What is recorded here

Under the chancel floor of St. Marnock’s Church, a limestone slab marks the body of Teresa Plunket, who died in 1672. She was the third daughter of William Plunket, son of Luke, the man granted Portmarnock in 1635. The slab lies north-south, cracked but intact, its inscription faded except for the date and the IHS cross. It was likely set in place around 1862 when the chancel was rearranged for John William Plunkett’s table tomb. Beneath it all, a vault may still hold the bones of the family who owned the land before the church took their names.

17th-century graveslab dedicated to Teresa Plunket, third daughter of William (d. 1662), whose father Luke (d. 1636) was granted the 'castle, town, lands and hereditaments' of Portmarnock the year before he died. There's most likely a funerary vault under the chancel, where the whole chancel area was reconfigured to the present arrangement c. 1862, when the table tomb was erected for John William Plunkett. Located in SE corner of the chancel of St. Marnock’s Church (DU015-007001-), in association with the Barnwall memorial (DU015-007005-). Now exposed after clearance of undergrowth. Set into the ground (probably on a bed of lime mortar visible at the sides), with some cracking. Otherwise intact. It would appear to have been placed there c. 1862 when the table tomb was erected for John William Plunkett. Recenlty exposed by archaeologist Franc Myles of Archaeology and Built Heritage under licence no. 22E0601, while monitoring conservation works funded by the Community Monuments Fund 2022. Presently protected by a plastic membrane and timber, where scaffolding has been erected above it to repoint the wall. Limestone memorial (ledger or ex situ wall monument?) stone (dims. L 1.4m; Wth 0.55m), orientated north-south. Illegible inscription (apart from the date), with an IHS over a Maltese cross with a long shaft running down the centre of the stone through the H, with parallel lines running down the side. Inscription reads: IHS Heere under lye th the bodie of Teresa Plvnket who decesed th e 20 of Avgust anno dmi 1672 See attached photographs courtesy of Franc Myles of Archaeology and Built Heritage. References: Egan, M. J.S. 1997 Dublin City and County Graveyards. Vol. 10, Dublin. Transcribed from the Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland, Vol. 1, 343, where the transcription was extracted from Isaac Butler’s journal, 14 June 1744. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Franc Myles of Archaeology and Built Heritage Date of upload: 6 March 2023

A 17th-century Christian graveslab; significant for its historical provenance linked to the Plunket family and their landholding in Portmarnock.

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