Select Image Below To Visit The Photo Gallery: Saint Johns Old Churchyard Kilkenny

Photographed By William Murphy - Select Image To View Photographs

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FEATURES SOME COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES

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I visited Kilkenny in June 2025 only to leave with a sense of unfinished business. My primary companion on that trip, the Leica Q3, and I had a bit of a falling out. Despite its premium pedigree, I struggled with persistent focus issues that turned what should have been a serene photographic study of St John’s Churchyard into a lesson in frustration.

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Fast forward to February 2026: I returned to the Marble City, this time armed with a Sony A1 II and a versatile selection of glass. While a significant firmware update has since resolved my Leica’s temperamental behaviour, I opted for the Sony powerhouse this time—partly for its robust weather sealing against the unpredictable Irish storms, and partly, perhaps, for a fresh perspective.

The Mystery of the Locked Lens

Reflecting on that 2025 trip, I realised the "fault" lay not in the stars, but in my own thumb. After checking into the Kilkenny Pembroke Hotel, I headed straight for the Old Dublin Road. I tried to engage the Autofocus (AF)—a rarity for me, as I usually prefer manual—but it simply refused to cooperate. Later that week, Macro mode proved equally elusive.

After some post-trip soul-searching and expert advice, the culprit was revealed: the AF lock button. On the Q3, switching between manual and auto requires a tactile click of a small button on the lens tab to lock the ring into the "A" position. It’s a classic Leica quirk—tactile and intentional, but incredibly easy to overlook if you are operating on muscle memory from other systems. I wasn't alone; apparently, it's a rite of passage for Q3 owners. St John’s Churchyard: A Landscape Transformed

The graveyard itself, situated on the Old Dublin Road between Maudlin Street and the Dublin Road, is a site of profound historical weight. During my first visit, the grounds were treacherous; long grass and hidden obstacles made it a literal leg-breaking hazard. Returning this February, I was pleased to find the undergrowth cleared, revealing the haunting beauty of the site safely.

Though it currently lacks an active church, the grounds have deep ecclesiastical roots:

13th Century: Home to ancient coffin-shaped slabs.

The Magdalen Connection: Once linked to a leper hospital and later the "Chapel of the Magdalens."

Evolution: A chapel rebuilt in 1796 was dismantled in 1847. In the 1920s, the remaining structure served as a concert hall (hosting the likes of John McCormack) before being fully removed in the 1950s.

A Study in Contrasts

St John’s presents a fascinating, if slightly jarring, "divided" landscape. Because the yard is managed by St John’s Parish rather than the local council, maintenance can be a challenge for such a vast, historic space.

However, one corner remains impeccably manicured. This section houses four Commonwealth War Graves from the 1914–1918 war. Maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), these headstones stand in stark, polished contrast to the weathered 17th and 18th-century monuments nearby. It is a poignant reminder of the impact that dedicated, international conservation can have on local heritage.

Final Thoughts

With the Sony A1 II in hand and the sun (occasionally) peeking through the February clouds, I finally captured the images I had sought a year prior. St John’s is more than just a collection of headstones; it is a 13th-century archive of Kilkenny’s mayors, bishops, and soldiers, now finally emerging from the shadows of the overgrown weeds.

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