Wall monument

The National Monuments Service's description

In the N boundary wall of the graveyard in the N face of the wall near the W end of the catholic church beside the armorial stone (TS065-013012-) of the Hurley family. This wall monument of black marble, which measures 1.22m x 0.65m, has a latin inscription written in Roman Capitals. The inscription, as transcribed by Shirley (1864-6, 286-7), reads, 'PERILLUSTRIS DNUS DNUS MAURITIUS HURLAEUS ARMIGER MONUMENTUM HOC SIBI SUISQ' CHARISSIMIS CONJUGIBUS GRAINAE HOGANAE & GRACIAE THORNETONAE TOTIQUE POSTERITATI POSUIT ELABORARIQUE FECIT. HIC JACET HOSPITII COLUMEM PIETATIS ASYLUM, A.D. 1632 INGENIO CLARUS, CLARUS ET ELOQUIO LAUS PATRIAE, LITUM SUPPRESSOR, PACIS AMATOR, REGULA JUSTITLAE, RELIGIONIS EBUR, HOSTIBUS HURLAEUS FUIT HOSTIS, AMICUS AMICIS, MAURITIUS MODERANS TEMPORA TEMPORIBUS FAX FIDEI, FULCRUM MISERORUM, GEMMA VIRORUM, STEMMATIS ANTIQUAE GLORIA MAGNA SUAE, HUIC DECUS, HUIC PROBITAS, SORS CORPORIS INTEGRA, MILLE NATURAE DOTES, UNICUS OMNE CAPIT, VIXISTI MUNDO, VIVES IN SECULA VIVIS FORTUNA FELIX. PROLE PEREXIMIA, ERGO VIVE DEO, VIVE CUI VIVERE VITA EST SIC TIBI DANTE DEO VITA PERENNIS ERIT.
Underneath this read also in Roman Capitals, SUMPTIBUS HURLAEI FABRICARUNT HOC MONUMENTUM PATRICIUS KEARING NICOLAUSQUE COWLEY'. This has been translated into english (Davis White 1892, 105-111) as follows, 'The Most Illustrious Maurice Hurley E.q. erected this monument to his own memory and that of his dearly beloved wives Graina Hogan and Grace Thornton, and all his posterity A D, 1632. Here lies the pillar of hospitality and the home of affection, Renowned for his talents, and remarkable for his eloquence, the glory of his country, suppressor of all strife a lover of peace. The rule of Justice, the model of piety. Hurley was an enemy to enemies to friends. Maurice adjusted things according to the times, The torch of faith the support of the afflicted, a jewel amongst men. The glory of his ancient stock, In him was worth and probity, blessed with a faultless body, in himself he …… a thousand gifts of nature. …….Thou hadst lived happy in this world, mayest thou live happy forever - happy in fortune and in a noble progeny. Live now for God, with whom to live is life thus with God's grace wilt thou have life eternal. Literally 'the ivory (statue) of religion'.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 26 August 2011

References

Shirley, E.P., Dineley, T., O'Brien, R. and Graves, J. 1858-67 Extracts from the Journal of Thomas Dineley, Esquire, giving some account of his visit to Ireland in the reign of Charles II. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 6, 73-91, 176-204, 289-90.