friar’s bush graveyard
September 19th, 2008
On Sunday I visited Belfast’s oldest Catholic site, Friar’s Bush Graveyard, on the Stranmillis Road. Catholics met here before St Mary’s Church was built 1784.
A major cholera epidemic struck in 1832-33 and the graveyard has a large mound where over 400 victims’ bodies were buried. This mound is known as ‘The Plaguey Hill’. The bodies, most unidentified, were burnt before burial to prevent the spread of infection. It was opened again in 1847 to take more victims of the Great Famine.
It is believed that the graveyard dates back to the time of St Patrick, who died around 490 AD, due to the vaguely heart-shaped stone with the inscription ‘AD 985′. Despite the fact that many historians believe this to be true, the tour guide disagreed stating that it is fake. He had a copy of a 16th Century painting with the graveyard in the foreground and greater Belfast, extending to Carrickfergus, in the background. The rectangular stone is in the painting, whereas the rounded one is not.
It is a mystery, and that’s the way it will remain.
The graveyard was closed in 1869 due to overcrowding.
Now covered in exotic herbs and flowers alien to the country, the city council has allowed the ground left to grow wild, so they can see what other mysteries – of the biological kind – the cemetery contains.
More photos on flickr
