Armorial plaque in Holycross

A road bridge (TN047-030003) over the River Suir with Holycross Abbey (TN047-030001) immediately to the N. The bridge was rebuilt in 1626 by James Butler, Baron of Dunboyne (commemorated in a plaque described below) with the addition of a gate or arch at the W end. This arch, depicted on Beranger's late eighteenth-century sketch, no longer survives. There are two armorial plaques inserted in the wall-face at the NW end of the bridge. There is a separate limestone plaque under the armorial plaques with an inscription written in latin in raised Roman script. It seems to be in its original position as two of the words on the plaque spill out onto one of the wall stones. The inscription reads: DOMINVS JACOBVS BUTLER BARO DE DONBOYNE ET D MARGARETA BRIEN EIVSVXOR HVNC PONTEM COLLAPSVM EREXERVNT ET SVIS BRIEN EIVSVXOR HVNC PONTEM COLLAPSVM EREXERVNT ET SVIS INSIGNIBVS ADORNARVN ANNO DMINI 1626 DICPRECOR ANTE ARIT VMVERBO NOAMPLIVS VNO EVADAT STIGIOSAVCT OR VTERSLACVS. The translation of the inscription is as follows: 'To the traveller. Nicholas Cowley constructed me: Lord James Butler, Baron of Dunboyne, and his wife, Lady Margaret O'Brien rebuilt the bridge which has fallen, and ornamented it with their arms in the year of Our Lord 1626. Say, I beg you before you go away this short prayer: May the two who built it escape the pit of hell'. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008