Tomb — effigial in Dungarvan (gowran By., Bennettsbridge Ed)

Within the graveyard associated with the medieval church of Dungarvan (KK024-068002-). An effigial tomb, described by Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 418) as, ‘that of Donald mcPierce Archedekin, otherwise McOdo, or Cody, of Cloghala. It is an altar-tomb, battered and broken, and deeply sunk in the ground. It stood within the ancient church, along by the south side-wall, and it occupies its original position still. The covering slab is broken across, and there are, besides, three pieces of it missing, viz., one near the top, and another at each corner of the base. Its upper portion is ornamented with a small eight-pointed cross, in relief; the lower half has a representation of the Crucifixion, on the left [sinister] side of which is the recumbent effigy of a man armed cap-a-pie, on the right [dexter side], that of a lady wearing the horned head-dress, and much broken. The front panel has the usual emblems of the Passion; also the name of the sculptor, thus: Par me Water keren, mason, 158.. [By me Walter Kerin, mason, 158-] The last figure of the date was 1, but it is now broken off. The east end panel has a shield with a saltire, ermine, impaling a chief indented. The west end panel is missing. An inscription, portions of which are lost, runs around the edge, and is continued on the inner surface of the covering slab; it is in Old English characters and is as follows: Hic jacent nobilis’ vir Atq’….Donaldus Archdekin Al’s Cody filius Petri …. …..e Dungarvan et dns de …. ….s q. obit [date uncut] Et Catherina Blanc….lle, Uxor Ei⁹ q. obit [date uncut]. Translation.- Here lie the most noble man and ……., Donald mcPierce Archdekin, otherwise Cody……. of Dungarvan, and lord of …….s, who died [ ]: and Catherine Blanchville, his wife, who died [ ]. An illustration depicting the front panel of the tomb published by Phelan (1996, 172), shows from dexter to sinister, a scourging pillar with rope twisted around it, two scourges, a spear, a ladder, three dice, a pierced heart surrounded by a crown of thorns, a hammer, a pincer with nails, a sponge on a pole, a seamless garment, a jar of ointment and a pot. It is signed by the mason along the top sinister panel. There is also an illustration of the impaled heraldic shield at the foot of the tomb (ibid.). See attached photographs and illustration: KK024-068006-_01 View of effigies (Farrelly and O’Reilly, 7 July 1992) KK024-068006-_02 Side view (Farrelly and O’Reilly, 7 July 1992) KK024-068006-_03 Illustration of front panel and heraldic shield at foot of tomb in Phelan, M.M. 1996 The O’Kerin school of monumental sculpture in Ossory and its environs in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 126, 167-81. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 29 April 2021