FOR 400 years families from West Cavan and parts of Leitrim have buried their dead on Inch Island, in the middle of Templeport Lake, and this week the remains of 80-year-old George Plunkett, of Airmount, Bawnboy, Co Cavan, were laid to rest among the tombstones which date back to the year 1600. According to tradition, the clay on the island preserves anyone who possesses it from the dangers of fire and water.

One woman is said to have been saved in the Titanic disaster because she carried with her some clay from the island. After the funeral service for the late Mr Plunkett in Kildoagh Catholic Church, his remains were taken by boat to Templeport Lake and interred in Inch Island.

Listen to 54-year-old Michael McGovern, who tends the island graveyard and rows the dead from the mainland. The same families in West Cavan and parts of Leitrim have been burying their dead on this island for the past four centuries. A saint called St Mogue lived on it once. He had a chapel there and these people consider this very hallowed ground. An average of six funerals take place there each year. They are recorded in the Book of Interments which hangs in Mr McGovern's home near the lake. Michael ferries the coffin, the clergy, the chief mourners and others over to the island in a 16-foot-long flat bottomed boat supplied by Cavan Co Council.

Kilkenny Journal 26 August 1857

LAST Saturday a number of Reapers surrounded the house of Mr Loughnan, and proceeded in the most insulting terms to demand admission. On enquiring into the reason of their conduct we found out that the gentleman had engaged them to do his harvest work, on the understanding they should begin to work at six in the morning. The Reapers did not commence till several hours afterwards, when Mr Loughnan, very naturally, wanted to deduct the amount of time so lost, and which, it appears, was part of the agreement, but the Reapers refused to take the amount tendered them by Mr Loughnan and had thus proceeded to his house to compel him to give them more than their due. Luckily he managed to reach the Tholsel and place himself under the protection of the police. The Reapers warily followed him, and the utmost efforts of the police were required to keep them from breaking the peace.

We understand that there is some misconception regarding the unpleasant affair which took place at our station on the arrival of the Kilkenny Excursion train from Dublin. It is stated that "showers of stones and several rockets were thrown into the carriages by a crowd collected on the platform".

This we are informed is a somewhat exaggerated picture of the affair. The stones were sand and the rockets squibs, some of which had been let off before as well as after the train had arrived. These squibs, were, it appears, intended to annoy the persons on the platform, but why they should have been annoyed, we have not heard, and we fully agree with our contemporary that the railway authorities should not permit such pranks to be played to the serious discomfort and endangerment of the passengers. The sand was, it is also alleged, not thrown till the Kilkenny boys called out to the crowd on the platform, "Scallion Eaters".

We sincerely trust that precautions will be taken to prevent a recurrence of scenes in every respect so discreditable.