In 1932, a Hungarian sea captain, Rudolph Udvardy, who was master of the MV Honved,was in the port of Waterford with a cargo of Maize. To free up berth space, the Honved dropped down to Cheekpoint, where she anchored while the ship waited for an outgoing cargo. (Following the Market crash there was a shipping slump, and ships struggled to find cargo) Captain Udvardy was already ill when entering port. So he continued to receive medical attention when at anchor off the Russsianside, Cheekpoint. The doctor traveled over from Dunmore East, and was regularly rowed out from Moran’s poles to the ship by my Grandmothers brothers, who also waited to return him to shore.
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| gathering at Faithlegg church gates |
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| The captain’s body leaving his ship for the last time aboard the “Point Lass” with Billy & Denny Doherty (The Green) |
They agreed to accompany her back to the church. Strolling in, they had a light step, but this froze at the back of the church when they too heard sounds. More cautious now, they scooped up some holy water and began to inch forward, splashing it as they went, hoping t’wud be enough to keep any evil away. In the darkness nothing could be seen, but as they inched forward, the mumbling could be discerned to words, strange and foreign words. Panic was rising amongst the three and the holy water was being splashed with abandon when one of them stumbled and emitted a cry. All went silent, no mumbling could be heard, and then a whisper came from the area where the Captains coffin stood. Someone was asking who was there, in broken English and in a strange tongue, but human undoubtedly.
Moving forward the protectors of the Captains coffin were confronted with the Arab crew, They did not understand the Christian custom of leaving the coffin on its own in the Church overnight. Their custom, they explained, was to remain. The chapel was left open that night and next morning the Captain’s body was committed to foreign soil. The grave was surrounded by his officers and crew. And there was a huge turnout from the area, a turnout as befitted a sailor who died so far away from his family, something well known to the village of Cheekpoint.
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| The graveside, bedecked in local flowers |
The ship remained for a few more weeks, and finally with a new Captain sailed out the harbour. His wife would later sent a small plant in a pot, asking that it be planted to mark her husbands grave. She need not have worried however. His grave was originally marked by a very distinctive metal plaque (John Sullivan could tell me that this was made by Jimmy Shanahan (RIP)) and when this finally disintegrated, a local benefactor provided the headstone that now marks his last resting place. Flowers still appear on the grave from time to time, A reflection of how deep the connection to the events that autumn in 1932 went.
Sea Captain Honved, Nationality Hungarian. Died aboard Ship Honved at Cheekpoint
Photo credit: I took copies of the three photos above from an article by John O’Connor in the Munster Express a few years back. My grandmother had a full set of photos, as did many others in the village, but these are no longer at home. One of the ships officers had a camera and took several photos in the village at the time. He made several copies and posted them back, I’m guessing in some token of appreciation for the kindness shown.