Why is it a place of pilgrimage?
‘The graveyard which has come to symbolise the Famine for North Kerry and Listowel areas is undoubtedly Teampall Bán, located on the outskirts of Listowel Town off the Ballybunion Road, just beyond the old Lartigue Railway over bridge. Taking the true Famine period here to be from 1845 to 1852 (when the Board of Guardians ceased to use the hospital, now incorporated in St. Michael’s College) it can be described as a famine / pauper’s graveyard. The indications are that somewhat more than half of those dying in the workhouse of the Listowel Union in those years were children under fifteen years of age. The graveyard was opened in February 1850, and between then and June185 the records show that 2,641 people died in the Workhouse, of whom 1504 were children under the age of 15 years or younger. Gale Cemetery had previously been used for burial from the Workhouse and at least 2,500 were buried there. Teampall Bán continued in use for burial of paupers until the late 1930’s. Many of the victims of the 1918 flu epidemic were also said to be buried there’
[Quotation from a book published on the graveyard by John Pierce in 2014]
Further Information, prayers or rituals associated with the site:
The graveyard has been cleaned and upgraded in recent times with a lovely altar and a place to sit and pray – a place of pilgrimage to remember our ancestors. Many people use it and the Rosary is recited at the Altar of Our Lady during the month of May.