Graveslab

The National Monuments Service's description

Lying in the choir of the cathedral (TS061-025003-) on the Rock of Cashel. A rectangular slab (L 2.09m; Wth 0.54m) with a chamfered edge (Wth 0.02m) along the sides and base (Maher 1997, 71). It is weathered and has a number of cracks, one across the centre, one across the lower portion and two across the upper portion (ibid.). Maher (1997, 71) describes the decoration, in relief, which 'consists of a cross with each arm ending in elaborate and florid multi-foiled terminals. The lower element on the dexter arm is absent because of the crack. The arms emanate from a lozenge-shaped centre, which features four triangular segments surrounding a circular one. Three cross-bands occur at the base of the cross-head, separating the cross from its shaft. The shaft terminates in a well-preserved pillar-base form. An inscription in Black Lettering occurs along the edges of the slab and continues along either side of the shaft. It has been transcribed by Fitzgerald (1903, 441) as: MILLIO CCCCC / XXIIII SUB ISTO LAPIDE TUMULATA EST HONORIA HACKETT DICTI DAVIDI(?) UXOR' QUE DECESSIT DIE / MENSIS /... CON.... CUTUS MIORIBUS CU MAIORIBUS JP.... SEPELUNT SPRETIS COLLEGIALIBUS / ROBERTUS HACKETT ARCH' DACON' CASSELLIE. INTESTATUS DECESSIT DECEM DIE DECEMBRIS. ANN' TUC MILLEN' ET... CENTUS DENIIS ERAT ATER TRIMOS DO.... INCARNACOIS. It has been translated as, 'Under this stone lies buried Honoria Hackett, wife of the said David. She died _ 1524 [defies translation] {Sepeliunt Pretis Collegialibus - this may be referring to some kind of common fund or guild used to finance Honoria's funeral} Robertus Hackett, Archdeacon of Cashel, died intestate on the 10th day of December (1510?)' (Fitzgerald 1901-03, vol. 5, 441; Maher 1997, 71). According to Maher (1997, 71) 'the rest is unintelligible, however "erat ater" perhaps should be "erat pater" - he was father. Trimos - perhaps a form of Trimus - three years old - perhaps it is a reference to a surviving three-year old son or daughter, who survived Robert Hackett'.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 24 January 2012

References

Maher, D. 1997 Medieval grave-slabs of County Tipperary, 1200-1600 A.D. BAR British Series 262.

FitzGerald, Lord W. 1901-03 Cashel Parish – The Rock of Cashel. Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland 5, 434-48.