What is recorded here

Kilkea Demesne holds a cracked Fitzgerald plaque from 1623, pulled from a collapsed church wall and left behind. Its Latin verses still claim life and death in the same breath, naming Gerald, William, Keating, John, Caecilia and Strippe as if they were yesterday. The stone is small enough to lift but heavy enough to stop a person mid-stride. It is the kind of memorial that does not ask to be believed, only to be read twice.

Described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1986, 285-6) as a ‘Fitzgerald wall plaque c. 1623. Mural limestone plaque (dims. L 1.15m; H 0.46m; T 0.11m) set into the E side of the wall of the nave (KD037-017003-). Probably above the Fitzgerald table tomb (KD037-017022-) originally but removed when wall collapsed. It is now cracked in two. Roman letter inscription in low false relief – VIVO EGO IA MORIOR MIRARIS VERBVLA LECTOR / IN TERRIS MORIOR VITA SECVNDA POLO EST / VITA NIHILL PRIA EST ET MIHI POPA SECVNDA / VITA PRIOR DOLVS EST VITA SECVNDA DECVS / ECCE GERALDINO FVERA COINVCTA GVLIELMO / ECCE KEATINGA PIO IVNCTA IOANNA VIRO / CAECILIAE CONIVX CLARA DE STRIPPE GEIDON / INCTVS ERAT QVI TRES CONDIMVR HOC TVMVLO’ (Fitzgerald 1899-1902). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 14 September 2016

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