Wall monument

The National Monuments Service's description

In the N wall of the chancel of Ennis Friary (CL033-082001-). A much-weathered inscribed slab (H 0.87m; Wth 0.91m) under the McNamara coat-of-arms and over a plain stone chest-tomb (L 2.07m). The chest-tomb rests on a moulded base and the inscribed slab is flanked by pilasters supporting free-standing obelisks. The coat-of-arms, in low false relief, are divided per pale with two arrowheads and a crescent in chief above a lion rampant dexter impaling three boars heads between chevron. There is a helmet above and an arm holding a lance. The inscription is in Latin and reads ‘HIC JACENT JACOBUS MACNAMARA ET UXOR EJUS HELEN ALEE DE ENNIS QUORUM FILIUS PROMOGENITUS JOHANNES MACNAMARA DE LIMERICK HOC MONUMENTUM EREXIT ILLIS SIBI ET HEREDIBUS SUIS ANNO DOMINI 1686. VIVE MEMOR MORTIS QUI SEMPER VIVERE POSSIS QUIDQUID ADEST TRANSIT QUOD MANET ECCE VENIT MISEREMINI MEI MISEREMINI MEI SALTEM VOS AMICI, VOS MEI JOB 19.’ (Westropp 1895-7, 38) This translates as ‘Here lies James MacNamara and his wife Helen Lee of Ennis whose firstborn son John MacNamara, from Limerick, erected this monument to them, to himself and his heirs in the year of Our Lord 1686. Live mindful of death so that you can always live. Whatever is present passes to what remains. Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends (Job 19)’ (Bradley, Halpin and King 1988, 76; Ó Murchadha 1991, 34)

CL033-082022-_01.jpg, CL033-082022-_02.jpg and CL033-082022-_03.jpg attached.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 15 April 2014

References

Westropp, T. J. 1895-7 County Clare. Ennis Abbey. Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland 3, 34-9.

Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H.A. 1988 Urban archaeological survey - county Clare. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Ó Murchadha, C. 1991 In search of James MacNemara, Merchant of Ennis. The Other Clare 15, 33-4.