Graveslab

The National Monuments Service's description

17th-century recumbent graveslab (L 2.46m x Wth 1.22m x T 0.13m) of the Dublin butcher, Nicholas Kenan and his wife Margaret Fyan who commissioned the graveslab, decorated with an armorial shield,  'Ecce Homo', an I H S Christogram and 15 emblems of the instruments of the Passion located in the south choir aisle of St Patrick’s Cathedral (DU018-020269-).  In 1502 a ‘Sir Nicholas Kenan’ was recorded as ‘Chaplyn of Seynt Patriks of Dublyng' (Gilbert 1889, 388).  Graveslab described in the Urban Survey of Dublin City (Bradley and King 1988, Vol. 1, 88) as a; ‘Rectangular limestone slab decorated with the symbols of the Passion. Marginal inscription in Roman letters: HEERE VNDER LIETH THE CORPES OF NICHOLAS KENAN OF DVBLIN BVTCHER AND MARGARET FYAN ALIAS KENAN THE FORESAID NICHOLAS DIED THE 28 OF MARCH ANNO 1616 THE FORESAID MARGARET CAVSED THIS TO BE MADE’ (Bernard 1906, 293-4).

Graveslab described in 1905 as; 'Placed between the buttresses, on the south side of the choir (near the Celtic slabs), is a large slab (8 ft. [2.4m] x 4 ft. [1.2m]), broken in two down its length. The inscription in raised capitals runs round the edges, while by far the larger half of the slab is occupied by a shield and diapering bearing two coats of arms. The annexed sketch of this slab (reproduced from a drawing preserved among the archives of the cathedral) gives a good idea of the sculpturing, though it contains several omissions.  The inscription (several of the letters in which are conjoined, and not so shown in the sketch) reads as follows : - HEERE • VNDER • LIETH • THE • CORPES I OF • NICHOLAS • KENAN • OF • DVBLIN • BVTCHER • AND • MARGARET FYAN • ALIAS • KENAN I THE FORESAID • NICHOLAS • DIED • THE I 28 OF MARCH ANNO •1616 • THE • FORESAID • MARGARET • CAVSED • THIS • TO • BE • MADE

The coats-of-arms are those of Kenan and Fyan, viz. :  — In the dexter half—"Per pale or and azure, a fleur-de-lys between three crescents counterchanged." For Kenan. In the sinister half—"Per fess sable and ermine, on a chevron or, three trefoils slipped gules ; in chief three covered cups of the third." For Fyan.

Near the top right-hand corner of the Kenan arms is a small shield bearing the conjoined initials NK (= Nicholas Kenan). On the opposite side is a similar shield with the conjoined letters M F (= Margaret Fyan). The lower portion of the shield is taken up with carvings of the emblems of our Lord's Passion and Crucifixion. In the sketch they are very faultily drawn, as apparently the artist did not understand their signification. As will be seen by the "robbing" of this end of the slab, some of the emblems have been omitted altogether, viz. the three dice and the cock. The following numbers correspond with those on the rubbing.
The emblems there shown are : —
I. The purple robe.
II. The two scourges.
III. The thirty pieces of silver.
IV. The seamless vesture.
V. The three dice.
VI, An hour-glass.
VII. A skull and cross-bones.
VIII. The spear.
IX. The pincers.
X. The hammer.
XI. The cock.
XII. The flogging-post and ropes.
XIII. The cross and crown of thorns.
XIV. The ladder.
XV. The reed.
The ECCE HOMO is meaningless, as it should appear with a representation of our Saviour bound' (Anon. 1906, 293-4).

 

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

References

Gilbert, J.T. 1889 Calendar of Ancient Records of Dublin, Volume 1.  Dublin. Joseph Dollard, Wellington Quay.

Bradley, J. & King, H. (1988) Urban Archaeological Survey, Dublin, Volume 4. A report commissioned by the Office of Public works (Unpublished).

Bernard, J. 1906 St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland, Vol. VI, 1904-06, 520-49.

Anon. 1906 St. Patrick's Cathedral. The Inscriptions on the Tombstones in the Green Churchyard. Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland, Vol. VI, 1904-06, 292-308.