Galway - Dominican Abbey at Athenry *********************************************** Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Galway Index Copyright ************************************************ 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