Tomb - chest tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in Pollrone church (KK042-011001-). The very fragmented remains of a limestone chest tomb with a Latin inscription in raised Black Letter commemorating Piers Walsh (alias Brennach) (d. 1575) and his wife Eliza (d. 1599). The lid (c. 1.82m x 0.8m) lies in nine fragments; seven are heaped in the NE corner of the church and the largest two portions rest on a base of cavity blocks, together with one side panel outside the E gable. In addition to the script, one of the lid fragments also has symbols of the sun and moon and an interlaced cross with short transverse bar. Flanking either side of the cross shaft are two kneeling figures. A heater-shaped shield with the coat of arms of the Walsh and Fitzgerald families is situated just above the heads of the two figures. The side panel (1.8m x 0.61m; T 0.14m), lying beside the lid portrays the Passion of Christ divided into three panels. The end panels of the tomb also lie in the NE corner of the church. One of these (0.6m x 0.55m) is decorated with a crucifixion scene in relief and an ‘INRI’ monogram. The other (0.6m x 0.55m; T 0.09m) is decorated with barred interlace. (Carrigan 1905, vol. 4, 150-51; Cockerham and Harris 2001, 186)

Compiled by: Elizabeth FitzPatrick and Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 22 July 2013

References

Cockerham. P. and Harris, L. 2001 Kilkenny funeral monuments 1500-1600: a statistical and analytical account. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 101C, 135-88.

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