GA-STNL-0380

Record Date: 
29 September 2024
Graveyard: 
St Nicholas' Collegiate Church and Graveyard
Exact wording of epitaph: 

HIR • LIETH • THE • BODI OF ON • MORIERT[AGH?] O'TIERNAGH • AND • HIS-WIF KATE RINA • NIG ONO —— ( or NI GONO—) HIS • BROTHER • TEIGE • OG • CV PERS • AN • DNI 1580 M TEIG

Grave location
County: 
Galway
Latitude: 
53.27272663
Longitude: 
-9.0537133799738
Additional details
References: 
Cooke (1895), 295 mentions the inscribed slab of".. Moriert... O'Tiemagh, 1580" in passing. FitzGerald (1895-97), 465. Fleetwood Berry (1912 A), 12 gives a largely accurate reading of this inscription except for the spelling of the word "here" (HIR) and the "MORIERTH" (MORIERT). Fleetwood Berry (1912 B), 67. As above. He gives Moriertha for MORIERT in this version. Fleetwood Berry, (Ed. Higgins) (1989), 67 footnote. Hardiman (1820), 252. He gives a slightly garbled reading of the inscription. Todd (1852-7), 223-4.
People commemorated: 
Surname: 
O'TIERNAGH and GONOHIU for ONOHILH [7DONOGHUE]
Notes: 

This trapezoidal slab is situated in the East wall of the Lynch Transept. Though now set in the wall it was originally recumbent. It is carved in low false relief with an inscription around its border. The stone is divided into several carved panels. At the top is an elaborate panel of "Gaelic Revival" Celtic interlace formed from a saltire cross and a lozenge. Where these features meet they are linked by eight semi-circles and a central circle. The two panels immediately below are divided by a wide cross-shaft. Each panel is decorated with a repeat-pattern consisting of s-shaped foliate scrolls. A moulding occurs on the base of the cross-shaft between these. Below this there is a large modem repair in concrete, where part of the slab is missing. A modem false cross-shaft has been created by drawing lines in the cement. This is not an original feature. It seems to have been misinterpreted by a modem "restorer" as an extra cross-arm. On the right of the cross-shaft is a setsquare and on the opposite side is a large adze or axe. Both of these tools are damaged. Beneath the vocational symbols just mentioned there is an elaborate moulded base on which the cross-shaft rests. The decoration is all carved in low false relief. Most of the words of the inscription are separated by small lozenge-shaped stops. The name M. TEIG occurs amid the decoration on the lower part of the stone. This might be a sculptor's name.