Wall monument

The National Monuments Service's description

In Sligo Dominican friary (SL014-065008-), on display on a stone ledge on the S wall underneath the central tower, with two other armorial stones (SL014-065029-; SL014-065031-) of similar design.
This armorial stone bears the arms and crest of the O'Crean family, sculpted in relief. It has no date, but there is a partial inscription at the bottom. The lower corners of the stone are missing. The design is comprised of a shield bearing the O'Crean coat of arms, a 'rampant' wolf (rearing up) between three hearts. Above this, is a helmet in profile, with elaborate mantling of stylised leaves and wings that frames the shield, and above the helmet the O'Crean crest, a 'rampant' demi-wolf holding a heart. The intricate and polished sculpted design suggests a date later than the 1616 O'Crean and French armorial stone (SL014-065027-) and the 1625 O'Crean and Jones armorial stone (SL014-065031-).
Centrally placed on top of the stone is a smaller carved stone, which also bears the O'Crean arms, enclosed by a curvilinear frame with a pointed top, with the initials A C for Andrew Crean in a smaller panel below. It has been suggested that this piece is not in its original position, but may have come from the O'Crean and French armorial stone (SL014-065043-) and that it was one of two finials bearing the arms and initials of the two families (Crawford 1921, 29).

Attached image:
SL014-065030-_01.JPG: central slab

Compiled by: Anne-Julie Lafaye

Date of upload: 29 September 2020

References

Crawford, H.S. 1921 The Carved Altar and Mural Monuments in Sligo Abbey. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 17-31.