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 2.06m; Wth 0.53m; T 0.05m) which has a chamfer (Wth 0.02m) around the dexter and top edge (Maher 1997, 73). There is a crack across the slab face and another on the dexter side of the cross-head (ibid.). Maher (1997, 73) describes the decoration, which is in relief, as consisting of 'a seven-armed segmental cross, with each arm terminating in a simple fleur-de-lis. Three cross-bands occur at the base of the cross-head surmounting the cross-stem. The base of the cross does not survive, except for one cross-band which probably surmounted its base. A latin inscription, in Black Letter script, runs along the sides and top of the slab and continues on either side of the cross-shaft' (ibid.). It has been transcribed and translated by FitzGerald (1901-03, vol. 5, 438) as: HIC IACET PATRICIUS O'KEARNEY CIVIS CASESSELL' QUI OBIIT VICESIMO SEPTIMO MESIS / MARCII DIE QUI TUMS..... ECCLIA CASSELLIE EI' CORPUS FOUET ANTE ALTARE BRIGIDE E TUBA QUA TENET / SUB LAPIDE MEDIO UBI IACENT TUNC(?) JPE CU HONORIA ET PATRICI KEARNY. O LECTOR BENIGNE QUESO NUC DEVOTE. PRO EIUS AIA DIC PATER ET AVE. 'Here lies Patrick O'Kearny, citizen of Cashel, who died on the 27th day of March [.... who was buried?] in the Church of Cashel, his body [rests] before the Altar of Brigid, and the tomb which he occupies [...] under the middle stone, where they lie he is with Honoria and Patrick Kearny. Now, gentle reader, I devoutly beseech you to say for his soul a pater and ave'.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 25 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.