Kilmore & Drumsnatt
The Tragic Tale of Oscar Wilde’s Half Sisters
On the Clones road, a short distance out of Monaghan town, you’ll meet a sign that says ‘Drumsnatt Church of Ireland’ and at the back of this Church (named St Molua's Church) you’ll find the headstone of Emily and Mary Wilde, Oscar Wilde’s half sisters that perished in a freak fire accident in the area.
‘In memory of two loving and loved sisters, Emily Wilde aged 24 and Mary Wilde, aged 22, who lost their lives by accident in this parish, Nov 10th 1871. They were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in death they were not divided’ reads the sisters headstone who lost their lives in a fire in the nearby manor, Drummaconor House.
On this fatal Halloween night of 1871, one of the sisters caught fire while dancing with the host of the ball. The other sister tried to extinguish the flames engulfing her sibling and set herself alight too. In a bid to save them, they were rolled in the snow outside but sadly, these efforts were fruitless and the two women died and were buried in this graveyard at Kilmore, Drumsnatt where you can visit and pay your respects.
Find Out More…
For more information:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/27699497