I recently visited Ardfinnan graveyard in South Tipp in
search of the possible resting place of a Hugh O’Mulrryan from the 1600s. I
thought it would be unlikely that there would be any evidence of a gravestone.
I knew there was also a graveslab from the 1600s so worst case I figured that
would be of interest.
There was no evidence of the O’Mulryan burial there but I
was satisfied based on the fragments and the O’Halley / Roche gravestab that
this is most likely where he would have been buried.
Now to the O’Halley / Roche graveslab
It is recorded on archaeology.ie as follows
“In the SE corner of the graveyard, adjacent to the boundary
wall, there is a large altar tomb. The upper slab commemorates Dermot O'Halley
and has wife Katherina Roche/Rochester. The slab (dims. 2m x 1.17m; T 0.19m) is
decorated with a large wheel-cross with fleur-de-lys terminals and a plain
shaft which terminates in a calvary mount. Both sides of the shaft are
decorated with plain heater-shaped shields. The perimeter of the slab bears the
following latin inscription in plain raised lettering: 'Hic Jacet Dermicius O
Halli Propria Cum Uxore Katherina Rocheecer Unt Fier Marmoris is Udopus Anno
Domini 162?' (Farrelly and FitzPatrick, Field Report 1993).”
This translates roughly as
“'Here lies Dermicius, O Hall's own, with his wife Katherine
Roche, who will be turned into marble in the year of our Lord 162?'?'
The 3rd photogrammetry suggests the transcription
on archaeology.ie is accurate.
What archaeology.ie doesn’t mention is the more modern
inscription on the restored sides of the table tomb (the sides date to this
period I would say as well).
The following inscription is engraved (taken from the
inscriptions record on the Tipperary Studies website https://tipperarystudies.ie/digitisation-project/gravestone-inscriptions/)
“Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum. Hoe Monumentum,
Clade Cromeliensi dirutum, tandem restauratum est AB Eorum progenie, ADM
Reverend O Dermitio O'Hally, Paracho De Dungarvan, In Comitatu Waterfordiensi,
Anno 1874”
Thanks to google translate this can be translated as follows
“Through various accidents, through so many crises of events. This Monument, destroyed by the Cromwellian disaster, was finally restored by their descendants, ADM Reverend O Dermitio O'Hally, Of Dungarvan, In County Waterford, In the Year 1874.”
So it is obvious that Dermot O’Halley was well know locally,
does anyone know any more about the history of the possible Reverend and his
wife Katherina Roche?
Thanks to Dave Kidd who helped me with the 3d model as my
own crappy laptop couldn’t process the file size. Dave runs a lovely Airbnb in
Killea in Mid-Tipp https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/29046206
