Tomb — chest tomb in Johnstown

Situated in pasture, on the W-facing slope of a N-S ridge in undulating countryside. Seventeenth century mortuary chapel containing a chest-tomb marking the final resting place of Reverend Dean Denis Harty, bishop of Killaloe that was built onto NE angle of Killodiernan Church (TN009-040001). Seventeenth-century chest-tomb (L 2.2m; Wth 0.95m; T 0.15m) with chamfered lid bearing an inscription located inside NE angle of small mortuary chapel dated 1667. 17th century tomb described by Murphy (1989, 103) as following; ‘A mortuary chapel in the old graveyard of Killodiernan carries a Latin inscription now almost illegible because of weathering. This was recorded by Dermot F. Gleeson (1955, 42) when it was in a slightly better state of preservation. Gleeson's copy of the inscription, with his translation, is as follows; “Decanus Dns. Dionysius Harty, Theologiae Doctor, Protonotarius necnon Vicarius Apostolicus Laonensis Diaecesis huc tumulum et sacellum hoc fieri fecit anno Domini 1667. Orate pro anima ejus” (Right Rev. Dean Denis Harty, Doctor of Theology, Protonotary and Vicar Apostolic of Killaloe, caused this tomb and chapel to be made A.D. 1667. Pray for his soul). Although the inscription does not state specifically that Denis Harty died in 1667, the final phrase implies this. This date is also confirmed by the omission of his name after 1667-1668 from lists of candidates for the bishopric of Killaloe'. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of revised upload: 13 October 2020