What is recorded here

Rescued from a Kilkenny demolition around 1960, the limestone plaque now watches the east gate at Friarspark. It displays Archer and Shee arms beside the names John and Catherine, preserving a marriage alliance from 1580. The Latin prayer at the base still asks God to teach human will, turning a forgotten household into a quiet lesson for whoever passes the gate.

Built into the E gate entrance of a house on the N side of the Dublin Road. The stone (H 0.58m; Wth 0.51m) is a limestone and came from a house that was demolished c. 1960 on Parliament Street in Kilkenny City (KK019-026083-). The plaque was rescued and brought to Trim shortly afterwards. All the features are in relief. A large shield bearing the arms of Archer impaling Shee takes up three quarters of the plaque and below this are two small shields with the inscriptions IA for John (?) Archer and CS for Catherine (?) Shee, commemorating a marriage alliance. At the base of the plaque is a Latin inscription in Roman Capitals which reads: DOCE ME FACERE VOLV/TATEM TVAM DOMINE/1580 – Teach me to do your will, O Lord. The Archer arms are described as argent with three inverted arrowheads, gules chevron with three gold stars. The Shee arms are quartered to represent four brothers: Odonius Shee (per bend indented two fleurs-de-lis, 1st quarter), William Shee (gules three swords fessewise, 2nd quarter), Edmond Shee (three swords in saltire and one palewise pointing downwards, 3rd quarter), the 4th brother was John Shee (sable three pheons, his arms are not present here). Here the 4th quarter in the Shee side has the arms of Delahoyde. Robert Clareneux granted arms as they appear here in 1582 to Richard Shee of Kilkenny Esq. who was also a London Lawyer. See the attached image: Compiled by: Claire Breen & Michael Moore Date of revised upload: 8 July 2018

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.