Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead, Ireland
Journals 1888-1916

Clare County Library
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Clareabbey Parish

1897, Vol. III (3).
Contributed by Thomas J. Westropp, Esq.

Killoe Church
STAMER—1766. Mural monument. Armorial bearings of GEORGE STAMER, of Carnelly; monument erected also in memory of his uncle, Col. HENRY STAMER, of Latoon, who burned Quin Abbey. The family was founded by GEORGE, son of WILLIAM STAMER (of the family of Straffan, Co. Kildare, and more remotely of that of Retendean, Essex), before 1680.

“Here lies the body of Col. HENRY STAMER, | GEORGE STAMER, of Carnelly | HONORA STAMER alias O’BRIEN his | wife and WILLIAM STAMER their | son by whose order this monument | is erected, Died 18th of July 1785 Aged 35 much lamented | by his friends and country. | Here also lies the body of GEORGE WILLIAM STAMER | who died 26 Novr. 1817 aged 16 days. | And of Lieut.-Col. | GEORGE WILLIAM STAMER who departed this life April 24th 1819 | aged 34 years.”

1900, Vol. IV (2), part 2

Abbey of SS. Peter and Paul of the Fergus, alias Clare Abbey.
From T.J. Westropp, Esq., 1899

In Nave:—

1. A slab with plain Calvary cross and no inscription.
2. “I H S | Here lyes ye Body | of CHARLES | HALLINAN Dyed | ye 15 iune 1692.”
3. “JAMES HASSETT 1786.”
4. Old slab without inscription.
5. “ANNE COSTELLO 1788.”
6. “MARGARET HAUGH 1754.”
7. “MICHAEL HALLINAN 1746.”
8. LAFFAN tomb on site of altar.
9. “Death’s Our end and | to the grave We go | but Where or When | No man can tell or know | Here lies ye Body of | DENNS FLIN who Departed | This life ye 27 of June 1755 | aged 71 years | Erected by his son | JOHN FLIN.”
10. “DENNIS DOOMLY 1777.”

Under Belfry:—

11. Ancient and neatly moulded tomb in N. Recess. No inscription.
12. “TIMOTHY DARCY 1758.”
13. OWEN O HAUGH 1726.”
14. “JAMES O DEA.”

Nave:—

15. “God rest the soul of HONORA HAW 1787 by MATHEW HAW.”
16. “DANIEL and JAMES FORB 1771.”
17. “JANE LILLIS 1832.”

In Cloister:—

18. “LUKE WALL ESQRE d : 9th April 1790 aged 71 erected by his wife Mrs Catherine Wall also MRS CATHERINE WALL Ma (sic) 20th 1826 the relict of Richard Wall of Ennis Esqre.”
19. “JAMES MACNAMARA to his wife CATHERINE MACINERNEY died Jan 7. 1797 aged 19.”
20. “MISS ELIZA DARCY died Oct 22nd 1813 aged 39 by her brother Tom Darcy of Knock.”
21. “PALL (sic) O’DEA died 18 Dec 1837 aged 27 by his father Dennis and sister Margaret.”
22. “DANIEL CLEARY of Ennis died 3 May 1834 aged 32 also his daughter MARY died 6 Sep 1852 aged 19.”
23. “JOSEPH CULLINAN in memory of his daughter ANNE died April 1830 aged 2.”
24. “ ‘JOHNNY’ FAHY of Deerpark to his wife JOHANNA d: Nov. 17. 1885 aged 39.”

This interesting ruin has been recently conserved, and the interior cleared of bushes and rubbish.
“Jubilate!” [EDS.]

1901, Vol. V (1) part 1

Clare Abbey.
From Lord Walter FitzGerald, 1900.

Clare Abbey lies a mile to the south of Ennis; the ruins are extensive, and are in charge of the Board of Works. Strange to say, there are no remains of any altar-tombs, or monuments of any interest, which one would have expected to find in the church of this Abbey, which was founded in 1195, by Donnell O’Brien, King of Thomond (Monasticon). All the inscriptions given below are incised, and copied from headstones or slabs lying inside the Abbey church.

IHS
“HERE LIETH THE BODY OF | DARBY | MACMAHON DYED | 1698.”

IHS
HERE LIETH YE BODY | OF CHARLES | HALLINAN
DYED | YE 15TH OF IUNE 1697.”

“Here : lies : ye : Body : of : DENNIS : NASH ship carpenter : who : dep | arted : this : life : ye : 2nd : Day : of : 9ber : Anno : Domini : 1737 : Aged : 41 (?) years.”

IHS
“Here Lyes the Body | of OWEN O’HAUGH | who departed this Life | the first day of March 1726 | Aged 50 years”

IHS
“Here lies the Body of TIMO | THY DARCY who departd this | Life ye Tenth day of Septembr | 1738 Aged 66 yrs | Requiescat in pace.”

IHS
“Here lyes the Body of JAMES | O’DEA who departed this Life | Septr 7th 1775 Aged 53 yrs | Erected by his sons DANIEL | & DARBY O’DEA.”

IHS
“This tomb was Erected | by MICHL O’DEA in memry of this Brothr D * * * * O’DEA | who depd this Life Decembr | 31st 1809 Aged 50 yrs | Also his son DANL who | depd this life Septr 9th 1818 | Aged 8 yrs for him & | posterity.”

Under the east window a modern altar-tomb stands on a flat inscribed slab, entirely hiding the inscription, except for a letter or two; it bears the following:—

“Sacred to the Memory of SUSAN LAFFAN Relict of JOHN LAFFAN of Claremount Esqr who died at LAHINCH in this County on the 10th day of May 1852 Aged 59 years. ‘Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me, thy rod and thy Staff they comfort me.’ This Tomb has been erected to her Memory by her son Captain ROBERT LAFFAN of the ROYAL ENGINEERS. Here also are interred her father PETER KERIN who died October the 11th 1810 Aged 70 years. And her brother TERENCE KERIN who died July the 11th 1812 Aged 27 years. May they rest in peace.”

By the side of the above altar-tomb is a flat headstone, bearing this inscription:—

“Deaths our End and | to the grave we go, | But Where or When | no Man can tell or know. | Here lies the Body of | DENNS FLIN who departed | this Life ye 27th June 1755 | aged 71 years | Erected by his son JOHN FLIN.”

On what was a mural tablet, now lying on the ground near the central tower, is inscribed in lightly incised lettering:—

“THIS TOMB WAS ERECTED BY SAMVELL BVRTON ESQR FOR HIMSELF AND FAMILY WHO DESCENDED FROM THE HOVSE OF LONGNOR IN ST CHADES PARISH. SHROPSHIRE. 1679.”

In a corner of the west end of the church is a modern altar-tomb, dated 1838, belonging to the LILLIS family. There are also headstones of the nineteenth century to the families of NEALANS, HASSETS, TORPYS, COSTELLOS, DOONILYS, &c.

1902, Vol. V (2)

Clare Abbey.
South-west corner of chancel, against belfry; incised letters:

“THIS TOMB WAS ERECTED BY SAMVELL BURTON ESQ FOR HIMSELF AND FAMILY WHO DESCENDED FROM THE HOVSE OF LONGNOR IN ST CHADE’S PARISH IN SHROPSHIRE 1679”

He was ancestor of the Burtons, of Buncraggy and Carrigaholt, for which see Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. xx (1890)—T. J. Westropp.

1905, Vol. VI (2)

Clare Abbey.
In the cloister garth:—

Here lies the body of | Luke Wall Esq who depar | ted this life the 23d of April | 1790 Aged 71 years | Erected by his widow | Alicia Wall | Also the remains of | Mrs Catherine Wall | who depd this life Mar | 20th 1826 Aged 67 | Yrs Relict of the late Richard Wall of Ennis | Esq & daughter to the | late Valentine Quin of | Rosbrien in the County | of Limerick Esq.
The date of Mrs. Wall’s death may be either March or May. The letters “Ma” are quite legible, but the abbreviating letter may be “r” or “y.” The late Mr. Henry Faircloth, of Curragh, Co. Clare, was a grandson of the above-named Catherine and Richard Wall.

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