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Approaching McGrath’s Cross in Tankardstown on the N81.
The County Carlow parish of Tankardstown (Baile Thancaird) is in the barony of Rathvilly, a little under 3km north-northwest of Tullow. It covers a chunky 1417 acres and borders the townlands of Ballybit Big, Rathlyon and Kilmagarvoge to the west, Knockeen and Liscolman to the east, Butlersgrange to the south and Tobinstown to the north. I believe Paulville is part of this same townland.
In 1824, an Abstract of Answers and Returns pursuant to Act for taking Account of Population of Ireland (HMSO), p. 5, reported:
‘In Tankardstown Parish it is observed, that the foundling children, of which there are many, are the chief support of the families who keep them; this and Tullowphelim Parishes, appear to constitute the Ecclesiastical Parish of Tullow.’
In his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837), Samuel Lewis counted 1101 inhabitants, before adding:
“It is situated on the rivers Dereen and Slaney, the former of which separates it from the county of Wicklow and bounds it on the east, and the latter bounds it on the west. About 7/10 of its surface consists of meadow and pasture; the reminder is arable, with a small portion of wood. Within its limits are the small hamlet called from its situation Tankardstown Crossroads, and Cappagh House, the residence of William Young, Esq. In ecclesiastical concerns it is not known as a parish, but constitutes part of the rectory of Tullow, in the diocese of Leighlin; and in the Roman Catholic divisions also it is part of the union or district of Tullow. About 170 children are educated in two private schools. At Capnagh is the ruins of an old castle.”
According to the 1846 Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland, ‘the inhabitants of Tankardstown consisted of 42 Churchmen, and 1,059 Roman Catholics’ in 1834, while the ‘2 pay daily schools in Tankardstown had on their books 101 boys and 72 girls.’
The R627 crossroads in the north of Tankardstown is known as McGrath’s Cross Roads while the one to the north, where a minor road branches off towards Rathmore, is called Judy Lees Cross Roads. The hump of a bridge over which one drives when heading east towards Hacketstown from McGrath’s Cross is thought to be the only surviving railway bridge of the old Baltinglass to Tullow line. The house which stands between the cross and the railway bridge was built, as an inscribed stone on the site says, by James ‘Jim’ Doyle in 1969. I must track the source of the stream that runs past this house and, I think, parallel to the N81 and the old railway line.
Continuing over the railway bridge towards Hacketstown, the first crossroads you pass through offers you a slip road north (L60323) to Ballybit or south to Park House Stud. A roadworks sign erected at this cross in October 2025 maintained it was called Molly’s Cross.
I believe the actual crossroads of Tankardstown Cross is beside the entrance to Edward Byrne’s house. Edward is a building conservation consultant and founder of the Traditional Lime Company. His ancestors have been here since at least 1571 when a pardon was granted to James mac Gerald O’Byrne of Tankardstown, a horseman (cavalry soldier or knight). See here for more.
According to the Irish Ecclesiastical Record (Browne and Nolan, 1870), Volume 6, p. 245, ‘the ruins of an old church called Templemoneen – Teampull a Moinen’ were to be found just west of Tankardstown Cross and the Byrne’s house. (See here). Translated as “the church of the little bog”, it is described thus described in the Name Book: “Four or five head-stones in the graveyard, a portion of the west gable standing, about 9 feet high, and about 5 yards of the north side wall adjoining east gable, of about the same height , and covered with ivy. One stone has an inscription, dating to 1745.” (Comerford, p. 395), There is or was also a graveyard here. In 1603, the rectories of ‘Tankards town’ and ‘Templemoneen’ were part of a royal grant made to John Eustace of Harristown (and confirmed to his son Sir Maurice Eustace in 1627), which also included the rectories of Straboe (north of Tullow), Templeboy, Rathmore, ‘Moyacon (Clonegal), Donna honack and Ballaghmore (now part of Myshall).’
[Tankardstown is also cited by Breandán S. Mac Aodha in “An tAthrá in Áitainmneacha Na hÉireann.” Studia Hibernica, no. 24, 1988, pp. 122–26. I have not yet had an opportunity to look at the precise citation.]
Does anyone have any information on the Tankard family, sometimes Tancred, of County Carlow?
According to one definition:
‘Tancred or Tankred is a masculine given name of Teutonic or Germanic origin that comes from thank- (thought) and -rath (counsel), meaning “well-thought advice”. It was used in the High Middle Ages mainly by the Normans (French, Tancrède) and especially associated with the Hauteville family in Italy.’
There is a 2-metre high granite standing stone at Rathlyon in Tankardstown, known locally ‘Molly’s Cross Stone’, that appears to be aligned east-west with others in Tobinstown and Liscoleman. Rathlyon was home to the Healy family since 1826 but was sold recently and the Healys now live at Rathanure.
There was a Brother Tancred who was involved with the Knights Templar who were themselves connected to Killerrig.
With thanks to Belinda Evangelista.
Doyles of Tankardstown and Rathlyon
During the 19th century, a branch of the Doyle family lived at Rathlyon House. The Pilot of 16 July 187 recorded how Eliza Doyle, daughter of Martin Doyle, joined the Brigidines in Tullow as per this account here. A generation later, the Pilot of 8 December 1900, here, recorded a marriage at the Church of St. Francis Xavier, Dublin, where the Rev. Daniel Rourke, cousin to the bride, assisted by the Very Rev. Monsignor Bourke, united in marriage Joseph M. Doyle, eldest son of the late Martin Doyle, of Rathlyon House, Tullow, to Kate Maher, youngest daughter of Thomas Maher, of Donore Houee, Bagenalstown.
Tankardstown House (R93R296) was built in the 1800s and occupied by the Doyle family for many decades. Pat Doyle was known as ‘the meal man’ after he distributed food during the Great Hunger. Was he a kinsman of Martin Doyle of Rathlyon? Pat married Mary Nowlan/Newlan, with whom he had at least two sons, James Doyle (baptised in 1834) and Michael Doyle (baptised in 1846).
Born in Tankardstown, James Doyle (1834-1903), eldest son of Pat and Mary, went on to open a hotel and a store on Shamrock Square in Carlow Town on 17 March 1884, the same year the GAA was founded. The original business combined a hotel, grocery and hardware store. This evolved into a larger retail and distribution business, known locally as Doyle’s of The Shamrock until it was rebranded as Topline Doyle in 2007. Clodagh Byrne recalls how the store still had a bar in her youth. Today it trades from a large premises in Shamrock Business Park, Graiguecullen, with a second store in Tullow. It is owned by another Michael Doyle, great-grandson of James. When James died in 1903, he received this obituary in the Carlow Nationalist on 16 May, p. 4:
DEATH OF MR. JAMES DOYLE,
SHAMROCK HOTEL, CARLOW.
We deeply regret to have to record the death of the above well known and highly esteemed inhabitant of Carlow, which occurred on Monday after an illness of a fortnight’s duration. Mr. Doyle had reached a ripe age, but his vigorous frame and the good health he enjoyed gave promise of a longer span of life so that his end was somewhat sudden. Deceased spent his earlier years in agricultural pursuits, but deciding to embark in business he took the extensive premises known as the Shamrock Hotel. Here he engaged, not alone in hotel‑keeping, but also as coal merchant and timber dealer. He also equipped a fine saw yard, and carried on coach‑building. In all his undertakings he showed himself to be a man of great shrewdness, ability, and business tact. His character for probity and straightforwardness in all his dealings gained him the respect of all who knew him and helped to secure him the large connection that he made. Mr. Doyle was a good employer, and a kind neighbour and friend.
On Wednesday the remains were removed from his late residence to the Cathedral, where Office and High Mass for the repose of his soul took place, his Lordship the Most Rev. Dr. Foley presided, assisted by Rev. E. Nagle, S.J., as deacon; Rev. P. Gorry, C.C., and Rev. M. J. Murphy, C.C., as celebrants; Rev. A. Lyons, C.C., deacon; Rev. P. Campion, C.C., sub‑deacon; Rev. J. K. Kells, C.C., master of ceremonies; Rev. L. Brophy, C.C., chanted the following were in the choir: Rev. J. Dempsey, P.P., Arles; Rev. T. O’Neill, P.P., Ballinglen; Rev. J. Cullen, P.P., Tinryland; Rev. J. Harris, Adam’s; Rev. J. Kearns …
The funeral took place immediately after to St. Mary’s Cemetery. The hearse was followed by a very large concourse of people, amongst whom Carlow, Tullow, and Bagenalstown were represented by their leading citizens, while there seemed to be scarcely a district in the County Carlow from which there were not some present.
The chief mourners were—Messrs. Patrick Doyle and Michael Doyle (sons), Michael Doyle (brother), Martin Murphy and Thomas Murphy, J.P., D.L., D.C. (brothers‑in‑law); P. F. Byrne, Tullow (son‑in‑law); Joseph Doyle, Thomas Doyle, Thomas Murphy, P. Donohoe, Patrick Donohoe, Patrick Doyle, and Laurence Doyle (nephews); Miss Doyle (grand‑daughter).
Amongst those who placed wreaths on the grave were: Mrs. Purcell, Patrick and Mrs. Byrne, Tullow; also the Misses Doogue, Athy; Mrs. Dillon, Tullow; and others.
The last prayers at the graveside were said by the Very Rev. James Harris, Adm., and the Rev. P. Gorry, C.C.
James’s widow ____ (née Murphy) died at the Shamrock Hotel on 4 July 1914 at an advanced age. She was described in the Carlow Nationalist of 11 July 1914 as ‘a fervent Catholic’ who received ‘all the consolations of her holy religion at her last moment.’
Michael Doyle, James’s son, appeared in the 1911 census with his wife Anne and son Joseph. I suspect he was the Michael Doyle of the Shamrock Hotel who was married at St Peter’s Church, Phibsborough, County Dublin, on 21 February 1906 to Annie Hoesy, only daughter of James Hoesy of Bulloch Park, Carlow. (Evening Herald, 22 February 1906, p. 5). As a young man, Michael was involved in a curious episode as reported by the Carlow Nationalist on 26 December 1885, p. 3:
STRANGE OCCURRENCE
A good deal of surprise was occasioned on Monday by the arrest of a young man named Michael Doyle, son of Mr. James Doyle, Shamrock Hotel, Carlow, on a charge of attempted shooting. It appears that the charge arose out of the following strange circumstances:—An assistant in Mr. Doyle’s establishment, named O’Brien, had been unwell and confined to his room for some days. Michael Doyle, who was stated had been drinking freely, got possession of a revolver, and, as it appears from the statement of O’Brien, he went into the bedroom of the latter some days previous and ordered him up. O’Brien replied that he was ill and unable to get up. The other said that he would be hung for him or someone else, at the same time discharging a shot out of a revolver, followed by a second, in close proximity to the man in the bed. Mrs. Doyle, alarmed by the report, rushed into the bedroom and secured the revolver. No immediate steps were taken about the matter. Some days after O’Brien went to Father Cosgrave and handed him the bullets which he said had been fired at him. Father Cosgrave went to make enquiries, when he procured the revolver. On a report of the matter being made, and coming to the ears of the police, on Monday Sergeant Flewellin placed Michael Doyle under arrest, and an investigation was held by Major Hutchinson, R.M. Evidence was taken, and the revolver was handed over to the police by Father Cosgrave. The accused was remanded, on bail, to appear at next petty sessions.
Pat Doyle, brother of Michael, seemingly used to cycle over from Tankardstown to Carlow. His granddaughter Maree Doyle married the late Nicholas Carroll and Tankardstown passed into the Carroll family. This information was kindly provided by Clodagh Byrne, née Carroll, daughter of Nicholas and Maree.
NB: The late James ‘Jim’ Doyle of the house by the railway bridge is not believed to be related.
Mary Doyle of Busherstown House, Bennekerry, originally came from Tankardstown. An only child, she grew up in the house known as “The Rock,” which stands adjacent to Paddy Byrne of Park House, along the Paulville Road. The house is unoccupied, as of 2026, but the land is still farmed by Laurence Doyle of the same family.
