Memorial stone

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a slight rise of ground in undulating countryside in the centre of Toomevara village with a possible church ruins (TN022-070001-) to the N. The poorly preserved remains of an Augustinian priory (TN022-070002-) dedicated to St Mary which was founded some time after 1140 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 155) possibly on the site of an earlier monastic centre dedicated to St Donain. A seventeenth-century wall plaque sits off-centre to the E on the inner face of the S wall. The Latin inscription on the limestone plaque is provided by Gleeson (1982, 469), who also gives the translation as 'While the renowned offspring of O'Meara reposes in this tomb. To whom O Traveller happily open Heaven by thy prayer. To William. To Ellen Bourke open heaven. By the merits of his blood he made possible that path. He snatched thrones from earth. Let this marble be a witness to thee O reader, 1664 henceforth from Evil'. Architectural fragments from the priory are inserted as possible headstones in the surrounding graveyard.

To see a 3D model of this memorial plaque, visit; https://skfb.ly/oxJsK

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien.

Date of upload: 22 September 2008

References

Gleeson, Rev. J. 1915 (Reprint 1982, 2 vols. with intro. and biblio. by George Cunningham) History of the Ely O'Carroll territory or Ancient Ormond. Kilkenny. Roberts Books.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.