Wall monument — effigial in St. Patricksrock

In the S wall of the choir of the cathedral (TS061-025003-) on the Rock of Cashel. Within a moulded round-headed limestone recess lies the effigy of Archbishop Miler MacGrath. The moulded imposts continue as a string-course to the rear of the recess. Above this string-course there is a large rectangular plaque with an insciption in latin, in Roman capitals, which has been transcibed by FitzGerald (1902, 252) as; MILERI MAGRATH ARCHIEPI CASHELIESIS / AD VIATOREM CARMEN / VENERAT IN DVNVM PRIMO SANCTISSIMVS OLIM / PATRICIVS NOSTRI GLORIA MAGNA SOLI / HVIC EGO SVCCEDES, VTINAM TA SANCT' VT ILLE / SIC DVNI PRIMO TEMPORE PRAESVL ERAM. / ANGLIA LVSTRA DECE SED POST TVA SCEPTRA COLEBA / PRINCIBVS PLACVI MARTE TONANTE TVIS. / HIC VBI SVM POSITVS NON SVM. SVM NO VBI NO SVM / SVM NEC IN AMBOBVS. SVM SED VTROQVE LOCO. 1621. / DOMINVS EST QVI ME IVDICAT.I.COR.4. / QVI STAT, CAVEAT NE CADAT. On the frame, at the bottom of the slab, is caved the name of the sculptor (in a pentameter), thus:- PATRICIVS KERIN FECERAT ILLVD OPVS. Fitzgerald (1902, 252-4) gives two previously published versions of the translation, one being, '[The Ode of Miler Magrath, Archbishop of Cashel, to the Passer-by.] Partick, the Glory of our Isle and Gown, / First sat a Bishop in the See of Down. / I wish that I, succeeding him in Place / As Bishop, had an equal share of Grace. / I serv'd thee, England, fifty years in Jars, / And pleas'd thy Princes in the midst of Wars; / Here where I'm plac'd I'm not; and thus the Case is, I'm not in both, yet am in both the Places. 1621. / He that judgeth me is the Lord. 1 Cor. 4. / Let him who stands, take care lest he fall'. The effigy (L 2.1m; Wth 0.6m) wears the long robe and mitre of an archbishop. His feet rest on a dog with outstretched front quarters. An orb decorated with a clover-leaf cross flanks the dexter side of his head, with two winged cherubs on the upper sinister and dexter end of the tomb. In the side walls of the recess there are two decorative panels. The end panel is an image of the crucified Christ and the head panel an episcopal mitre bearing MacGrath's arms. There effigy rest on crude stonework (H 1.2m). A photograph taken in 1901 (FitzGerald 1902, facing 252) shows a fragment of a graveslab, with an inscription, in latin, in Roman lettering, along a border, this fragment is no longer there. It is possible that the front of the tomb was plastered with stucco work up to and around the large plaque (H 0.78m; Wth 0.61m) which bears MacGrath's arms. The shield quartered, the dexter chief charged with three leopards passant regardant, the dexter base with a dexter hand holding a battle-axe, the sinister chief with a dexter hand holding a cross patee and the sinister base a stag salient. The crest consists of a male head issuing from a knight's helmet, with mantling of elaborate chords terminating in tassels. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 January 2012