Michael G. Considine was most surely buried at the Abbey in Ennis. The elderly man who spoke to Stan Delaplane at the Abbey in 1958 did provide an interesting clue for genealogists that should not be ignored. He said, "There's O'Brien Kings of Thomond lie buried here in the cold dark tombs. Now they bury the good people over at Dromcliffe. But when I was a small lad, they buried even the commoners here". This elderly man in 1958 must have been a young lad in the late 19th century. Thus, we should revisit the assumption that Michael Considine's wife Mary, who died in December 1882, was buried at Drumcliff. Sheila, you had thought that, "as her death came before Michael’s, she was probably buried in Drumcliff and not in the Abbey". Based upon the elderly man's conversation with Stan Delaplane, I reckon Mary Considine was buried in the Abbey, same as Michael Considine. Her obituary was reported in the Freeman's Journal of Dublin:
In February 1863, the last stone for the O'Connell Monument was raised at the top of the column. I reckon Michael Considine gave his finest speech on that day. Getting the actual O'Connell statue completed was mired in a bit of controversy over the compensation of the sculptor, and difficulties in raising further funds in poor economic times. The official inauguration was not until the 3rd of October 1865. This was a huge event with special trains from neighboring counties. There were many speakers on that day and the speech of Michael Considine, who was noted as wearing a green uniform and O'Connell cap, does not appear to have been reported in the newspapers. Here is his speech from February 1863 when the last stone was placed on the column and he was the only speaker:CONSIDINE - Dec 13, 1882, at Ennis, County Clare, the wife of M G Considine, prepared with all the consolations of her holy religion. She was a fond and loving wife. R I P.
Freeman's Journal, Dublin, 18 December 1882
RAISING THE LAST STONE OF THE CLARE NATIONAL COLUMN TO O'CONNELL.
(Cor. Weekly Register, Feb. 21) [1863]
On last Saturday much excitement prevailed here. During the day, large numbers of the country people who came to market, neglected business, so anxious were they to see the last stone of the national column to the great O'Connell raised to the top. Much credit is due to Mr. Carroll, the contractor, for the caution and care he took to have the machinery and ropes in proper order. When the stone was raised from the ground, every heart beat high, and all eyes were fixed, watching every movement of the stone, which weighed over three tons. At five o'clock it reached the top of the column, after a safe passage, so anxiously wished for by the assembled multitude. Mr. Carroll was warmly greeted by the people, who called on Mr. Considine, to come forward and address the meeting. He most willingly complied. Standing at the base of the column, he said :— Men of Ennis, I do not intend to occupy your time by a long speech ; I only wish to pay a vote of thanks, on the part of the people of this town, to Mr. Carroll, the contractor, for the very praiseworthy manner he has completed this beautiful column, and to the mechanic, Michael McMahon, to whose taste and abilities the entire building owes much, now that the last stone is landed safe above, after much care and caution on the part of the contractor. Wreathed around with the Irish shamrock, I ask, is it not more truly an Irish trophy rather than the Russian gun which was sought to be planted here ? (Groans for the old gun.) I here tell you that no true Irishman should be so base as to sympathise in British trophies or exult in England's victories until he sees his down trodden country restored her native independence. (A voice: We must get our own again.) Men of Ennis, when first I stood on an old barrel here on this spot at your head, I opposed the Whig corruption of introducing into our town that so called mark of British valour, and proclaimed for this monument to the great O'Connell, and the honest forty-shilling freeholders of Clare in 1828. Little did these Whig advocates think that the voice and exertions of working men would succeed, but thank God, we today proved what working men could do for Ireland, if honestly and legally united and true to their cause. Yes, I can stand today, not on the old barrel, but at the base of this national column. (Cheers.) Fellow countrymen, this was one of my principal motives; why I did undergo so much labour and make so many sacrifices, was to prove to you in acts what Irishmen, if honestly and legally united could do for Ireland, and not waiting for place hunters and low aristocrats to get them liberty. "Know you not, who would be free themselves must strike the blow?" (Cheers.) Don't think it was to ornament our town that I laboured; no, nor to honour the mighty dead as the emancipator only; no, but as the Repealer also; and give three cheers for the repeal of that base Act of Union. (Loud cheers.) Oh! may your voices reach to the throne of heaven, to bring down a blessing on your honest intentions towards your suffering country. May it reach across the Atlantic and every other part of the earth where an Irishman is found. May it arouse them to a sense of their duty towards poor Erin. The Irish abroad do not forget faith and fatherland. I saw Irish pluck and Irish spirit proved not long since at Hyde- park. Yes. It was [unclear word] at Fontenoy. (Cheers for the Irishmen in London.) After several other remarks, the speaker concluded by passing the vote of thanks, and said he hoped the statue would be soon done, when they would hear on the day of the inauguration such Irishmen as Father Vaughan, Father Lavelle, The O'Donoghue, Thomas Neilson Underwood, and other good and true Irishmen; that he would then wear the suit of green he was presented with by the Nationalists and Irishmen of London. (Loud cheering.) I am sure that honest Irishman, Thady Lynch, who is this evening absent, will stand by him as one of his fellow-labourers in the noble cause, and that if he is an Irishman in the dungeon or on the scaffold, he would never deny he loved the Irish green. It was for that love Lord Edward died, and Wolfe sank serene, because they could not live to see the English red above the Irish green. (Great cheering and waving of hats.) After the speaker was done, the people separated, highly gratified at the noble completion of the column. Mr. Considine's patriotic mission ends with credit to himself and honour to the working men of Ireland. After he raises the cost of the four steps that are to go at the base of the column, and the expense of putting on the statue; for, as Mr. Considine stated in his address, the people of Clare owed a deep debt of gratitude to Dr. Gray and the liberal press of Dublin for the £100 to pay for it when finished, and also to the Priests, Nationalists, and Irishmen of London, and the Catholic and Liberal press of that city for the last stone of the column that they saw to-day raised to the top.
Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 20 May 1863, (per trove newspaper database, National Library of Australia)
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/115429667
This speech also clarifies that the green coat of Michael Considine held by the Clare Museum was not actually given to him by Daniel O'Connell. It would be more correct to say "The green coat of O'Connell's Repeal Association was presented to Michael Considine in 1862 by the Nationalists and Irishmen of London where Considine was fundraising for the O'Connell Monument under construction in Ennis."
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/clarem ... l_coat.htm
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/clarem ... r_coat.htm