Wall monument

The National Monuments Service's description

At St Mary's parish church (KK019-026115-) in Kilkenny. An armorial plaque probably originally part of a chest tomb or possibly a stand alone mural plaque, dedicated to John Bryan c. 1607 set into the S wall of the 'Bryan vault' adjoining the E wall of the S transept of the church (Carrigan 1905, vol. 3, 96-7; Cockerham 2009, 353). The Bryan family 'vault' (in reality a mausoleum) probably modified part of the medieval Lady Chapel of St. Mary's in the 18th century.
The slab, composed of fossiliferous limestone, consists of a shield charged with the arms of Bryan of Jenkinstown, impaling those of Walsh: crest, a swan bearing in its mouth a label with the words, VITA. VAPOR: beneath the shield is the motto, VIVANT IN AETERNVM. Underneath all may be read in false relief Latin black letter: INSIGNIA JOHANIS BRYN AL’ BRYAN ET MARGARETAE and the following inscription:
HIC + JACET + JOHANES + BRYN + ALg + BRYAN + GENEROSUS +
FILIUS + LODAVICI + QUI + OBIIT + 29 + AUGUSTI + A + D + 1607 +
ET + MARGARETA + WALSHE + UXOR + EIg + QE + OBIIT + XIII +
DIE + AUGUSTI + 1610.’.

Compiled by: Cóilín Ó Drisceoil

Date of upload: 4 January 2023

References

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.

Cockerham, P. 2009 My body to be buried in my owne monument: the social and religious context of Co. Kilkenny funeral monuments, 1600-1700. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 109C, 239-365.