Tydavnet is a very small village in the north county Monaghan, but despite its small size it has a rich history that goes back 4,000 years to the Bronze Age. From that period are the famous Tydavnet Gold Discs now at the National Museum of Ireland.
St. Dympna was fleeing from the wrath of her father when she stopped in Tydavnet and performed a miracle in a house of the village. The name of Tydavnet comes from the Irish Tigh Damhnait that means Dympna's House.
Another item stored at the National Museum of Ireland is the crozier of St. Dympna that has been property of the Lambe family in Tydavnet for centuries.
The village was attacked and plundered by the Normans in 1206.
The first chapel dedicated to St. Dympna was on a site that is now used as a graveyard. The church was in ruins in 1641.
The ancient graveyard boasts the most beautiful carved grave stones of all Ireland, all carved with mortality symbols, the folk-art typical of this area and that probably originates from the first Scottish people who were brought here during the Plantation.
These slabs show the typical coffins, skulls and crossbones, but others have indications that the burial was for a tradesman. Their work tools are carved on the stones. Others have scenes from the Bible, mainly Adam and Eve.
The collection is wonderful and is worth a visit.
During our visit a very friendly man gave us the directions to the graveyard and asked us to sign the visitors' book that would have been presented during the village's festival in August.
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