Wall monument in Cornaroya

In a graveyard (MA118-022013-). This finely carved 17th-century wall monument (H 0.55m; Wth 0.96m) commemorates Katherine Holcroft, who died in 1668. It is set high on the external wall face of St Mary’s church, a 19th-century Ireland church, which stands on the site of a medieval parish church (MA118-022008-). The memorial is likely to have been taken from the ruins of the early church when the current church was built in the early 1800’s. It is recorded by Bradley and Dunne (1989, 21-22) as follows: ‘Set into the outer face of the north wall. Limestone mural plaque, set inside a chamfered border, with skull and cross-bones above and the impaled arms of Holcroft and Ormsby below. Inscription: WRITE BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD IN HOPE OF A JOYFULL RESURRECTION HERE UNDER/ LYETH BURIED THE BODY OF KATHERINE HOL/ CROFT SECOND DAUGHTER TO EDWARD ORMS/ BY LATE OF TOBERVADY IN THE COUNTY OF/ ROSCOMMON ESQUIRE AND LATE WIFE TO CH/ ARLES HOLCROFT OF CLOONIGASHEL IN THE C/ OUNTY OF MAYO ESQ: THIRD SON TO SIR HENRY/ HOLCROFT LATE OF ESTHAM IN THE COUNTY/ OF ESSEX KNIGHT. SHEE WAS MARRIED EL/ EVEN YEARS AND THIRTY FOURE DAYS/ AND DIED THE XXth OF JAN: M: DC: LXVIII WEARI’D OF TH’ EARTH TO HEAV’N BLEST SOUL TH’ ART GONE/ ANGELS REJOYCE HERE WEE OUR LOSSE BEMOANE Mems Dead iv (1898-1900), 283.’ Attached images: MA118-022009-_01.JPG Location of wall monument in N wall of church MA118-022009-_02.JPG detail of inscription MA118-022009-_03.JPG detail of Holcroft and Ormsby arms MA118-022009-_04.JPG detail of skull and cross bones Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 10 June 2022