CO-SMCY-0844

Record Date: 
9 August 2013
Graveyard: 
Collegiate Church of Saint Mary
Exact wording of epitaph: 

Memoriae Sacrum

Rogeri Boyle primi comitis

de Orrery et Baronis

do Broghill

qui, dum vixit, multis pariter et summis

Honoribus ac officiis fungebatur.

Mortuus vero

summo cum viventium luctu, obiit decimo

sexto die octobris anno dni MDCLXXIX

annoq aetatis suae 59.

de Quo non hic plura requirat lector

quoniam omnia de Ingenio

vel ex fama

vel ex operibus

dignosere possit.

Memorial Type: 
Wall or mural tablet
Grave location
County: 
Cork
Latitude: 
51.955073429952
Longitude: 
-7.8534811699989
Number of people commemorated: 
1
People commemorated: 
Title: 
Earl of Orrery
Name: 
Roger
Surname: 
Boyle
Date of death - month: 
October
Date of death - year: 
1679
Age: 
59
Notes: 

Described in Samuel Hayman's "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Youghal" 1854 thus: "On the South wall is a beautiful tablet of white Italian marble, in the shape of an escutcheon, with drapery behind, to the memory of Lord Broghill,the first Earl of Orrery, third son of the Earl of Cork.In the elegant latinity of the inscription, may not we find traces of the scholarship of Lord Orrery's younger brother, the philosophic Robert Boyle?...The slab also bears the following arms- party per bend crenelle,argent and gules, with a crescent for difference, surmounted by an earl's coronet- Virtvs post fvnera vivit."

A modern plaque alongside reads "Roger Boyle, first Earl of Orrery 1621 -1679. Soldier, statesman and dramatist, third surviving son of Richard Boyle first Earl of Cork. Born on the 25th of April 1621. Travelled in France and Italy. Returned to Ireland on the outbreak of the Rebellion 1641 and fought at the battle of Liscarrol. Consented to serve under the parliamentary commission till the execution of Charles the first, when he retired from public life. He was engaged in Royalist schemes, however when Oliver Cromwell visited him and explained that he knew all about his activities, offered him a chance of clearing himself by serving the commonwealth in Ireland or be sent to the Tower. He accepted and served Cromwell throughout the campaign. He was largely responsible for the return of the Monarchy and when Charles the second became King, he was taken into great favour. In addition to Lord Orrery’s achievements as a statesman and administrator he gained some reputation as a writer and dramatist. He died in October 26th 1679.