St. Michael’s cemetery occupies a hallowed position in its neat and level setting immediately south of the church. It is first of all the resting place of great numbers of Irish immigrants who settled the area in the 1830s and 18405, coming from the counties of Carlow, Fermanagh, Kerry, Kilkenny, Monaghan, Waterford and Wexford. From the tombstones and other evi- dence it appears clear that these Iona Irish came out before the Great Famine that plagued Ireland from 1845 through 1848. Nearly twenty tombstones include the county of origin of these pioneers and at least half a dozen carry the year of immigration, the earliest date being shown on the stone of Thomas Morrissey, native of County Kilkenny, who immigrated in 1830. Like many Island burial places, the Iona cemetery is old and contains within its womb precious memories that lie deep in history.

This resting place has always been one of special attraction for me, some of that coming no doubt from Dad who talked about It freely and often strolled there, pencil and notebook in hand, recording some tidbit of information frbm the printed stones. Frpm an early age I recall the burial rituals there, coming to grips with the reality of death and separation as grief-stricken Survivors bid a last farewell to a loved one. One poignant memory from around the age of eight involved the burial of a YOUIIg mother whose two children were about my grade. There they Stood nervously wringing their hands and looking question- ably at the nearby grave while their elders bore the burden of sOrrow. For most of the years covered here, there was no attempt