raced and made their final resting place
Matehy graveyard is a special one
Listening to Foxe's story is so much fun

by Rebecca Murphy

The History of the Graveyard and Famous People buried there

If you look at the stone wall surrounding Matehy Graveyard you will see that it is circular in shape.  This because a old ring fort stood on this site once.  It was the strong hold of the Chieftain Tectic and that is where the word Magh Teicheadh comes from.

One of the most well known people buried in the Graveyard is Denny Lane.  He was born in 1818 and in 1848 when he was 30 he was imprisoned in Sunday's Well for his connection with the Young Irelander's. He was the author of some well known songs such as Carrigdown, Kate of Araglen and the Lament of the Irish Maiden.  His epitaph reads "He served his country and loved his kind"

History of the environs of the Graveyard

On the front wall of the graveyard you can find the sappers mark or the crow's foot as it is also called.  This mark was used to measure the height of the land above sea level.

The Strand Bar once housed the Vicar and the land behind it called the Glebe, his horses.
East of the Graveyard lies a path which is know as "The Mass Path". This is the path that the people from Gurth used to travel to mass across the fields.

Model of the Graveyard

Here is our model of the graveyard, we really enjoyed making it!