Sunday 29 November 2020

Some lost medieval graveslabs in Tipperary

 

I was reminded to reread Sheahans "Nenagh and its Neighbourhood" recently and its amazing what you come across when you go back to a book. I came across a few missing medieval graveslabs mentioned in it of great importance.

One was at Knigh graveyard and is mentioned on pg 42 as follows.

"one of the O'Fogarty family whose tombstone bears an inscription in Irish".

I've checked the Ormond Histoical Society survey of the graveyard and there is no mention in it.
Anyone ever come across it? As far as I know inscriptions in Irish from that period are rare in North Tipperary.

Another missing Gaelic graveslab, this time at Templechally, Ballina, Co. Tipp. Unlikely to be found again but just interesting to known it may have existed.

Sheehan in Nenagh and its Neighbourhood has this to say about it

"Tombstone of Doctor James Hickie (Medicinae Doctor Peritissimus). Died 1648. Who forfeited in 1641 among the' Irish Papists' of those times. This family were body physician's to the O'Briens of Thomond and the McIbriens Ara. The name is a Dalcassian one."

 

Another missing Gaelic Medieval graveslab, this time at Burgesbeg graveyard.

From Gleeson Churches in the Deanery of Ormond (1951) as following; 'close to the east end of the south wall is a tombstone (broken) of the Uí Briain family partly in black letter. It is inscribed "Hic jacet Donatus Dermitius als Bryn de Gortmore'.

The picture is one from 1771 in the same graveyard.

The last of my lost graveslabs / tombs for the time being. This is a sketch of the Mulryan chest tomb at Abbey Owney or Abington of one of last chiefs of the O'Mulryan / Ryan clan, William O'Mulryan.

The sketch is my drawing of a sketch by Dineley from 1681! It's amazing it exists.

Part of the tomb may have ended up at Glenstal Abbey. Is it possible that some more of it has been retained in the surrounding area?