Kilbroney Cemetery – cross and chapel

Overview

Kilbroney is a working municipal cemetery wrapped around a monastic site more than 1,500 years old, which is the reason to come: the graves of a 19th-century giant and an 8th-century saint sit a few steps apart. It’s just outside the village of Rostrevor in County Down, on a south-facing slope dropping toward the Kilbroney River, with views out over the Mourne Mountains and Carlingford Lough. Also known as Kilbroney Graveyard or St Bronagh’s Graveyard, it’s free and open daily.

History

The name Cill Bhronaigh, ‘Bronagh’s Church’, points to a 5th-century monastic settlement founded by Saint Bronagh, a contemporary of St Patrick. By the 12th century a small stone church stood here; today only a ruined wall remains, overgrown with ivy and shaded by a tall oak.

The headline relic is the late-8th-century granite cross marking Saint Bronagh’s traditional burial place. Carved from Mourne granite, it carries early knotwork and lacks the central wheel head common on later high crosses, which is part of how its early date is read. Nearby a healing well, reputed to cure eye and throat ailments, still draws visitors.

The graveyard also keeps a slice of more recent history. It holds the tomb of Patrick Murphy, the 19th-century ‘world’s tallest man’ at 8ft 1in. A 1916 maritime disaster on Carlingford Lough is marked by the grave of James Curran, whose body was identified by a last-minute, button-sewn shirt. Buried here too are Tom Dunn, a United Irishman executed after the 1798 rebellion, and several members of the O’Rourke family.

In February 2023 Crotlieve Council announced a £300,000 refurbishment of the cemetery. Over six months the works added burial plots to the right of the entrance, replaced the ageing paving-slab path on the left with a concrete walkway, and put in modern lighting and a works compound. The council kept access open throughout and says the new concrete path gives wheelchair users a smoother surface while the historic stone sections are left as they were.

What to see

• Saint Bronagh’s cross – The 8th-century granite cross up close; a textbook example of early Irish stone carving.
• The ruined 12th-century church – Follow the ivy-clad wall to where the chapel stood; an oak now grows from the original floor.
• The healing well – A quiet corner in the shade, long associated with cures for the eyes and throat.
• Patrick Murphy’s grave – The headstone of the 8ft 1in giant, an oddity worth seeking out.
• James Curran’s grave – One of the local men lost in the 1916 SS Connemara and Retriever collision in the lough.
• The viewpoint – From the raised ground, the Mourne range, the Kilbroney River and Carlingford Lough lay out below you.

Practical information

Accessibility

The 2023 refurbishment added a wheelchair-friendly concrete walkway running the length of the main entrance side, with low-level lighting for evening visits. The historic stone path opposite is still uneven but clearly signposted, so you can pick the route that suits you. Portable seating has been installed at the main viewpoint.

Getting there

The cemetery is a short walk from the main Kilbroney Park car park. From the A2, turn onto Kilbroney Road heading into Rostrevor; the sign is clearly visible. The Ulsterbus service runs to Rostrevor, with a short taxi ride to the site from there. Cyclists can approach on the Rostrevor Red Trail, which runs nearby.

Nearby attractions

• Kilbroney Park – A 2-mile forest walk, riverside paths and the ‘Aslan’s Table’ rock formation.
• Rostrevor Forest – More walking routes and viewpoints over Carlingford Lough.
• Cloughmore Stone – The 40-ton boulder tied to the Finn McCool legend, a short drive away.
• St Mary’s Star of the Sea Church – Home to Saint Bronagh’s Bell, which locals say answers prayers when rung three times.
• Narnia Sculpture, Kilbroney Forest Park – A wooden sculpture trail through the forest, good for a family stroll.