Grubb’s Grave

I decided to drive to Cahir Castle along the ridge of the Knockmealdown Mountains. I had read about Grubb’s Monument, marking where Samuel Grubb was buried standing up overlooking the beautiful Golden Vale.

James Howley in The Follies and Garden Buildings of Ireland, speaking of Grubb’s Grave and other eccentric mausoleums says, “These are the result of colourful invention as much as declining mental capability, but still present us with an amusing and whimsical attitude to death and the afterlife. The monuments are all extremely modest and our interest in them stems partly from the unusual theories and bizarre parting requests associated with them. One of these is Grubb’s Grave, which stands on a bare hillside with panoramic views over the Suir Valley, two miles to the east of Clogheen in Co. Tipperary. This is an odd beehive-shaped structure of rubble stone, like a solid version of one of the clochans found on Great Skellig. It contains the mortal remains of one Samuel Grub of Castle Grace, whose request to be buried standing upright was carried out after his death in 1921.”

Well, you gotta go see that! Plus, it says “panoramic views!”

And it was panoramic. The view was absolutely incredible! It was on R668, a road that runs along the Knockmealdown mountains. It overlooks the Golden Vale or Golden Vein.

They call the area the Vee, because it has a very tight switch back in it.

Samuel Richard Grubb of Castle Grace.
Born 26th Sept 1855
Died 6th Sept 1921

Grubb’s Grave overlooks the Golden Vale or Golden Vein.

Samuel R Grubb was interred here, standing upright.

Grubb’s Grave, an odd beehive-shaped structure of rubble stone

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