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Peter O’Connell 1746-1826

Born in Carne near Killimer, County Clare. He was a school teacher who spent much of his life compiling an Irish dictionary. Eugene O’Curry, who had been one of his pupils, described it as the most comprehensive Irish-English dictionary in existence.

            He is buried in County Clare.

Ellen Hanley 1803-1819, The Colleen Bawn, is buried in the same grave. She was a poor girl from Croom in County Limerick who eloped with John Scanlan of Ballycahane House. Scanlan later had her murdered and her body was eventually washed up at Moneypoint, County Clare. Scanlan was tried and despite being from a well-to-do family and being defended by Daniel O’Connell, he was found guilty and subsequently executed. His manservant, Steven Sullivan, was later apprehended and suffered the same fate, admitting that he had killed Ellen on Scanlan’s orders. The story was made famous by Gerald Griffin who used it as the plot for his novel The Collegians. Boucicault used the story for his play The Colleen Bawn.

            So many people took souvenirs from the original gravestone that it completely disappeared.

Further information, location and directions to the grave are to be found in "The End - An Illustrated Guide to the Graves of Irish Writers".  Click here to order a copy of this book