Questions about St. Selskar's/Margaret Roche

[Wexflyer]

Brief version:
1) Who is responsible for maintaining St. Selskar's Graveyard?
2) Have they kept any of the damaged/vandalised memorials?

Longer version:
My grandfather's grandmother, Margaret Roche, is buried in St. Selskar's churchyard, along with a a grandson, and (probably) her first husband, John Evoy.  While I growing up in Wexford my grandfather would often point out to me through the locked gates where she was buried, but we were unable to actually enter the churchyard at the time as it was closed for many years.
Many years later, in 1998, I was excited to discover that St. Selskar's was open! So, I went in and rushed over to the spot that my grandfather (God rest him) had so often pointed to.

Only to discover that the grave had been vandalised......

I was able to locate and recognise the correct grave, as there was a remaining base with an inscription for her grandson, but the original memorial cross was entirely missing.
Making some enquiries, I was told that the graveyard memorials were extensively vandalised by youths in the late 80s/through mid 90s. Dreadful that all they could find to occupy themselves  was to destroy the memorials of their ancestors. Be that as it may, I wondered if there was any chance that the vandalised memorials had been saved/put away for safe keeping (though I strongly suspect they were simply tossed).

So, back in 1998 I called round the CofI, Town Hall and County Council to find out who is responsible for the maintenance of St. Selskar's graveyard.  Everyone asserted that it was someone else, no one accepted that they were responsibile. So, I came away empty handed - did not know which was worse, the original vandalism, or that no one accepted responsibility for St. Selskar (it has to be one of the three bodies I just mentioned).

So, having been back to Wexford a week ago, and seeing St. Selskar - locked up again - I wonder if anyone here can answer the questions I started out with (above).

Thanks,
  Wexflyer

[sihuss]

Hi Wexflyer,

The state of St. Selskar's is indeed a cause of great embarrassment to the town.  As to the mindset of those who's only source of amusement was the destruction of their own heritage, well, one can only speculate.

I THINK it was the Borough Council who were responsible for the upkeep of the grounds, while the Office of Public Works, I think, have responsibility for the Abbey/Church itself. 

The Wexford Lions Club have recently volunteered to take over the upkeep of the grounds and, with a little help from the Tidy Towns Committee and Historical Society, have done great work in removing extensive overgrowth.  As part of that process I've catalogued all the gravestones and cross-referenced them with Brian Cantwell's survey from the 1980's. 

Unfortunately, as you are no doubt aware, the Evoy headstone was not one of those recorded by Cantwell.  We have catalogued a number of heatstones in situ not recorded by Cantwell.  There was also a small number of heatstone fragments in a corner of the cemetery but again, the memorial you refer to was not amongst them.

If I come across any more positive information for you, I will of course PM you.

Apologies for the ultimately unhelpful nature of this message.

Simon
Wexford

[Wexflyer]

Hi Wexflyer,

The state of St. Selskar's is indeed a cause of great embarrassment to the town.  As to the mindset of those who's only source of amusement was the destruction of their own heritage, well, one can only speculate.

I THINK it was the Borough Council who were responsible for the upkeep of the grounds, while the Office of Public Works, I think, have responsibility for the Abbey/Church itself. 

The Wexford Lions Club have recently volunteered to take over the upkeep of the grounds and, with a little help from the Tidy Towns Committee and Historical Society, have done great work in removing extensive overgrowth.  As part of that process I've catalogued all the gravestones and cross-referenced them with Brian Cantwell's survey from the 1980's. 

Unfortunately, as you are no doubt aware, the Evoy headstone was not one of those recorded by Cantwell.  We have catalogued a number of heatstones in situ not recorded by Cantwell.  There was also a small number of heatstone fragments in a corner of the cemetery but again, the memorial you refer to was not amongst them.

If I come across any more positive information for you, I will of course PM you.

Apologies for the ultimately unhelpful nature of this message.

Simon
Wexford

Just to say that I think it is wonderful that the Wexford Lyons Club has stepped forward to maintain St. Selskars. In Ireland we badly need more community involvement in maintaining our heritage.
- Wexflyer

[Angil]

Hi Wexflyer, I have been looking for information on Margaret Roche for a few years. She was my grandfather's Grandmother. I didn't know she was married twice. My name is Mc Evoy. My great uncle John Mc Evoy is buried in Selskar Abbey. He was killed on the football pitch in 1901. He was only 18 years old. It would be great to hear from you and see what information we can share.  Angil

[Wexflyer]

Hi Wexflyer, I have been looking for information on Margaret Roche for a few years. She was my grandfather's Grandmother. I didn't know she was married twice. My name is Mc Evoy. My great uncle John Mc Evoy is buried in Selskar Abbey. He was killed on the football pitch in 1901. He was only 18 years old. It would be great to hear from you and see what information we can share.  Angil

Well, this is an exciting development. We must be third cousins. I have sent you a personal message (PM).
- Wexflyer

[shorts]

Due to some great work by the local community this site now has a list of those buried within Selskar together with a map of the graveyard.

http://www.wexfordlionsclub.ie/index.php/component/content/article/8-what-we-do/5-selskar-abbey-project

[Angil]

Where are these records