Galway - Dominican Abbey at Athenry

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Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives
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File contributed by:  C. Hunt & M. Taylor

DOMINICAN ABBEY AT ATHENRY

'The Dominican Abbey on my previous visits, was in a
desperate state of neglect; but last year it came under the
care of the Board of Works and now the greatest possible
improvement is visible inside the ruins; in addition to my
former contribution of inscriptions taken from monuments in
this place I am now able to send others which had previously
been hid under the accumulation of rubbish and fallen
masonry.  All the inscriptions here given are cut in
relief.' :-

				------------------------------
"Pray for the sovle of Patrick MORSY & his posteritis 1713"
----
"Pray for the sovles of the very Rev. Fathers Doctor Thomas
BVKE (sic) and Fa. Iohn BVRKE who cavsed this stone to made
for themselves and the familie of MACWALTER 1676"
----
				OF (sic) "Pray for th (sic) sovle William
ROYNEN and hs (sic) wife, Iooine ROYNEN and Sara MORAN and
his children 1695"
				 (Symbol)
				  I H S
				  MARIA"
		(Below which is a primitive plough)
----
"DANIEL NOLAN 1700"
----

'The name and date run lengthways on a slab below which are
two implements in the shape of the letter A, upside down,
and a bill-hook, the emblems of some trade.'
	[Probably the sock and coulter of a plough. - Eds]

"Pray for the sovle of Bryn VAGH 1685"
'This slab has the trade emblems like the above'
----
	[Here is a case of recent injury to a stone. - Eds.]

'A portion of the inscription on the BERMINGHAM slab, which
is given at the top of p. 365 of the 1st vol. of the Report
on the Memorials of the Dead, Ireland, is now illegible
owing to masons having mixed up cement on it and not having
cleaned it off again from the raised letters.'

"For the vse of Owen CRAVAN* and Catherine MONAGHAN and
thire posterity 1686."
		(*Remainder of name is chipped off)
----
'This inscription runs lengthways down the slab which bears
an ornamental cross and which apparently was an abbot's
tombstone; on the other side of the cross-shaft occur two
trade emblems.'

"Pray for the sovle of Roger GRANY and his wife Katherin
HIGIN and theire posterity 1688."
			(Below the above is sculptures a cross)
----
'The following inscription runs round the edges of the
stone':-

"Pray for the sovles of Hvgh THOMAS, Dermad and Edmvnd FYNNE
and thir posteritie 1684"
			(In the centre occur the two trade emblems)
----
Large Tablet Slab Tombstones with Latin inscriptions running
around edge:

Noted:	'All the center of this slab is fitted up with an
elaborately-worked cross the head of which is circular and
consists of Celtic know-work while the shaft is a rope of
three strands ending in six tails.'

			Large date 1615

			 TRANSLATION
"Here lies Lady Mariota (Margaret?) De BURGO, daughter of
Walter, alias Dorhan, Mc..[VI]BE-ARD (Mc HUBERT ?).  For the
repose (lit. refreshment) of whose ....(soul?) lookers on
offer (lit. pour out) your prayers."

'This old slab lies at the tower end of the choir, the
lettering and design are in relief, the latter being very
well cut, while the former is rude and crooked.  It is the
earliest dated slab in the place.

Some of the Latin words are badly mis-spelt, for instance
VRAS seems to be intended for "vestras" and Spectatores;
while the ALCE is very puzzling'
--------
 Large Tablet Slab Tombstones with Latin inscriptions
running around edge:

	Large date 1627

NOTED:	(A Cross and an IHS)  (Elaborate Celtic design)
(Two animals)

    "ION BVIKE 1627

This is the T-mbe of ION BOURKE and of his ancestors and
Katren BURKE his wife the 12 of 8*ber 1627"

NOTED;	'This slab lies at the foot of the north wall inside
the ruins of the choir. and just below a niche half way down
that wall;  the carving in the centre is well executed and
elaborate,'
----
Tablet with inscription running around the edge: Dated 1682

"For the vse of Thomas TANIAN and his (The remainder is
chipped off)

NOTED:	(Down the centre runs a Maltese-headed cross, on the
one side of which is a bellows and on the other an anvil,
pincers, hammer, and a horse-shoe)

'Besides the old tombstones and mural tablets quoted here
and at p. 364-366 of the Report of the Memorials of the
Dead, Ireland (vol. I) there are several slabs broader at
the top than at the foot, lying about, bearing a peculiar
and identical cross in relief, one or two of which have been
appropriated and names cut on them in the seventeenth
century;

Another very similar slab, except that there is a head also
in relief cut at the upper end, lies at a modern grave
outside of the ruins and to the right of the path leading
into the entrance to the abbey."

Transcriber's Note:  The V is chiseled instead of a U and I
instead of J


SOURCE:
Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the
Memorials of the Dead in Ireland, 1894. FHL# 1279252