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Meet Me at the Gravediggers · The Grim: Haunted Cemeteries & Graveyard Tales

0:12
Kristin: Grim Mourning and welcome to the Grimm.
0:15
Kristin: I'm your host, Kristin.
0:16
Kristin: On today's episode, we'll be opening the gate and entering Glasnevin Cemetery, located in Dublin, Ireland.
0:23
Kristin: So grab your favorite mug, cozy up and let's take a dig into history.
0:29
Kristin: As winter slowly fades away, this March it's that time of year when everyone embraces being Irish for a day or even an entire weekend, around March 17th.
0:40
Kristin: This episode may be released a day late, when some might be still recovering from their celebrations, but I believe it's never the wrong time for a bit of Irish history.
0:50
Kristin: Ireland is widely known yet misunderstood, with many misconceptions about its past.
0:56
Kristin: One of the best places to begin uncovering or relearning its history is within Glasnevin Cemetery, the resting place of history in the country's capital, Dublin.
1:05
Kristin: I think there's an irony in the phrase of the luck of the Irish when, in reality, the Irish have endured significant hardships throughout history, demonstrating remarkable resilience.
1:17
Kristin: The popularized holiday, St.
1:19
Kristin: Patrick's Day, sees many in the United States wearing green, decorating with shamrocks and consuming considerable amounts of Guinness, all for a man most don't know much about, in a country they've never stepped foot in.
1:32
Kristin: Now, St.
1:33
Kristin: Patrick is not buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.
1:36
Kristin: I mention this because, while I'm about to share a brief history of the famous saint.
1:40
Kristin: This episode is not about his final resting place.
1:44
Kristin: Ireland, by much of Northern Europe was once pagan.
1:47
Kristin: St Patrick is accredited with converting many to Christianity, establishing monasteries, churches and schools across Ireland, along with a legendary tale of banishing all the snakes.
1:59
Kristin: There's countless versions of his story, his deeds and his impact, but one crucial detail often overlooked is that St Patrick was said to have been a slave at one point.
2:09
Kristin: Born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, he was taken to Ireland against his will, a fact that has a certain amount of irony in it that Ireland's most celebrated saint by some was neither Irish by birth nor free for much of his early life.
2:24
Kristin: By some was neither Irish by birth nor free for much of his early life.
2:27
Kristin: So why begin with a story of a man not buried among the 1.5 million souls in Glasnevin?
2:30
Kristin: Because it's the stage for an important truth.
2:34
Kristin: While Ireland is deeply associated with being Catholic today, it wasn't always so.
2:39
Kristin: Its transition from paganism to Christianity was shaped by an enslaved man, foreshadowing centuries of struggle in a nation marked by more turmoil than luck.
2:50
Kristin: Despite St Patrick's role in spreading Christianity, ireland's British rulers sought to enforce not Catholic but the Protestant faith throughout the land.
3:00
Kristin: An unnecessary and oppressive demand that was met with defiance.
3:04
Kristin: The land?
3:06
Kristin: An unnecessary and oppressive demand that was met with defiance.
3:08
Kristin: History has repeatedly shown that religious and racial divisions fuel hatred, and Ireland was no exception in its history.
3:13
Kristin: The Irish penal laws enacted between the 17th and 19th centuries by the British severely restricted the rights and freedoms of Catholics, fostering deep resentment toward British rule and Protestant Irish elites.
3:27
Kristin: The Irish Rebellion of 1641, though not solely religious, was a turning point offering a brief glimmer of hope for Catholics.
3:36
Kristin: Then, in the 1820s, the Catholic Emancipation Movement led to the repeal of discriminatory laws, finally allowing the establishment of Catholic burial grounds and more Catholic rites.
3:48
Kristin: Gosnaven Cemetery itself founded in 1832, was revolutionary for its time as burial ground open to all faiths.
3:57
Kristin: This was no small feat, as even centuries after Ireland's conversion to Christianity, the Irish people were not fully converted to the will of the ruling monarchy and religious freedom wasn't a right.
4:10
Kristin: Had it been just 15 years earlier, glasnevin Cemetery would not have existed in the inclusive form it took in 1832.
4:17
Kristin: When its gates finally opened, they symbolized more than just a burial ground.
4:22
Kristin: They marked a step toward religious equality and a land that had long been denied it.
4:27
Kristin: It's only fitting that within these grounds rests not just one of Ireland's fiercest champions for her rights, but several who fought and formed the very modern Ireland we know today.
4:40
Kristin: Beneath the iconic towering round tower that draws a visitor's gaze within Glasnevin Cemetery lays Daniel O'Connell, a man who spent his life fighting oppression only to find peace and death among the very people he sought to free.
4:54
Kristin: Known as the Liberator, o'connell carved his name into Ireland's bloodstained history, securing Catholic emancipation but feeling in his greater dream of repealing the Act of Union.
5:06
Kristin: Born in 1775 in a land where his faith made him a second-class citizen, o'connell rose from the shadows of Britain's rule to become Ireland's most powerful voice.
5:18
Kristin: A brilliant lawyer and a master of mass movements, he led the charge against the penal laws, mobilizing the Irish like no one before him.
5:27
Kristin: His victory came in 1829, with the Catholic Emancipation Act allowing Catholics to hold office.
5:34
Kristin: One battle won, but the war for Ireland's freedom was far from over.
5:38
Kristin: After emancipation, o'connell set his sights on a greater prize, breaking the chains of the British rule by repealing the Act of Union.
5:47
Kristin: His weapon of choice was peaceful protests, massive monster meetings that rattled the British establishment.
5:54
Kristin: But the British empire doesn't break so easily.
5:57
Kristin: The movement was crushed and in 1844, o'connell himself was thrown into prison.
6:03
Kristin: The man who had freed so many now found himself caged.
6:06
Kristin: The fight of a continuous succession of fight after fight took its toll by 1847, as Ireland starved under the horrors of the Great Famine.
6:17
Kristin: O'connell, once a lion in the courts and on the streets, was a broken man Seeking solace.
6:22
Kristin: He sent out on a pilgrimage to Rome, but never made it, dying in Genoa on May 15, 1847.
6:30
Kristin: His dying wish, before he passed, was that his heart was sent to Rome while his body returned to Dublin for burial, a final request that was granted.
6:38
Kristin: Gosselin Cemetery itself is a part of O'Connell's legacy.
6:41
Kristin: The cemetery's very founding in 1832 was a defiant act against Protestant rule, ensuring Catholics could be buried with dignity.
6:50
Kristin: It's fitting, then, that he rests beneath its soil, surrounded by over a million souls, many who lived and died under the very oppression he fought against.
7:00
Kristin: His tomb is sealed beneath Glasnevin's tallest tower, a silent monument to his victories, his failures and his unfulfilled dreams of an Ireland still haunted by its past.
7:10
Kristin: Visitors come, some in reverence, others in mourning for what might have been.
7:15
Kristin: But one victory, seen by all, is the very ground visitors' feet walk upon today feet walk upon.
7:22
Kristin: Today, the cemetery was designed using Lawton's system for measuring graves, ensuring the most efficient use of space to accommodate as many plots as possible.
7:31
Kristin: This has plots, and sometimes graves, or even coffins, right next to each other, toe-to-toe, with very little space or none at all.
7:39
Kristin: What started as a modest few nine acres has since been expanded to 124, enclosed by towering walls and gated entrances, making it Dublin's largest necropolis.
7:51
Kristin: With Dublin's population at 1.3 million, the 1.5 million souls within Glassnevin's walls now outnumber the living.
8:01
Kristin: Each grave on the ground faces east, adhering to the Christian tradition that Christ will return from the east and the dead will rise to meet him.
8:08
Kristin: While the cemetery welcomes all religions, this practice is still maintained, both as a nod to tradition and to optimize the original layout of the burial ground.
8:18
Kristin: Remarkably, maps of the cemetery's earliest days have been preserved and are safeguarded within his museum.
8:24
Kristin: Who, what and where?
8:25
Kristin: Are all questions found within his records.
8:27
Kristin: As a Victorian-era garden cemetery, meticulous records were kept documenting details such as occupation, religion, social status and even causes of death.
8:38
Kristin: These records provide historians with invaluable insights into the eras, painting a vivid picture of Ireland's past.
8:46
Kristin: We can revisit time and time again One of the first things visitors notice upon arrival is the modern museum, a glass-like castle towering over the historic grounds, bridging the divide between the living and the dead.
9:00
Kristin: Its lakeless facade starkly reflects the weathered stone of the past.
9:04
Kristin: A striking contrast that speaks to Ireland's deep commitment to its history and remembrance.
9:10
Kristin: A powerful moment in the documentary One Million Dubliners captures this sentiment perfectly.
9:16
Kristin: When asked where Ireland's history can be found, a caretaker simply gestures toward the cemetery and replies you're looking at it.
9:23
Kristin: The moment resonated deeply with me as I watched the film.
9:26
Kristin: As someone who loves history and cemeteries, it was a profound moment of this place is not just about death.
9:33
Kristin: It's about acknowledgement.
9:35
Kristin: The people buried here, like all those who came before us, are not just names on headstones.
9:41
Kristin: There are history.
9:42
Kristin: Visiting any burial ground is more than just stepping into the past.
9:46
Kristin: It's a reminder that history is still alive within us, woven into our everyday lives, one that the caretakers of Glasnevin fully realize and preserve each day, while helping fellow Dubliners with the inevitable fate that awaits us all death.
10:02
Kristin: For its first few years, the cemetery was primarily used for pauper burials.
10:06
Kristin: However, 10 to 20 years later, it became a more notable resting place for those of higher status.
10:12
Kristin: The graves closest to the entrance are the most expensive, with plots further away being significantly more affordable.
10:19
Kristin: The first recorded burial on the grounds was of an 11-year-old boy, michael Carey, in 1832.
10:27
Kristin: Ireland's historic famine in the 1840s, which many learn about in primary or elementary school, has a sober presence on these grounds.
10:36
Kristin: A mass grave, unmarked and holding nearly 800,000 souls, is a testament to the tragedy.
10:43
Kristin: Later, an additional 13,000 victims of the cholera epidemic were also buried here, further increasing the staggering number.
10:52
Kristin: A green space enclosed by a black iron fence is the only marker for those tragically lost, unknown souls, but deeply moving to all those who visit.
11:02
Kristin: Many visitors come to pay their respects to the charismatic Michael Collins, famously portrayed by Liam Nelson in one of Hollywood's films and featured in other numerous films and documentaries about Ireland's fight for independence.
11:16
Kristin: Collins was a revolutionary leader, soldier and politician instrumental in Ireland's struggle for independence.
11:23
Kristin: His legacy remains a cornerstone of Irish history, shaping the nation's fight for self-rule and its political landscape.
11:31
Kristin: Born in Woodfield County, cork, collins was one of the youngest of eight children.
11:36
Kristin: His father, a fervent Irish nationalist, instilled in him a deep sense of patriotism before passing away when Michael was just six years old.
11:45
Kristin: Educated in Clonacilty, collins moved to London in 1906, where he worked as a clerk and became involved in national movements such as the Gaelic League and the Irish Republican Brotherhood, known as the IRB.
11:59
Kristin: Collins returned to Ireland in 1916 and played a role in Easter Rising.
12:04
Kristin: Returned to Ireland in 1916 and played a role in Easter Rising, serving as an aide-de-camp to Joseph Pluckett in the General Post Office.
12:11
Kristin: Arrested and interned in Fronknock, he emerged as a key figure in the movement.
12:15
Kristin: Upon his release by 1919, collins had become the Director of Intelligence for the Irish Republican Army, the IRA, and played a crucial role in the War of Independence.
12:27
Kristin: His guerrilla tactics included the infamous Squad of Assassins were highly effective against the British forces.
12:34
Kristin: The British government placed a 10,000-pound bounty on his head, but he remained elusive and uncatchable.
12:42
Kristin: Collins was a negotiator of the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, which established the Irish Free State as a dominion of the British Commonwealth.
12:51
Kristin: Although it fell short of full independence, he saw it as a freedom to achieve freedom.
12:57
Kristin: The treaty split the nationalist movement in two, though leading to an Irish Civil War.
13:02
Kristin: As chairman of the Provisional Government and commander-in-chief of the National Army, collins sought to unify Ireland, but was opposed by anti-treaty forces.
13:12
Kristin: On the 22nd of August in 1922, during a tour of court, he was ambushed and killed at Blenabla, marking a tragic end to his promising leadership.
13:25
Kristin: Collins is remembered as a brilliant strategist and a pivotal figure in Ireland's fight for sovereignty.
13:31
Kristin: His vision for an independent Ireland influenced generations of leaders.
13:35
Kristin: Each year, his life and sacrifice are commemorated, ensuring his place in history as the big fellow who helped shape modern Ireland.
13:44
Kristin: His place in history as the big fellow who helped shape modern Ireland.
13:47
Kristin: Each year, on the anniversary of his death, glastonbury Cemetery holds a remembrance ceremony at his grave, where many attend or leave flowers, often purchased from the cemetery's own florist shop.
13:57
Kristin: Surrounding him lay the graves of at least 183 soldiers of the Irish Free State.
14:04
Kristin: In 1967, their names were etched into a memorial encircling Collins' final resting place, ensuring their sacrifice would never be forgotten.
14:15
Kristin: Close by, on the cemetery grounds to Collins, is a friend turned enemy, harry Boland.
14:20
Kristin: Boland was a dedicated Irish Republican, a man who fought for Ireland's freedom, only to be struck down in the bitter chaos of a civil war.
14:29
Kristin: A close friend of Michael Collins and a loyal follower of Iman de Valerie, boland found himself caught between two men, two ideals and, ultimately, two bullets that ended his life.
14:41
Kristin: Born in Dublin to a family steeped in Irish nationalism.
14:45
Kristin: Boland followed the path of his father and his brothers into the Irish Republican Brotherhood.
14:50
Kristin: A man of many talents, he once refereed an all-Ireland football final.
14:55
Kristin: But his true calling was revolution.
14:58
Kristin: He fought on the Easter Rising, was imprisoned and, upon his release, became a key figure in the Schinfens' political resurgence.
15:07
Kristin: Elected as an MP in 1918, bolin, like his comrades, refused to sit in Westminster and instead pledged allegiance to the First.
15:16
Kristin: O De Valery sent him to America to gather support for the cause, where he played a shadowy game of diplomacy and finance, securing a $20,000 loan from Soviet Russia paid with Russian jewels smuggled back to Ireland.
15:32
Kristin: Through it all, he was at the side of Michael Collins, the brother-in-arms who would later become his enemy.
15:38
Kristin: When the treaty split Ireland, it also split the friendship.
15:42
Kristin: Boland, unwavering in his Republican ideals, stood against Collins and the Free State.
15:47
Kristin: Yet even as war loomed, he refused to take up arms against his old friend, stating it's going to be war and I'm not going to fire on Mick.
15:56
Kristin: So I can't fire on any of Mick's men.
15:58
Kristin: But war doesn't spare those who try to stay neutral.
16:02
Kristin: On the night of the 31st in July of 1922, soldiers of the National Army arrived at the Scuri's Grand Hotel to arrest him Unarmed.
16:12
Kristin: He resisted In the struggle.
16:14
Kristin: He was sadly shot.
16:15
Kristin: The exact details remained murky.
16:18
Kristin: Accounts differ, motives are questioned, but what is certain is that he was left to bleed Lingering for the day in St Levinson's hospital on his deathbed.
16:27
Kristin: His sister, kathleen, begged him to name his killer, but he refused.
16:31
Kristin: Harry Boland was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery, his coffin followed by the silent rakes of the Kulin, mabah, clan Miguel and the Citizen Army Women's Section.
16:43
Kristin: The funeral procession carried more than just a body.
16:46
Kristin: It carried the weight of a shattered movement, a revolution that had turned on itself.
16:51
Kristin: His grave, like so many of his generation, became another silent witness to the Kofs' Civil War.
16:58
Kristin: The friend of Collins, the right-hand band of DeValerie, harry Boland was neither Free State nor IRA.
17:05
Kristin: When he died he was simply a man caught in the storm of history, gunned down in a war between brothers.
17:12
Kristin: Throughout Irish history and the fight for independence, there was many men, but behind the strong movement was also equally strong women.
17:20
Kristin: The Countess Constance Marqueves was an Irish revolutionary politician, suffragist and socialist who played a crucial role in Ireland's fight for independence.
17:32
Kristin: She was the first woman elected to the UK Parliament in 1918.
17:37
Kristin: Though in line with the Sinn Féin policy, she refused to take her seat.
17:41
Kristin: She later became the Minister for Labour in the First Dow, making her one of the first women in the world to hold a cabinet position.
17:52
Kristin: Born Constance Scorbuth in London, she was raised in the county Slidglow in the Lysandell House, where her family, despite being Anglo-Irish landlords, showed a deep concern for the welfare of their tenants.
18:02
Kristin: Inspired by her father's generosity and her sister Eva's activism, she developed a strong sense of justice.
18:10
Kristin: She studied art in London and Paris, where she met her future husband, casimir Marquez, a Polish nobleman becoming the Countess.
18:19
Kristin: The couple settled in Dublin in 1903, where Constance became involved in the Irish nationalist and artistic circles.
18:26
Kristin: Marquez joined the Sinn Féin and founded Fianna Aran, a nationalist youth organization.
18:33
Kristin: She later became a leading member of the Irish Citizens' Army, fighting alongside James Connolly in the 1916 Easter Rising.
18:41
Kristin: Stationed at St Stephen's Green, she's said to have fired on British forces, making her one of the most active female combatants.
18:49
Kristin: She was sentenced to death, but her sentence was communed to life imprisonment due to her gender.
18:55
Kristin: Released in 1917, she remained committed to the fight for Irish freedom.
19:00
Kristin: Elected as an MP for Dublin St Patrick's in 1918, she joined other Sinn Féin representatives in forming the First Dail.
19:09
Kristin: She was appointed Minister for Labour, becoming the first female cabinet minister in Ireland.
19:14
Kristin: She opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, siding with the anti-treaty forces in the Irish Civil War.
19:21
Kristin: She continued to serve as a DT member of parliament and later helped found the Fianna Fé in 1926.
19:30
Kristin: Margovis died in 1927 at the age of 59, having given away her remaining wealth to the poor.
19:36
Kristin: She passed away in a public hospital ward, surrounded by friends and comrades.
19:42
Kristin: Though denied a state funeral, thousands lined the streets of Dublin to pay their respects.
19:48
Kristin: Remembered as Madame Marquevez, she remained an enduring symbol of Ireland's revolutionary struggle, inspiring generations of activists and leaders.
19:58
Kristin: Jeremiah O'Donovan Rosa was an unyielding Irish revolutionary and leading figure in the Irish Republican Brotherhood.
20:05
Kristin: Born in Roscairberry, county, cork, he witnessed the devastation of the Great Famine, an experience that fueled his lifelong pursuit of Irish independence.
20:16
Kristin: He founded the Phoenix National and Literary Society, a precursor to the IRB, and became one of the fiercest advocates for physical, forced republicanism.
20:26
Kristin: Rosa's activism led to multiple arrests and in 1865 he was sentenced to life imprisonment for treason.
20:33
Kristin: Even in prison, he remained defiant, enduring harsh conditions and prolonged isolation.
20:39
Kristin: In 1869, while still behind bars, he was elected as MP for Tipperary, but his election was annulled due to his felony conviction.
20:48
Kristin: In 1870, as part of the Cuba Five amnesty deal, he was exiled to the United States.
20:54
Kristin: From here he continued his fight, becoming a key figure in the Clan de Gael and founding the United Irishmen, a radical newspaper.
21:02
Kristin: He spearheaded the Fay and Dynamite campaign in the 1880s, a series of bombings on British soil that struck fear into the heart of the empire.
21:12
Kristin: His actions made him infamous, even surviving an assassination attempt in 1885.
21:20
Kristin: Rosa remained a lifelong agitator for Irish freedom.
21:23
Kristin: Though his health declined, his fire never faded.
21:26
Kristin: His death in 1915 became a rallying cry for Irish Republicans.
21:31
Kristin: His body was brought back to Ireland for burial in Glasnevin Cemetery, where Patrick Pearce delivered a thunderous oration sealing Rosa's place in the pantheon of Irish martyrs.
21:42
Kristin: His funeral was a grand spectacle, was a prelude to the Easter Rising of 1916.
21:48
Kristin: The words spoken over his grave united, unfree shall never be at peace echoed through history, marking him as a symbol of unwavering defiance against British rule.
22:00
Kristin: Not all political figures in Glasnevin were without controversy, which, considering the fiery nature of those we've visited so far, have been.
22:09
Kristin: That's saying a lot of our next resident within.
22:12
Kristin: Eamon de Valery, one of Ireland's most polarizing and enduring political figures, was a statesman whose career spanned over six decades.
22:21
Kristin: Born in New York in 1882 to an Irish mother and Spanish father, de Valery was raised in Beery County, limerick.
22:29
Kristin: His early life was marked by academic success and a deep commitment to the Irish language and culture, which later shaped his vision for an independent Ireland.
22:40
Kristin: De Valery emerged as a key figure in the 1916 Easter Rising, commanding forces at Bolin's Mill in Dublin.
22:47
Kristin: Though sentenced to death, his life was spared, largely due to his American birth and the shifting political climate In the years that followed.
22:55
Kristin: He became the dominant political force in Ireland, first leading the Sinn Féin and later helping found the Fianna Fáil in 1926, after breaking with the anti-treaty Republicans.
23:07
Kristin: His legacy is tightly woven into Ireland's struggle for sovereignty.
23:11
Kristin: De Valery fiercely opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which led to the partition of Ireland and the Irish Civil War.
23:20
Kristin: His resistance to the treaty positioned him as the leader of the anti-treaty fraction, though he played a limited role in the war itself.
23:28
Kristin: After years in opposition, he ascended to power in 1932 and embarked on a mission to sever Ireland's remaining ties to Britain, cultivating in the 1937 Constitution, which established Ireland as a de facto republic with a strong Catholic ethos.
23:45
Kristin: His tenure at Towsich spanned three separate periods 1932-48, 1951-54, and 1957-59, making him Ireland's longest-serving head of the government.
23:59
Kristin: His policies emphasized national identity, economic self-sufficiency and social conservatism, often at the expense of economic progress.
24:08
Kristin: During World War II, he maintained Ireland's neutrality, a stance that earned him both praise and criticism.
24:15
Kristin: His infamous gesture of condolences at the German embassy upon Hitler's death remained one of the most controversial moments of his career.
24:24
Kristin: In 1959, de Valery stepped down as Tausich and was elected president of Ireland, serving two terms until 1973.
24:34
Kristin: He remained a towering figure in Irish policies even in his final years.
24:39
Kristin: De Valery died in 1975 at the age of 92 and was laid to rest in Glasnevin Cemetery.
24:47
Kristin: His grave, a stark yet imposing monument, draws both admirers and critics.
24:52
Kristin: A fitting tribute to a man who helped shape modern Ireland but left behind a legacy of division, devotion and debate.
25:00
Kristin: Luke Kelly, a voice that echoed the soul of Dublin, remains one of Ireland's most beloved folk singers.
25:06
Kristin: Born into a working-class family in Sheriff Street in 1940, his early years were steeped in music, storytelling and a deep sense of social justice music, storytelling and a deep sense of social justice.
25:20
Kristin: Leaving school at 13, he traveled to England where he embraced folk music inspired by artists like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.
25:24
Kristin: His time in the UK also deepened his political convictions, aligning him with socialist and trade union movements.
25:32
Kristin: Returning to Dublin in the early 1960s, kelly became a founding member of the Dubliners, a band that would revolutionize Irish folk music.
25:40
Kristin: His raw and impassioned voice brought life to ballads like the Rocky Road to Dublin Scorned Not His Simplicity and the Haunting Raglan Road, a poem by Patrick Cavanaugh that Kelly transformed into an iconic song.
25:54
Kristin: His performances carried both fire and sorrow, blending powerful social commentary with the energy of Dublin streets.
26:03
Kristin: But fame took its toll.
26:05
Kristin: Kelly struggled with alcohol and increasing health issues throughout the 1970s.
26:09
Kristin: His decline became painfully evident when he collapsed on stage in Cork in 1980.
26:15
Kristin: A brain tumor was diagnosed and, though he bravely continued performing, his condition worsened.
26:22
Kristin: He suffered memory loss, confusion and weakness, leading him to withdraw from the public eye.
26:28
Kristin: On January 30, 1984, luke Kelly passed away at just 43 years old.
26:33
Kristin: His funeral drew thousands, a testament to the love and admiration he inspired.
26:39
Kristin: His final resting place in Glasnevin Cemetery bears a simple yet profound inscription Luke Kelly, dubliner.
26:47
Kristin: His voice may have been silenced, but in Ireland's pubs, streets and homes his songs still rang out, carrying the spirit of a man who sang not just for himself but for the people.
26:58
Kristin: Charles Stuart Parnell, one of the most formidable political figures of the 19th century Ireland, is also within Glasnevin Cemetery.
27:07
Kristin: A nationalist leader and member of Parliament, he steered the Irish Parliamentary Party to hold the balance of power in the British House of Commons during the turbulent years of the Home Rule debates.
27:19
Kristin: Revered for his skill in uniting constitutional, radical and agrarian movements, he was equally known for the dramatic downfall that followed revelations of his long-standing affair.
27:31
Kristin: Born into a privileged Anglo-Irish Protestant family, brunel became a champion of land reform, founding the Irish National Land League in 1879.
27:41
Kristin: His leadership was strategic.
27:43
Kristin: He manipulated parliamentary procedures to force attention on Irish issues and to wield influence over British policies, aligning himself with Prime Minister William Gladstone in the shared pursuit of home rule and present in Killam and Gowell.
28:00
Kristin: In 1882 for his radical tendencies, parnell emerged from captivity a more measured statesman, negotiating the Killam Treaty, which sought to cure agrarian violence in exchange for tenant relief.
28:12
Kristin: That same year, he reshaped the Home Rule League into the Irish Parliamentary Party, the first modern political machine in Britain, and turned it into a disciplined force.
28:23
Kristin: By 1885, parnell's power was undeniable.
28:27
Kristin: His endorsement determined the fate of British governments, and his influence forced the Home Rule onto the political agenda.
28:34
Kristin: Even when accused of complicity in the infamous Phoenix Mark murders, his name was ultimately cleared when the Times' allegations were exposed as forgeries.
28:44
Kristin: Parnell's dominance ended not through politics but through scandal.
28:48
Kristin: In 1890, captain William O'Shea filed for divorce, naming Parnell as the co-respondent and revealing his decade-long affair with O'Shea's wife, catherine.
28:58
Kristin: The affair enraged both the Catholic Church and nonconformist British liberals, prompting Gladstone to withdraw support from Parnell's leadership.
29:07
Kristin: Despite resistance, his party fractured, leading to a bitter split that crippled the Home Rule movement.
29:14
Kristin: Shunned but defiant, parnell married Catherine in June of 1891, continuing his campaign for reinstatement.
29:20
Kristin: Despite failing health, exhausted, he succumbed to pneumonia in October of that year at the age of 45.
29:28
Kristin: Parnell's funeral drew over 200,000 mourners to Glasnevin Cemetery.
29:32
Kristin: Though he was laid to rest under an unmarked slab of Wicklow granite, his name needed no inscription.
29:38
Kristin: His political legacy endured in the eventual establishment of an Irish self-governance, while his personal life became a cautionary tale of power undone by passion.
29:49
Kristin: Even now, parnell's name is spoken with reverence and regret.
29:53
Kristin: Reverence and regret.
29:59
Kristin: His death is commemorated each year on Ivy Day, a tradition born from the simple tribute of ivy leaves left at his grave by those who refuse to forget the uncrowned king of Ireland.
30:06
Kristin: The cemetery serves as a testament to the evolving styles of memorialization in Ireland over the past two centuries.
30:13
Kristin: It showcases the stark towering stone monuments of the pre-1860s, the ornate Celtic crosses that emerged during the Nationalist Revival movement from the 1860s to the 1960s, and the underdrawn Italian marble headstones that have become common in the late 20th century.
30:32
Kristin: The Glaslevin Trust Florist, located on the cemetery grounds, offers a heartfelt service for families near and far.
30:39
Kristin: Left ones from all across the world can arrange for flowers to be placed on the grave of their relatives, ensuring that no resting place is left unadorned, no matter the distance.
30:50
Kristin: The cemetery is encircled by a high stone wall, its silence broken only by the looming watchtowers.
30:57
Kristin: A grim testament to the days when body snatchers haunted Dublin In the 18th and early 19th centuries.
31:04
Kristin: Fresh graves were prime targets for those who stole the dead.
31:08
Kristin: Their corpses sold to medical schools under the cover of night.
31:12
Kristin: To defend the sanctity of the buried, armed watchmen stood guard, their rifles ready.
31:15
Kristin: To defend the sanctity of the buried, armed watchmen stood guard, their rifles ready, while bloodhounds prowled the grounds.
31:19
Kristin: Their howls a warning to any who dared to disturb the restless dead.
31:24
Kristin: Yet some spirits seemed to defy even the grip of time.
31:27
Kristin: Behind the cemetery stands John Kavanaugh's.
31:37
Kristin: Known as the Gravediggers, or those who labored among the dead, which sought refuge and drink.
31:39
Kristin: Gravediggers would announce their arrival with a shovel of the earth against the pub's wall, an eerie ritual that lingers in memory like an echo of the past.
31:45
Kristin: But it's not only the living who gather here.
31:47
Kristin: Among the million souls buried beyond the wall, one seems unable to leave A lonely figure.
31:53
Kristin: An elderly man in a tweed suit appears at the bar quietly nursing his pint.
31:59
Kristin: No words, no recognition, only the slow, inevitable moment that, when he rises, steps away and vanishes through the wall, returning to the graveyard that never truly let him go.
32:12
Kristin: In 2009, the Glasnevin Trust, in collaboration with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, undertook the task of identifying the graves of Irish service personnel who lost their lives while serving in the Commonwealth forces during the two world wars.
32:26
Kristin: Their names were inscribed on two memorials, which were rededicated and relocated in 2011.
32:37
Kristin: Near the cemetery's main entrance.
32:37
Kristin: A cross of sacrifice was later erected as part of a joint Irish-British commemoration marking the centenary of the First World War.
32:42
Kristin: As of 2019, 215 service members from both wars had been identified and honored within the grounds, a place of sorrow and remembrance.
32:52
Kristin: The Angel's Plot is where miscarried and stillborn children were laid to rest within.
32:56
Kristin: Out of deep respect, no tourists pass through this area, leaving it in solemn quiet.
33:01
Kristin: In keeping with past traditions, mothers do not attend the burials.
33:05
Kristin: Fathers alone carry the tiny caskets to their final resting place.
33:09
Kristin: Although the graves remain unmarked, a stone memorial bears the names of those lost too soon.
33:14
Kristin: The cemetery, however, ensures that every soul is remembered, carefully recording the location of each burial in its archives.
33:22
Kristin: Recently, families have been given the option to place a small plaque marking the exact spot where their child is buried, offering a more personal tribute to their memory.
33:32
Kristin: In 1993, a mass grave was uncovered at the site of a former Magdalene Laundry institution where so-called fallen women were confined.
33:40
Kristin: The discovery came after the convent that operated the laundry sold the land to a property developer.
33:46
Kristin: The sisters arranged for the remains to be cremated and reinterred in a mass grave at Glasshaven Cemetery, with the cost of the reburial shared between the convent and the developer.
33:57
Kristin: Glastonbury Cemetery is maintained by the Dublin Cemeteries Committee, overseeing its continuous expansion and preservation.
34:04
Kristin: Development remains an ongoing effort, ensuring the cemetery evolves while honoring its past.
34:10
Kristin: A Catholic Mass is held every Sunday at 9.45 am, led by parish clergy.
34:15
Kristin: Each summer, the annual busing of the graves takes place, a tradition that has endured since the cemetery's founding in 1832, a testament to the enduring connection between the living and the dead.
34:28
Kristin: Given its vast history, it's no surprise that Glasnevin Cemetery, ireland's largest burial ground, carries its share of ghostly legends.
34:36
Kristin: Among the most famous is not a restless spirit of the dead, but that of a Newfoundland dog, the faithful companion of Captain John McNeill Boyd.
34:45
Kristin: The dog is said to have refused to leave its master's grave.
34:49
Kristin: After Boyd perished in a sea rescue in 1861, ultimately starving to death by his side, his spectral form is still spotted wandering the cemetery at night, forever searching for its lost master.
35:02
Kristin: Some have even claimed to see him near Boyd's statue at St Patrick's Cathedral, a silent guardian lingering between the world of the living and the dead.
35:11
Kristin: A cemetery with over 1 million people must have some sort of murder or tragedy too.
35:18
Kristin: Right On a September evening in 1852, sarah Marie Kirwan met a grim fate on the desolate shores of Ireland's Eye, a small wind-battered island off the coast of Dublin.
35:30
Kristin: She arrived that day with her husband, artist William Burke Kirwan, on what seemed to be a simple outing he to sketch and she to swim.
35:38
Kristin: But when the boatmen returned to collect them, only Kerwin stood waiting.
35:42
Kristin: His wife, he claimed, had vanished into the sea.
35:45
Kristin: Hours later her lifeless body was discovered, sprawled on the rocks, bloodied and still.
35:51
Kristin: At first, the whispers of an accidental drowning were enough to explain her death.
35:55
Kristin: But time would unravel a darker truth.
35:59
Kristin: When her reins were exhumed, signs of manual asphyxiation shattered the illusion of misfortune.
36:04
Kristin: What could have been dismissed as tragedy was now murder.
36:09
Kristin: The trial that followed was a spectacle.
36:11
Kristin: During crowds to Dublin's Green Street Courthouse in December of 1852, it was revealed that Kerwan, far from a grieving husband, had long maintained a second home in Sandymount with his mistress, maria Teresa Kenney and their eight children.
36:26
Kristin: The prosecution painted a chilling picture.
36:29
Kristin: Sarah Marie had become an obstacle to be removed, a woman erased so another life could be lived freely.
36:36
Kristin: Though defended by the feigned barrister and MP Isaac Butt, kerwin was found guilty, sentenced to death, his fate was later softened to life imprisonment and transportation after a plea from prominent citizens, including ten doctors, who insisted Sarah's death could still be explained by drowning.
36:54
Kristin: Banished to the imperial fortress colony of Bermuda, kirwan toiled in the brutal labor camps of the Royal Naval Dockyard where Irish convicts had been sent before him.
37:05
Kristin: Meanwhile, the bleak cliffs of Ireland's Eye, once a place of leisure, became a macabre landmark, drawing morbid sightseers eager to stand where Sarah Marie Kirwan had met her cruel and lonely end.
37:19
Kristin: Yet that's far from the strangest story of Glasnevin to come.
37:23
Kristin: On July 31st in 1853, marie Higgins was laid to rest by her husband, charlie Higgins, in what seemed to be a proper, respectable funeral at the time.
37:34
Kristin: Her husband honored her with a two-day wake, typical of the time, and a closed coffin and mourning coaches to the cemetery.
37:41
Kristin: In two years, that would all change when a woman walked into a solicitor's office on Nassau Street in Dublin and calmly declared she was Marie Higgins.
37:50
Kristin: In pure disbelief, no one believed her.
37:53
Kristin: But it wasn't a joke.
37:55
Kristin: Officials dug up her grave in Glasnevin Cemetery seeking answers, cracking open her coffin, discovering just soil and stones within.
38:04
Kristin: It turned out Maria had spent the past two years hidden away in a basement, all because her loving husband had convinced her to fake her own death.
38:13
Kristin: But why?
38:14
Kristin: It was all down to money.
38:16
Kristin: Maria had been left 500 pounds in a will, a serious chunk of change at the time.
38:22
Kristin: But there was one catch the money would only be released when she died, and rather than to wait for that to happen, naturally, charles Higgins decided to speed up the process without actually losing his wife.
38:34
Kristin: He bribed a local doctor with 10 pounds and a bottle of whiskey to sign off on a fake death certificate.
38:40
Kristin: Then, with a perfectly staged funeral and a coffin full of dirt, he pulled off one of the most bizarre frauds in Dublin's history.
38:48
Kristin: But Maria had had enough.
38:51
Kristin: After two years of hiding in the shadows, she came clean, exposing the entire scheme.
38:57
Kristin: Maria managed to avoid going to prison, claiming she had acted under her husband's influence.
39:02
Kristin: Charles and his conspirators weren't so lucky, though.
39:06
Kristin: They were convicted of fraud and locked up, and then, in the ultimate twist, maria actually died years later, on July 24th 1871.
39:14
Kristin: And this time it was for real.
39:16
Kristin: Going right back to Glasnevin Cemetery, just a stone's throw away from the site of her original fake funeral, maria Higgins holds the strangest, most comical record of being the only person ever buried in Glasnevin Cemetery twice.
39:31
Kristin: It's worth mentioning that Glasnevin Cemetery offers a variety of tours, each tailored to different interests, whether it's history, notable women or the more unusual stories of the departed.
39:42
Kristin: The on-site museum adds even more depth, with exhibits, a cafe and a rotating schedule of special events.
39:49
Kristin: What's great is that all proceeds go right back into preserving the cemetery, ensuring its history stays alive.
39:55
Kristin: If you can't make it to Glasnevin in person, the 2004 documentary One Million Dubliners offers a beautifully crafted tour of the grounds.
40:05
Kristin: But what truly makes the film unforgettable is historian Shane McThomas.
40:09
Kristin: His passion for Glasnevin is undeniable, turning what some might see as just a cemetery into a living, breathing part of Ireland's history.
40:19
Kristin: Every moment he's on the screen you feel his deep love for the grounds.
40:23
Kristin: It's contagious and it completely reframes the way you think of cemeteries and the stories they hold.
40:29
Kristin: The film also highlights that Glasnevin isn't just for those in mourning.
40:33
Kristin: It's a place for everyone, from schoolchildren to lifelong history buffs.
40:37
Kristin: Tragically, shane McThomas never got to see the finished documentary, but in many ways it stands as a tribute to a man who, through his tours and storytelling, unknowingly impacted so many lives, when a Million Dubliners is available to rent on Apple, amazon and YouTube.
40:56
Kristin: As a gated keeper of stories, a silent witness to generations lost and the echoes of its residents, of the lives they left behind, glass 7 serves many roles cultural, historical and deeply personal.
41:09
Kristin: Here, grief and memory intertwine with the cold embrace of stone and earth.
41:14
Kristin: Some visit weekly, tending graves with quiet devotion, whispering to those who can no longer answer.
41:20
Kristin: Others come not for loved ones but for strangers, pausing before names they never knew, offering silent acts of remembrance.
41:28
Kristin: Whether out of love, duty or reverence, each visitor leaves behind a trace of something greater, a connection to the past, a recognition that the dead are never truly forgotten and still alive within its gates, waiting for you to enter.
41:44
Kristin: So I hope St Patrick's Day becomes more than a day about a man, but a nation full of history, personal legacies of women and men who helped shape it into the Ireland we know today, and historians like Shane McThomas who deserve a place of remembrance.
42:02
Kristin: The grave grind for Glasnevin Cemetery was a cortando from Unfiltered in Dublin.
42:07
Kristin: For more honorary grinds in the area, please visit the-grimcom.
42:13
Kristin: For now we're closing the gate on Glasnevin Cemetery.
42:16
Kristin: We hope you enjoyed our dig into history If you did subscribe today to join us next time when we open the gate on the Grimm.