Tomb - chest tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated at the W end of the nave of St Carthage's Cathedral (WA021-019003-) in Lismore is the tomb of John McCreagh and his wife Katherine, daughter of Thomas Prendergast, with the date 1557. The inscription also says that Donal McCreagh was buried there in 1548.The elaborate slab has a floriate cross with a stepped base. There are symbols of the Evangelists at the corners, and there are two shields representing the heart of the Virgin and the Symbols of the Passion. The main image represents Christ in the tomb and St Gregory celebrating Mass. The tomb surround has images of the twelve apostles on the long sides with a crucifixion at one end and images of St Catherine flanked by St Patrick and St Carthage at the other. John McCreagh was constable of Mocollop Castle (WA019-003----), c. 11km further W along the Blackwater river, and Katherine's family may have been connected with Newcastle (WA016-025----). (Buckley (1898, 44-6; Garstin 1904; Hunt 1974, vol. 1, 232-3)

Buckley, M. J. C. (1898) Ecclesiological gleanings and jottings in Waterford and elsewhere. (continued) WAJ vol. 5, 142-6.
Garstin, J. R. (1904) On the McCragh tomb in Lismore Cathedral, JRSAI, 34, 295-312.
Hunt, J. (1974) Irish medieval figure sculpture 1200-1600: a study of Irish tombs with notes on costume and armour, 2 vols. Irish University Press. Dublin.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 21 March 2011

References

Hunt, J. 1974 Irish medieval figure sculpture 1200-1600, 2 vols. Dublin. Irish University Press.

Garstin, J. R. 1904 On the McCragh tomb in Lismore Cathedral. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 34, 295-312.