Graveslab

The National Monuments Service's description

The memorial of Philip Tuite from Drumsawry dated 1692 (Ball-Wright 1908-09), which was in the church at Loughcrew, was moved to St Kaernan's church c. 700m to the NW c. 1840 (O'Reilly 1958, 52). When that church was closed c. 1990 it was moved to St Bridget's Church of Ireland church at Oldcastle (ME009-018003-) where it is now set into the inside of the N wall of the tower at the ground floor. It is a sandstone slab (H 1.88m; Wth 0.8-0.9m) with the Latin inscription incised in roman lettering under a shield in relief that is quartered and retains traces of blue and red colours.

From Ball-Wright (1908-09): Monumentum Philippi Tuite, Dni de Fermor / & Newcastle quod in aeternam Patris sui / Memoriam Jacobus Tuite defuncti filius / proprio sumptu construxit et hoc carmine / inscribendum curavit. Anno Domini 1692
Hic jacet indigna consumptus morte Philippus / quem nimis ante diem sors inimica tulit, / quem vulgi obscuros virtus superextulit orbes / virtutisque comes non inhonora fides / quem labor et constans cunetis vigilantia rebus / principibus similem saepe dedere viris. / Filius Is tanti patris post fata superstes / struxerat impensis ista sepulchra suis / obit … 1688 aetatis suae 48.

Translation (by the late Sir Edmund T. Bewley) The monument of Sir Philip Tuite, lord of Fermor and Newcastle, which James Tuite, son of the deceased, erected at his own expense in perpetual memory of his father, and caused to be inscribed with the following lines. AD 1692.
Here lies Philip, cast down by cruel death, whom too unfriendly fate carried off before is time: whom valour exalted above the obscure realms of the common herd, and faith, the not unworthy associate of valour: whom labour and never ceasing watchfulness in all things oft-times put on a par with the highest in the land. He, the son of so great a father, and the survivor of this calamity, erected this tomb at his own expense. He died … 1688, aged 48 years.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revised upload: 12 December 2014

References

O'Reilly, M. 1958 The Plunket family of Loughcrew. Ríocht na Midhe, 1, 4, 49-53. Ball-Wright, Rev. W. 1908-09 Loughcrew Church. Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead, Ireland, 7, 651.