The Quatercentenary of St Oliver Plunkett’s Birth in
1625: Heraldic Connections
This year marks the quatercentenary
of St Oliver Plunkett’s birth at Loughcrew on 1 November 1625. Celebrations are
planned for both Loughcrew (near Oldcastle) and Drogheda. Many readers will
recall his canonisation in Rome fifty years ago on 12 October 1975. Monsignor
John Hanly, who was a native of Oldcastle, was the postulator for the cause of the
canonisation.[1]
The period around 1975 saw the transfer of relics to both Oldcastle and
Drogheda from Downside where St Oliver’s body has reposed since 1883 on its
transfer from Lamspringe in Germany. St Oliver’s Head has been in Drogheda
since the early eighteenth century. Also of interest is the seventeenth century
reliquary in which his head was kept until 1921 when it was translated from the
Siena Convent to St Peter’s Church in Drogheda. This earlier reliquary still remains
at the convent.
Much has been written about St
Oliver, particularly in the periods leading to his beatification (in 1920) and
canonisation. On 6 July 1920 members of the Meath
Archaeological Society visited Dunsany and Killeen, ‘noted
not alone for the collection of items of interest, but for their association
with members of the family whose ancestors were near relatives of Blessed
Oliver’.[2]
The late sixteenth-century effigial
tomb at Newtowntrim (near Trim) commemorates St Oliver’s maternal great
grandparents, Sir Lucas Dillon and his wife, Jane Bathe. Through this couple
Oliver was related to many local families such as the Barnewalls, Bellews,
Cusacks, Dillons, Draycotts, Plunketts, Talbots (see Appendices 1 and 2), as
well as the Flemings and St Lawrences. These relationships, illustrated by the
heraldry on a number of medieval tombs in Co Meath and neighbouring counties,
are the subject of this article.
Tombs are perhaps the pre-eminent
medium for genealogically based heraldic display and those considered here date
from three broad periods. The emphasis is placed on the heraldic shields. The
effigial tomb at Newtowntrim is the one most closely connected with St Oliver.
The later seventeenth-century effigial representation of Bishop James Cusack at
Duleek, nephew of Archbishop Peter Talbot of Dublin, is also included. Both
bishops were contemporaries of St Oliver. The earlier heraldic tree that formed
the top of the tomb to Sir Thomas Cusack, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, is
remarkable for its complex heraldic illustration that reflects a wide network
of familial relationships.
The earliest six tombs considered
are similar in style and date from the mid-fifteenth century. They are located
at Killeen, Dunsany, Rathmore, Duleek, Howth and Malahide. These relate to the
couple Sir Christopher Plunkett and his wife, Joan Cusack, and some of their
children (see Appendices 3 and 4). Through this couple, St Oliver was also
related to many of the prominent families in Co Meath. These bonds of kinship
were to prove crucial in the penal times after 1670, when as Archbishop of
Armagh, he largely relied on these familial connections for lodgings and space
to pursue his ministry in difficult times.
The Plunkett family: an early overview
The Plunkett family arrived in
Ireland as part of the Anglo-Norman conquest and came to hold lands in Dublin,
Meath and Louth. John Plunkett who was a professional sergeant-at-law, married
Alice daughter and heir of John of Trim and granddaughter of Henry of Trim, who
had been mayor of Drogheda in 1272. It was John of Trim who, about 1300, acquired the
manor of Beaulieu, Co Louth, close to Drogheda, from Theobald de Verdon (†1309). Through this marriage John Plunkett inherited Beaulieu, his
principal residence. Shortly after this, two well-known branches of the
Plunkett family evolved.[3]
Descended from Sir Patrick Plunkett (†1508) of Beaulieu, Kilsaran and Tallanstown, Sheriff of Louth, was the
family of Lord Louth whose residence later became known as Louth Hall. His son,
Oliver Plunkett was created Baron Louth by Henry VIII in 1541.[4]
During the Elizabethan conquest the Plunketts remained loyal to the English
Crown but adhered to the Catholic faith throughout the seventeenth century.
Dr Oliver Plunkett as Archbishop of
Armagh (1669-81), was based primarily in Co Louth, and it was significant that
in the Restoration period many of the landed Catholic gentry of the district,
such as the Bellews of Castletown, the Plunketts lords of Louth at Louth and
Tallanstown, the Draycotts and Talbots owners of Ballybarrack and Haggardstown
had been restored and were in a position to provide him with some measure of
security.[5]
After the Restoration, Oliver Plunkett, eighth Baron of Louth, while still
officially outlawed, lived at Louth Hall. He supported Dr Oliver Plunkett, his
kinsman, on his return to Ireland from Rome. It was on some of his land at
Ardpatrick that the Archbishop’s, brother, Ned Plunkett and his family lived.[6]
As Archbishop of Armagh, Oliver also for sometime took up residence at
Ardpatrick, with his brother, Ned and family.[7]
It is from Richard Plunkett, a
brother of the first John Plunkett of Beaulieu, that the Plunketts of Rathregan
(near Batterstown, Co Meath) and later Killeen descend. Richard, who was
summoned by writ to the parliament of 1310, made extensive acquisitions through
his connections with the families of Le Blunt, Lord of Rathregan, Le Tuite and
Cusack. His son and heir, Richard, called Richard Plunkett Junior, was Lord of
Rathregan, Tullaghanoge and Killallon.[8]
From Richard, descended Sir Christopher Plunkett (†1445) of
Rathregan who married Joan, daughter and heiress of Sir Lucas Cusack of
Killeen.[9]
This brief account provides context for the Killeen and Dunsany branches of the
family who descend from Sir Christopher and Joan. Art Kavanagh recalled Lady
Fingall’s account of the origin of the family name when ‘the first of the
family in Ireland came here with white jennets from which the family were
called Blanc jenet and in time Planc jenet and so Plunkett’.[10]
Sir Lucas Dillon and Jane Bathe, great grandparents of
St. Oliver
The descent of St Oliver Plunkett
from Lucas Dillon and Jane Bathe is well accepted. Oliver was son of John
Plunkett of Loughcrew and Thomasina Dillon, daughter of Henry Dillon of Moymet.[11]
John Hanly corroborates these relationships, where he says that Bishop Patrick
Plunkett, and his brothers, Lucas, first Earl of Fingall and Sir Nicholas, had
a Dillon mother, through whom they were first cousins to Oliver’s mother.[12]
These relationships are summarised in Appendix 1. Sir Lucas Dillon, whose
mother was Genet Barnewall, was a first cousin of Elizabeth Barnewall, mother
of Patrick Plunkett, seventh Lord Dunsany. This ensured a close relationship
for St Oliver with the Plunkett family of Dunsany.
The parents of St Oliver were also
distantly related (sixth cousin once removed) to each other and their common
ancestors were Sir Christopher Plunkett and Joan Cusack of Killeen. The descent
of Thomasina Dillon, mother of St Oliver, is given in Appendix 1, also her
descent and that of her husband, John Plunkett is summarised in Figure 1.[13]
Barnwall makes an observation in a short follow-on article about his research
in relation to the Plunkett descent at Loughcrew from the fifteenth century. He
has ‘shown that we have to rely primarily on chronology as a basis for
establishing this parentage of St Oliver, and until such time as new
information comes to light, the case must rest there’.[14]
The tomb at Newtowntrim was erected
either by or as a memorial to Sir Lucas Dillon (†1595) of Moymet.
His first wife was Jane, daughter of James Bathe of Athcarne, who died before
1578. Jocelyn suggests the Newtowntrim tomb was carved during the mid 1590s or
perhaps in the early part of the following decade.[15]
The three panels on the south side (see Figure 2) depict the coats of arms
associated with this couple. On the left are the impaled arms of Dillon and
Bathe for Sir Lucas and his first wife, Jane Bathe. The centre panel carries a
lion rampant for Dillon and thirdly the impaled arms of Dillon and Barnewall
feature on the panel on the right. These are generally attributed to Sir Robert
Dillon and his wife Genet Barnewall (the parents of Sir Lucas) or to James
Dillon and Eleanor Barnewall (son and daughter-in-law of Sir Lucas).
Sir Lucas Dillon married as his
second wife, Marion Sharl (†1607). Prior to this she was widow of Sir
Christopher Barnewall (†1575) of Turvey House, Co Dublin and she was
daughter of Patrick Sharl, (Sherl or Sherle) of Shallon, Co Meath. The north
side of the Newtowntrim tomb (see Figure 3) contains three impaled shields each
on a separate panel: Barnewall and Sharl, Dillon and Sharl, and thirdly Dillon
and Barnewall.[16]
The related tomb at Lusk, Co Dublin,
dated 1589 was erected to the memory of Sir Christopher Barnewall. It was
commissioned by Sir Lucas Dillon. The north side of the tomb contains three
shields each on a separate panel: Dillon and Sharl (see Figure 4) for Sir Lucas
Dillon and Marion Sharl, Dillon for Sir Lucas Dillon, and thirdly Barnewall and
Luttrell for Sir Patrick Barnewall and Anne Luttrell, parents of Sir
Christopher. The three panels on the south side bear the arms of Barnewall and
Sharl, the arms of Barnewall along with the family crest for Sir Christopher,
and thirdly the arms of Sharl.[17]
Both tombs carry effigies of the couples, Sir Christopher Barnewall and Marion
Sharl at Lusk (see Figure 5) and Sir Lucas Dillon and Jane Bathe at
Newtowntrim. The full detail of their decoration along with a discussion of the
style of the tombs is also given by Jocelyn.
Figure 4: Lusk: The impaled arms for Sir Lucas Dillon and his second wife, Marion Sharl.
Figure 5: Lusk: The effigial tomb of Sir Christopher Barnewall and his wife, Marion Sharl.
Patrick Plunkett, son of Christopher, sixth Lord Dunsany and Elizabeth Barnewall, being a minor on his father’s death, was made a ward of Sir Christopher Barnewall of Turvey (and of the Lusk tomb). He later married Ismay Barnewall, Sir Christopher’s eleventh daughter. Patrick’s grandfather, Sir Christopher Barnewall of Crickstown was uncle to Sir Lucas Dillon (Newtowntrim tomb). This emphasises the close relationship of the Dillons and also of St Oliver with the family of Lord Dunsany.[18]
The Draycott tomb at Mornington
The Draycott tomb at Mornington, Co
Meath (see Figure 6) is of interest in view of St Oliver’s kindred who
supported him in his pastoral ministry during difficult times in the 1670s. Sir
John Draycott (1558-1640) of Mornington was married to Anne, daughter of Sir
Christopher Barnewall (†1575) of Turvey, Co. Dublin and of Marion Sharl
who have just been discussed. The Barnewalls were a leading Catholic family in
the Pale and by the time of his death in 1640, John Draycott too was Catholic
as was his grandson and heir, also named John Draycott. This latter John was
outlawed in 1641 and had his estates forfeited during the Commonwealth period.
His first wife was Elizabeth Talbot, relative of Archbishop Peter Talbot of
Dublin.
Their son, Henry Draycott recovered
the forfeited Draycott estates during the Restoration period. Ballybarrack
church (near Dundalk) which was used by Oliver Plunkett, was on lands held by
the Talbots, the proprietor of which, at the time was William Talbot, nephew of
Archbishop Talbot. The impropriations of the parish, as also those of
Haggardstown near Dundalk were held by the Draycotts of Mornington.[19]
Ballybarrack was located in the old Parish of Haggardstown and Kilkerley. The
church built at Blackrock, and dedicated to the then Blessed Oliver Plunkett,
was consecrated on 31 August 1924. A stone from the church at Ballybarrack, was
inserted into the wall of the new church. As part of the recent centenary
celebrations, Mass was offered at Ballybarrack, where the shrine was built in
1920/21.[20]
Returning to the Draycott tomb at Mornington, four impaled shields are displayed. The arms of Draycott and Barnewall are the most easterly of the four. They are for John Draycott and his wife, Anne Barnewall. The Draycott arms are quartered on the tomb. Sir Philip Dracote, who married Alicia de Colevile, in the thirteenth century, bore a composed coat of Verdon (a fret) and Colevile (a canton)[21] that can be seen in the second and third quarters. Bertram de Verdon who had some Draycott lands in England allotted to him ‘and from him, regranted unto them with their arms and escutcheon of honour, and upon the same, a canton argent as an augmentation of honour, the charge a crosslet azure’.[22]
The four quarters (see Figure 7) on
the sinister side (the viewer’s right) are Barnewall (1st), Netterville (2nd,
containing a cross, fretty), Delafield (3rd, depicting a lion rampant) and
Sharl (4th). Christopher Barnewall’s grandfather was Richard Barnewall who
married Elizabeth Delafield. Richard was son of John Barnewall and Genet
Netterville. John Draycott appears to have married c.1580 Anne Barnewall while he was still reasonably young.[23]
This marriage moved the Draycotts into a well-established network of
relationships among the Old English gentry and where better to demonstrate this
than on the family tomb erected during the seventeenth century. Two other impaled shields relate to Draycott ancestors
in England. The first of these shows the impaled arms of Draycott and Savage
and the second, shows Savage impaling the quartered arms of Stanley and Lathom.[24]
Bishops of Meath: kinsmen, Patrick
Plunkett and James Cusack
On 9 July 1669, Dr Oliver Plunkett
was appointed Archbishop of Armagh by Pope Clement IX. He was committed to
serving his congregation in person and started the return journey from Rome to
Ireland after his appointment. He was ordained bishop en-route in St Bavo’s
Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium on 1 December, 1669. He used the alias Captain
William Browne in order to evade capture and arrived in Ireland in disguise on
7 March 1670.[25]
His cousin Dr Patrick Plunkett
(1603–79) had been a member of the Cistercian order. He was the first significant
formative influence on Oliver’s life and he supervised the boy’s education from
childhood until his sixteenth year. When he first received the youngster into
his household, Patrick was aged about thirty (c. 1631) and was acting parish priest in Kilcloon.[26]
St Oliver wrote
about his uncle, Sir Nicholas Plunkett ‘who reared me as a boy’, as a
father figure.[27] The late
Fr Gerry Rice P.P. Kilcloon (†2020), in
recognition of St Oliver’s childhood presence in the area, through his cousin and
tutor, facilitated the erection of a bronze sculpture (by Betty Newman Maguire)
of St Oliver outside St Oliver Plunkett Church, Kilcloon in 2000.
After his time in Kilcloon, Dr
Patrick Plunkett was appointed Abbot of St Mary’s in Dublin, and he was subsequently consecrated bishop of Ardagh in 1648. However with
the intensification of the Cromwellian persecution he fled to the Continent and
returned to Ireland in 1664/5 to take up residence with his brother, Nicholas,
in Dublin. He was now the only bishop in Ireland exercising his ecclesiastical
duties. He
was appointed Bishop of Meath in January 1669. Almost a decade later, because
of failing health, in 1678 he petitioned the Holy See for a coadjutor.[28]
James Cusack who was Parish Priest of Duleek was
appointed. He born in Lismullin, Co Meath and was in
1662 ordained for the priesthood in Rome. Dr Oliver Plunkett wrote a
recommendatory letter to Rome and Dr Cusack was consecrated Bishop on 5 October
1678. He succeeded the following year to the bishopric of Meath on the death of
Bishop Patrick Plunkett, who was buried in the Plunkett family plot at Killeen.
Bishop Cusack died in early 1688 and is buried in Duleek where his seventeenth-century
effigial tomb still stands. Along with the figure of
the bishop and his crozier (see Figure 8) on his tomb is the Cusack coat of
arms and crest (see Figure 9). The detail on the shield is now worn but the
crest of the mermaid can be seen holding a sword
dexter side (the viewer’s left) and a
sceptre on its other side.[29]
Through his mother, Lucinda Talbot,
Dr Cusack was nephew of Archbishop Peter Talbot
S.J (†1680) of Dublin. They were both distantly related to
the Plunketts of Dunsany, Killeen and Loughcrew and they were regarded as
kinsmen to St Oliver (see Appendices 1 and 2). Old and sick, Archbishop Talbot
on returning to Ireland in 1678 was arrested and imprisoned in Dublin Castle as
was Dr Oliver Plunkett sometime later. In 1680 on hearing of Talbot’s
condition, Oliver escaped his guards to administer the last rites to his
kinsman.[30]
The reliquary of St Oliver at the Siena Convent,
Drogheda
The seventeenth-century reliquary,
still at the Siena Convent, Drogheda contains heraldry pertaining to the
confidants (in London) of Dr Oliver Plunkett. This reliquary containing the
martyr’s head was given to the nuns sometime after 1722 when Mother Catherine
Plunkett, a near relative, was prioress. In 1921 the head was translated to St
Peter’s Church in West Street, Drogheda. The door of the reliquary has a silver
plate depicting the Plunkett arms (shown in Figure 10) and two smaller roundels.
The roundels are located under the archbishop’s tassels and they are
shown in the insets as part of Figure 11 close to their actual positions.
One of the roundels depicts a double-headed
eagle for Corker, representing Fr Maurus Corker, the Benedictine who took the
martyr’s head to Rome. The double-headed eagle had been granted by Henry VIII
to the Benedictine’s ancestor. The other roundel shows the arms of Cotton and
Sheldon for Mrs Elizabeth Sheldon (one of the signatories of the 1682
parchment, now with the head of St Oliver at St Peter’s Church) and Mrs
Frances Cotton (†1677) both significant patrons of Fr Corker.[31]
The impaled arms of Cotton and Sheldon are unusual here in that they are arms
of affection rather than the usual representation of the marriage of husband
and wife. While the reliquary is not easily accessible at the convent, these
arms are reproduced on the choir balcony at St Peter’s Church, West Street,
Drogheda as shown in Figure 11.[32]
The funerary monument of Sir Thomas Cusack at Trevet
The Anglo-Irish sixteenth-century
statesman who held the offices of Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the
Exchequer, Sir Thomas Cusack (c.
1505-71), was a relative of the Plunketts, Dillons and Talbots. His mother,
Alison Wellesley, was a great granddaughter of Sir Christopher Plunkett and
Joan Cusack (see Appendix 2).[33]
Sir Thomas was buried in Trevet near
Dunshaughlin. Elizabeth Hickey describes four commemorative stones for Sir
Thomas and his second wife, Maud D’arcy. She contends that they originally
formed a ‘monument’. The elaborately decorated funerary monument, now in Tara
Church of Ireland, portrays Sir Thomas and his wife, Maud along with their
thirteen children. Of interest here is the uniquely carved heraldic family tree
(see Figure 12) that lies in the ruined choir of Trevet Church. At the base of
the heraldic tree are within a wreath, the impaled arms for Sir Thomas and his
wife, Maud. Eight branches depicting impaled shields represent their eight
daughters. Three further branches represent their sons. Many of the shields
depicted at Trevet are now weathered and Hickey’s record provides valuable
information. The reader is referred to the original article for the detail but
the illustrative drawing by Elizabeth Hickey merits inclusion here, with the
coats of arms numbered by this author from to 1 to 11.[34]
The branches represent the eight
daughters as follows: 1. Catherine Cusack married Sir Henry Colley, 1a, their
eldest daughter married Talbot; 2. Mary married Sir Theobald Butler, Lord
Caher; 3. Eleanor married Andrew Wise of Bective; 4. Genet married Gerald
Wellesley of Dangan; 5. Elizabeth married Christopher Bellew of Bellewstown; 6.
Anne married Andrew Tuite of Moneylea, Co. Westmeath; 7. Alison married Thomas
Aylmer, 7a. Hickey explains why the arms of Tyrell represent those of their
son, Bartholomew Aylmer. The chevron (see 7a, Figure 12) was also on the arms
of Richard, father of Sir Thomas, as there must have been a bond of
consanguinity; 8a. Margaret married first, Murrough O’Brien († 1574) Baron of Inchiquin, second 8b.
Christopher Cruise of Naul.
Continuing the numbering we pick up
the three sons: 9. George Cusack married Catherine Handcock, the crest of
Cusack is also depicted on this branch. 10. John married Margaret Talbot of
Malahide; 11. Edward the eldest son, married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard
Aylmer of Lyons, Co Kildare. She was sister of Thomas, husband of Edward’s sister, Alison.
From this branch the impaled arms of Forth and Cusack (see 11a, Figure 12),
prominently extend, they are for Sir Ambrose Forth husband of Anne Cusack,
daughter of Edward. This family held the rectory and tithes of Trevet from
1591-1641.
Hickey has drawn the quartered arms
of Forthe. These represent two different coats for Forthe (see Figure 13), a
surname that is a variant of Ford. Sir Ambrose Forthe was knighted in 1604 and
his coat of arms is blazoned as: Azure a
rose between two martlets in pale all between as many flaunches Or each flaunch
charged with a rose Gules. [35]
These are depicted in the second and fourth quarters, while the coat with three
lions rampant shown in the first and third is another version of the Ford
(Forthe) arms.
It was John, son of Sir Thomas, who
carved the heraldic tree. The second remaining stone at Trevet, now broken in
several places, carries a Latin inscription. Quoting the deceased Sir Thomas, a
translation reads ‘Under this monument of stone which was wrought, polished and
carved by my son John, am I interred, in the year 1571, for whose faithful soul
pray ye faithful’.[36]
The Goldyng tomb at Drogheda
The early sixteenth century cadaver
stone and parts of the dismantled tomb, commemorating Sir Edmond Goldyng of
Peristownlaundy (now Piercetown, Upper Duleek), and his three wives, was
originally located within the old St Peter’s Church, Drogheda
(Church of Ireland). It was transferred to its present position in the
churchyard by the Vicar, Revd Robert Cuthbert.[37] Roe describes the
mensa top or cadaver of Sir Edmond Goldyng and of his first wife, Elizabeth
Fleming (shown in Figure 14). She observes that Elizabeth is shown almost
skeletonised as opposed to her husband, depicted in ‘fair preservation with a
stubbly beard about his jaw, his hands folded below his wrinkled and swollen
belly’. She sees this as reflecting the fact that he survived to marry two more
wives, Blanche Cruce and Johanne Fynglasse.[38] According to the
inscription, Elizabeth Flemyng, was daughter of the Baron of Slane, taken to be
David, fifth Baron Slane (†1462).[39]
Elizabeth Fleming was descended from
Simon Fleming, first Lord Slane. His sister, Matilda Fleming (mother of Joan
Cusack of Killeen) married Lucas Cusack. The arms, shown on the Goldyng tomb,
supported by angels would have been displayed on all four sides of the tomb.
Edmund’s three wives are commemorated by the arms of Goldyng impaled variously
with those of Flemyng, Cruce and Fynglasse. Another side displays the arms of
Goldyng and Darce, taken to be the arms of Walter Goldyng (presumed son
of Edmond) and of his wife, Elizabeth
Darce.[40]
The effigial slab, erected in 1688,
at Robertstown, Co Meath, is to the memory of Francis Plunkett (†1682) of
Castlecam in Ardmagh, and his wife, Catherine. The husband, Francis
Plunkett, who is depicted on the effigy, along with his wife, holds a shield
that carries the arms of Plunkett.[41]
We also note that the tomb at Clonabreany commemorates Oliver Plunkett (†1581)
and his wife, Elizabeth Dillon (†1595). It shows three shields, the impaled arms
of Plunkett and Dillon, the Arma Christi
and the impaled arms of Plunkett and O’Reilly. It was ‘Christopher Plunkett,
son and heir of Oliver, and Ann Reli, daughter of the Lord and soldier O'Reli
who caused the tomb to be made’.[42]
The tomb at Kilskyre, with a possible connection to the one at Clonabreany, was
erected by
Hugh Reilly to commemorate his wife and children. ‘It was finished
in the year of Our Lord 1686’ and contains the arms of Reilly and Plunkett.[43]
Fifteenth-century tombs
Tombs, as we have mentioned, are a
medium for genealogically based heraldic display.[44] The six fifteenth-century
tombs considered here relate to the Plunkett family. The
first of these, located at Killeen, commemorates Sir Christopher Plunkett and
his wife, Joan Cusack. The tombs at Dunsany (Plunkett and Fitzgerald), Rathmore
(Plunkett and Cruise) and Malahide (Talbot and Plunkett) pertain to three
children of the above couple, while that at Howth (St Lawrence and Plunkett)
relates to their granddaughter. It is suggested that the sixth tomb, located at
Duleek (Bellew and Preston) is connected with the Plunketts through a second
marriage. While it is not intended to repeat much of the previously published
detail, what is of interest here is the consideration of all tombs six
together. This allows for an overall perspective to emerge where the tomb at
Killeen can be regarded as a ‘forerunner’ in a genealogical
sense for the remaining tombs under consideration. These naturally draw on
heraldry associated with the Killeen ancestors, but they also include heraldry
relating to the respective families of the spouses, Fitzgerald (Dunsany),
Cruise (Rathmore), Talbot (Malahide), St Lawrence (Howth) and Preston (Duleek).
What emerges is that in some cases as many of the shields can pertain to the
wife’s family as to the husband’s.
Killeen
The Church of St Mary at Killeen was
built c. 1425 by Sir Christopher
Plunkett (†1445), the first of his family to own Killeen.
It served both as a parish church and as a manorial chapel to Killeen Castle.[45]
In 1401 Sir
Christopher married Joan (†1441), daughter and heiress of Sir Lucas Cusack, and
succeeded to the manors of Killeen and Dunsany. In 1432 he was appointed
deputy to the Lord Lieutenant, Sir John Stanley. The fifteenth-century altar
tomb at Killeen is generally attributed to this couple.[46]
Originally the tomb stood in the
chancel at Killeen near the altar, but was in more recent times put together
from bits and pieces scattered here and there, it was placed in its present
alcove to save it from the weather. The mensa slab shows two heads under a
double canopy. The knight is depicted as clad in armour and his wife is
portrayed in a horned head-dress which was fashionable in the fifteenth
century. The rest of the carved slab is gone. Part of the Latin inscription
points to the couple of Lady Joan Cusack of Killeen and her husband, Sir
Christopher Plunkett. The couple were however likely buried under another full
effigial tomb that depicts a Plunkett knight and his wife.[47]
Around the sides of the altar tomb, are coats of arms of related families.
Prior to examining these, a brief overview of the Cusack family of Killeen may
be helpful.
Geoffrey de Cusack appears to have
arrived in Co. Meath c. 1175 as a
follower of Hugh de Lacy. The barony of Skryne was granted by Hugh de Lacy to
the knight, Adam de Feipo, from whom Geoffrey de Cusack received the manor of
Killeen[48]
The plaque erected by Arthur James Plunkett, ninth Earl Fingall, in 1839 dates
the original castle to 1181. Geoffrey married Matilda, daughter or sister of
Adam le
Petit.[49]
Their descendant, Adam Cusack of
Killeen left an only daughter,
Margaret who married Richard Tuite of Ballyloughloe, Co Westmeath. Their son,
Richard Tuite, married Blanche Butler, daughter of the Earl of Ormond. The
estate subsequently passed to their daughter and heiress, Joan Tuite who
married Sir Walter de Cusack (knighted in 1361) of Gerrardstown. In the next
generation, Sir Lucas Cusack married Matilda, daughter of Simon Fleming, the
first Baron of Slane. Their daughter and heiress of Killeen, Joan, married Sir
Christopher Plunkett of Rathregan. Following this marriage, Killeen was
continually owned by the Plunkett family until the 1950s.[50]
Lord Walter Fitzgerald, describes
the three fragmentary side panels of the fifteenth-century altar tomb, that are
divided into richly ornamented ogee-headed panels (see figure 15). There are
coats of arms in the spandrels supported by two angels. Some rubbings of these,
by Fitzgerald are shown in Figure 16.[51]
The longer south side contains three shields numbered by Fitzgerald as [III],
[IV] and [V]. He explains how the arms shown in shield [V], which are those of
Plunkett impaling Cusack and Tuite quarterly, were identified by George
Burtchaell, Athlone Pursuivant of Arms. Joan Cusack was granddaughter of Sir
Walter Cusack and Joan Tuite. Lord Walter suggested le Poer or Butler for [IV]
but it is reasonable to attribute these arms to Butler, from the Earl of
Ormond, an ancestor on the Cusack side. The arms shown in [III] appear to be
religious and probably relate to the five wounds of Christ. There was a fourth
shield on this side of the tomb but it is no longer extant and has not been
recorded.
The arms in [I] and [II], are on the
east side of the tomb. Those in [I] are for St Lawrence and were probably
intended to represent the marriage of Anne Plunkett to Sir Christopher St
Lawrence of Howth. The quartered arms shown in [II], depicting a lion rampant
in the first and fourth quarters, and a bend between six birds in the second
and third, have not
been definitively identified.[52] The arms
of Furnivall contain a bend between six martlets. This points to a local
example where the arms of Talbot quarter those Furnivall on the former Diocesan
School of Meath at Trim, now a private residence.[53]
In 1415, Sir John Talbot, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland converted part of St
Mary’s Abbey into a private residence, and it became known as Talbot’s Castle
and later was used as a school. Sir John married c. 1407 Maud Neville, sixth
Baroness Furnivall in her own right, daughter of Thomas Neville, fifth Baron
Furnivall by Joan,
daughter and sole heiress of Sir William de Furnivall, fourth Baron Furnivall.
It is possible that the quartered arms on the tomb at Killeen, resembling those
of Talbot and Furnivall were intended to represent Sir Richard Talbot of
Malahide, husband of Maud (Matilda), daughter of Sir Christopher Plunkett and
Joan Cusack.
Dunsany
Sir Christopher Plunkett and his
wife, Joan Cusack, through their first and second sons, John and Sir
Christopher respectively, were the ancestors of the Plunketts of Killeen and
Dunsany. Their third son, Sir Thomas married secondly, Mary Cruise, heiress of
Rathmore. The ruined Church of St Nicholas in the
demesne of Dunsany contains an effigial tomb which in all likelihood was
intended to commemorate Sir Christopher Plunkett, Lord Dunsany (†1462),
and his first wife, Anne Fitzgerald. The only impaled arms on the tomb are
those of Plunkett and Fitzgerald. Hunt raises the suggestion that tomb at
Dunsany was prepared when Anne, died, but that later, Sir Christopher desired
in his will dated 1462/3 to be buried at Killeen.[54]
Westropp in his 1894 article
included an illustration of the coats of arms on the sides on the tomb (see
Figures 17 and 18).[55]
The
longer side-panels show a series of five floreated and cusped arches, with four
shields in the spandrals above them. The south side depicts the arms of
Plunkett, Fitzgerald, the Arma Virginis
(crossed sword and heart) and the Arma
Christi (symbols of the Passion). The north side
bears the arms of Plunkett (with an annulet), Fleming, Castlemartin and the
impaled arms of Plunkett and Fitzgerald.
The impaled arms are attributed to
Christopher, first Lord Dunsany, and his first wife, Anne, daughter of Richard
Fitzgerald, of Ballysonan, Co Kildare, by his wife, Joan Castlemartin. Joan was
daughter and co-heir of Nicholas de Castlemartin and of his wife, Catherine,
sister and eventual heir of Simon Cusack, of Culmolyn (Culmullin). Joan’s
sister and co-heir of Nicholas de Castlemartin, Anne, was wife of Thomas
Cusack, of Dunsany. On the death of Thomas, Sir Christopher Plunkett inherited
Dunsany.[56]
This accounts for the arms of Castlemartin. The arms of Fleming were probably
intended to recognise Sir Christopher’s grandmother, Matilda, daughter of Simon
Fleming, first Baron of Slane.
Duleek
The fifteenth-century tomb at St
Mary’s Abbey, Duleek, has been taken to be that of Philip Bellew (†c.1462) and his wife, Elizabeth, sister of
Robert Preston, first Viscount Gormanston. Her mother was Joanna, daughter of
Sir Jenico D’Artois, the ‘Gascon squire’ who came to Ireland as a follower of King
Richard II.[57] Separately references point to the fact that
Sir Christopher Plunkett, first Lord Dunsany, married secondly Elizabeth,
sister of Robert, first Viscount Gormanston, and daughter of Christopher Preston, third Baron
Gormanston, by his wife Jane D’Artois, daughter of Sir Jenico D’Artois.[58]
It would then seem reasonable to suppose that Elizabeth Preston, second wife of
Sir Christopher Plunkett was indeed the same Elizabeth, who married Philip
Bellew.
The south and north sides of the
tomb have panels carved with six cinquefoil ogee niches with decorated heads,
with five shields in the spandrels above them. The south side depicts the arms
of Fitzgerald, D’Artois, Plunkett,
Preston and Bellew. Similarly on the north side, the arms are taken to be the Arma
Virginis, Preston impaling Plunkett, Preston impaling Bellew, St Lawrence
impaling Bellew and the Arma Christis.[59]
The three impaled shields are shown in Figure 19 and it is clear that these
should be reversed i.e. Plunkett and Preston, Bellew and Preston and thirdly
Bellew and St Lawrence. Crotty explains the technicalities involved. The
impaled arms of Bellew and St. Lawrence are taken to represent the marriage of
Philip’s great grandparents, John Bellew and Margaret St. Lawrence. The
impaled arms of Bellew and Preston are obviously for Philip and his wife
Elizabeth Preston. This leaves consideration to be given to the impaled arms
taken to represent a Plunkett husband and a Preston wife, that may further
strengthen the suggestion that Elizabeth Preston, wife of Philip Bellew,
married secondly, Sir Christopher Plunkett of Dunsany.[60]
We will return to this question.
Hunt notes the Duleek tomb is one of
a number coming from the same workshop that include the tombs at Dunsany,
Rathmore and Howth. He also observes that the Duleek tomb has not got its
original mensa slab, which may
possibly have carried an effigy. It could have been replaced when the tomb was
re-used for the burial of John, first Lord Bellew of Duleek (†1692/3).[61] It is interesting to mention that his tomb is beside
that of Bishop James Cusack (†1688). Both were
kinsmen of St Oliver with whom he corresponded.
Rathmore
The manor of Rathmore was held by
the de Verdons at the end of the fourteenth century. Matilda, the daughter and
heiress of Sir Thomas Verdon, married Sir John Cruise. Their son and heir,
Thomas died in 1423. Their daughter, Mary or Marion, married as his second
wife, Sir Thomas Plunkett, third son of Sir Christopher Plunkett and Joan
Cusack of Killeen.[62] In a similar manner to
Killeen, there is an altar tomb, shown in Figure 20.[63]
It carries coats of arms, attributed to the fifteenth-century and there are
also fragments of an effigial slab. Fitzgerald inferred from the armorials that
the effigies were those of the Plunketts. Leask has observed that the style of
the armour and dress of the effigies belong to the fifteenth century and that
the figures are probably Sir Thomas Plunkett of Rathmore (†1471) and his wife, Marion Cruise who brought him the manor. The
building of the church of St Lawrence, Rathmore around the mid fifteenth century
is generally ascribed to this Sir Thomas.
Since Fitzgerald’s
visit to Rathmore in 1908, it was found that the slabs were too large for an
effigial slab. Excavation showed that the dimensions of the altar’s foundations
precisely corresponded with those of the slabs. Their decoration is composed of
shallow niches with ogee heads having finials, cusps and crockets. In the
spandrels over the niches are eight shields, all of which carry coats of arms.[64] Lord Walter’s rubbings of the
shields are shown in Figure 21.[65] In the context of the
other Plunkett tombs, it is now reasonable to ascribe these arms to Sir Thomas
Plunkett and his wife, Marion Cruise. The arms shown in [VIII], are those of Plunkett and Cusack per
fesse, impaling Cruise, they no doubt represent this couple. As Fitzgerald
observed, the carver seemed to confuse the shells on the Cruise arms, and
carved six birds instead. The arms of Cusack may have served a double purpose,
representing Sir Thomas’s first wife, Janet Cusack or the arms of his mother’s family.
The identification of the impaled
shield in [VII] had been previously attributed to Bellew and Bermingham. A
possible Bellew and Bermingham marriage has not been found in the context of
Rathmore. However when different tinctures are considered for the arms of the
husband, a plausible suggestion emerges. The blazon for Bellew is given as Sable, fretty Or while that for Verdon
is Or, a fret Gules or Or, a fretty Gules.[66] As mentioned earlier, the
manor of Rathmore belonged to the de Verdons, thus the arms of Verdon impaling
Bermingham make sense as Sir Thomas Verdon (†1375), grandfather of Marion Cruise,
was son of Nicholas de Verdon (†1347) and Matilda Bermingham.[67]
The impaled arms of Plunkett and
Hollywood shown in [I] were probably intended to represent the marriage of John
Plunkett (brother of Sir Thomas) of Killeen and Elizabeth Hollywood, parents of
Christopher, first Baron Killeen. The arms of Hollywood are blazoned as Azure a chevron engrailed three martlets
Argent.[68]
The Fleming arms shown in [IV], also present at Dunsany and at Howth, were
probably intended for Sir Thomas’s grandmother,
Matilda Fleming. The emblematic device consisting of a mitre and two swords in
[III] is religious and it has been recently suggested that it recognises Sir
Thomas Plunkett’s patron, St Thomas Beckett who was martyred in his cathedral
at Canterbury in 1170.
We have seen that the arms of Butler
(Earl of Ormond) and Fleming (Lord Slane) have featured on several of the
Plunkett tombs and we could speculate, in the absence of tinctures, that the
saltire was intended for Fitzgerald (Earl of Kildare). We note, that Sir Thomas
Plunkett’s sister-in-law was Anne, daughter and heiress of
Richard FitzGerald, who is quoted as an illegitimate son of Gerald Fitzgerald, fifth Earl of Kildare, by his first wife Margaret Rochfort,
daughter and heiress. of Sir John Rochfort, of Tobernea, Co. Limerick. The
impaled arms of Fitzgerald (saltire) and Rochfort (lion rampant) is one of the
possibilities suggested by Fitzgerald, for II, but in the absence of tinctures,
we cannot be sure.[69]
Malahide
The tomb of Maud (Matilda) Plunkett
is situated in the nave of the church ruins close to Malahide Castle. The top
bears the effigy of a lady cut in low relief, dressed in a fifteenth century
costume. Maud was daughter of Sir Christopher Plunkett and Joan Cusack, and
married secondly Sir Richard Talbot of Malahide. She survived her third
husband, John Cornewalsh and the date of her death is given as 1482. There are
four shields on the tomb (see Figure 22) that were depicted in rubbings taken
by Lord Walter Fitzgerald.[70]
Two of them are religious, [I] the Arma Virginis and [III] the Arma Christi. The shield shown in [IV]
is for Talbot impaling Plunkett, and [II] is for Plunkett impaling Cusack and
Tuite quarterly as at Killeen. Maud and her husband, Sir Richard Talbot were
ancestors of family members who facilitated St. Oliver in his ministry in the
1670s including the members of the Talbot and Draycott families. Other distant
relatives included Archbishop Peter, Archbishop of Dublin and his nephew,
Bishop James Cusack of Meath as previously discussed.
Howth
The effigial tomb at St Mary's Abbey, Howth is for Sir Christopher St Lawrence, first Baron of Howth and his wife, Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas
Plunkett. Sir Christopher died between 1462 and 1465.[71] The arms on the south
side of the tomb, shown in Figure 23 were numbered [I] to [V] by Fitzgerald and
those on the north side were numbered [VI] to [X]. Fitzgerald plausibly
suggested that the impaled arms of Plunkett and St Lawrence, shown in [I], were
reversed in error.
In the light of the other Plunkett
tombs already discussed it is now reasonable to suggest that the following arms
are: [II]: Butler; [III]: Plunkett; [IV]: Fleming and [V]: Cusack. Fitzgerald
suggests that they were related to the family of St Lawrence, but was unable to
account for them. The arms on the north side of the tomb were given by
Fitzgerald as [VI]: Bellew; [VII]: Barry of eight (recte three bars), possibly intended for Barry or Hussey; [VIII]:
St Lawrence; [IX]: White and [X]: the Arma
Christi. We could consider that those suggested as Bellew may have been
intended for Verdon instead of Bellew as discussed for the Rathmore altar tomb.
The representation of White and Barry or Hussey may represent family
connections on the St Lawrence side. All the shields on the south side of the
tomb ([I] to [V]) relate to the wife, Anne Plunkett. It appears that Fitzgerald
did not countenance this possibility. This has relevance as we return to
discuss the Bellew tomb at Duleek.
Religious emblems
All six tombs carry the Arma Christi or the Instruments of the
Passion. Apart from the tomb at Killeen, the depiction of the other five are
very similar. The symbols on the Arma
Christi (see Figure 24, I) depicted at Duleek, associated with the Passion
of Christ, are the cross, a ladder, pincers, three scourges, three dice, a
sponge on a reed, hammer and a robe. Three of the other tombs depict three
nails and a crown of thorns is included at Malahide. The Arma Virginis, where the Heart of Mary is depicted as pierced by two
swords indicative of her sharing in Christ’s passion, is depicted at Duleek
(see Figure 24, [II]), Killeen, Dunsany and Malahide.
The annulet
The
examination of the Plunkett tombs prompts us to examine an additional feature,
the annulet, charged on the bend of the Plunkett arms on the tombs at Duleek,
Dunsany, Howth, Malahide and Rathmore. The fifteenth century is too early for
this mark of cadency to indicate that of a fifth son. As all these tombs relate
to Killeen it is reasonable to assume that the annulet pertains to Sir
Christopher Plunkett and his wife, Joan Cusack. At Duleek the annulet features
on the Plunkett arms as illustrated in Figure 24, III. The annulet is also
depicted on the impaled arms taken to represent a Plunkett and Preston marriage
as shown in Figure 19.
Previously
it has been suggested that Elizabeth Preston married first to Philip Bellew,
and then secondly that she married Sir Christopher Plunkett, first Lord
Dunsany, as his second wife. As Philip Bellew has no known Plunkett ancestry,
this further strengthens the suggestion that this Plunkett shield does in fact
represent Elizabeth’s second husband, Sir Christopher Plunkett. In the context
of Howth, it was observed that the number of the shields, on that tomb
pertaining to the wife, exceeded the number relating to the husband. This now
seems to be the case at Duleek as well.
Of
the ten shields on the Bellew tomb, two are religious, and four probably
represent the wife, Elizabeth Preston as follows: D’Artois, Plunkett, Preston, and
the impaled arms taken to represent a Plunkett and Preston marriage. Three then
represent the familial connections for Philip Bellew as follows: Bellew,
Fitzgerald and the impaled arms for the Bellew and St Lawrence marriage.
Finally the shield containing the impaled arms representing the Bellew and
Preston marriage are of course for Philip and Elizabeth. While no documentation
has been found to state that this is the case, the heraldry at Duleek strongly
suggests that Elizabeth Preston, first wife of Philip Bellew, married secondly
Sir Christopher Plunkett, first Lord Dunsany.
Killeen and Dunsany:
connections from recent times
The tangible evidence for the close relationship of St Oliver, with both families at Killeen and Dunsany is to be found in some of the items that have been well preserved to this day. Vestments (see Figure 25) belonging to St Oliver were kept in a glass-fronted cabinet at Killeen Castle. Around the time of the canonisation they were presented to the museum at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar by the twelfth Earl Fingall, Oliver James Horace Plunkett. He incidentally had attended the Benedictine School at Downside from 1910 where St Oliver’s body has reposed since 1883. In 1975, the Earl and Countess attended the canonisation of St Oliver in Rome, and the Earl presented a candle to Pope Paul VI during the Offertory Procession of the Mass. The Earl’s sister, Mary Elizabeth married Cyril Gage Pardo Kirk, and their son, John Oliver Pardo Kirk married Penelope Anne Gradidge. Charles Reggie Kirk, their son is married to Sophia Charlotte, daughter of Arthur Charles St John Lawson Johnston, third Baron, Luke and Silvia Maria Roigt.
An
embroidered flag that could be best described as a gonfanon (also called a
gonfalon) present at Dunsany shows the arms, crest and motto of Plunkett, along
with baron’s coronet representing Lord Dunsany’s title (see Figure 27). There
are two banners whose staves are set in saltire behind the shield. Here they
show the arms of Cusack and Castlemartin. The castles on the gonfanon could be
interpreted as towers but it is clear that they are intended to represent
Castlemartin. The ownership of Dunsany over the past eight centuries is
represented by the three families, Plunkett, Cusack and Castlemartin.
The foundation stone for St Peter’s
Church, Drogheda was laid on Sunday 10 July 1881 by Arthur James Plunkett,
eleventh Earl of Fingall to coincide with the martyr’s bicentenary. The date of
11 July 1881 (see Figure 28) is shown on the tower of St. Peter’s.[74]
The feast day of Blessed Oliver was marked on the 11th of July, the date of his
martyrdom in the old style Julian Calendar of his day. By 1975 the date of 11th
of July was dedicated (since 1964) to the feast of St. Benedict (Patron of
Europe), so that ruled out a national feast day in Ireland for St. Oliver on
that date. The late Monsignor John Hanly, recalled that the 1st of July was
free in the General Roman Calendar of feasts, for that of St Oliver. By
coincidence, this marks the date of his martyrdom in the Gregorian Calendar
which was adopted later in England.
Lord and Lady Dunsany were also
present in Rome for St Oliver’s canonisation in 1975. In 1938
Randal Plunkett married Vera de Sá Sottomaior from Brazil and Edward (Eddie)
Plunkett, who in 1999 became the twentieth Lord Dunsany was their only child.
Edward (1939-2011) in 1982 married Maria Alice Villela de Carvalho (1942–2020)
who was also from Brazil. In 1947 Randal Plunkett married secondly, Sheila,
daughter of Sir Henry Philipps from Pembroke. Beatrice Plunkett was their only
child. Sheila, Lady Dunsany, had been previously married to Major John
Frederick Foley Baron de Rutzen. He was mortally wounded in Italy while leading
a platoon there in 1944. Their daughter, Victoria de Rutzen, married in 1957
Sir Francis Dashwood.
Lord Randal Plunkett died in
February 1999 at a nursing home in Dunboyne and subsequently Lady Dunsany
returned to England to be nearer her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She
died a few months later in July after having lived at Dunsany for more than
fifty years. In the 1980s, one of her granddaughters, Emily Dashwood, on a
visit to Ireland to her grandmother, Lady Dunsany, met her future husband, and
now the late Charlie Naper of Loughcrew. Emily continues to reside at
Loughcrew and runs Loughcrew Estate and Gardens.
Loughcrew
The estate of Loughcrew was the seat
of the Plunkett family, where the martyred St Oliver, who was born there in
1625, is the best-known. Following the Cromwellian period and Restoration, the Books of Survey and Distribution
illustrate the changes in landownership at Loughcrew.[75] The impaled arms of Naper
and Petty (see Figure 29) on the late medieval manorial church represent this
transition. The arms on the left are quartered for Sir Nathaniel Naper and
Elizabeth Gerrard, parents of James Naper who married Dorothy Petty. Elizabeth,
was the daughter of John Gerrard, who brought the
Steeple estate in Dorset (England) into the Naper family. The arms of Petty are
depicted on the sinister side. During the hot summer of 2018, traces of a late
medieval house became visible in the dry ground nearby. The question remains as
to whether it was this or the tower house where St Oliver grew up.[76]
The beatification of Blessed Oliver
in 1920 saw an increase in devotion and the case for his canonisation started
to gather momentum. Solemn High Mass was celebrated in the parish church at
Oldcastle. This was followed by a Eucharistic procession, which several
thousand attended, and concluded at the Market Square with solemn Benediction
of the Blessed Sacrament. The translation of the Head of Blessed Oliver to St
Peter’s Church, Drogheda, took place on 29 June 1921 and from then
on Drogheda became a place of national pilgrimage. The 1940 report of the
Oldcastle Pilgrimage to Drogheda was typical. That year, it was quoted as ‘the largest yet
to leave Oldcastle, with over seven hundred participating’ A procession was
formed at Drogheda railway station and hymns were sung and the rosary was
recited on the way to St Peter’s Church. After Mass and having venerated the Head
of Blessed Oliver, the great majority of the pilgrims enjoyed the sea and
sunshine at Laytown and Bettystown.[77]
On Sunday 12 April 1953 a memorable
open-air celebration of High Mass took place at Loughcrew. It also marked three
hundred years since the eviction of John Plunkett, father of Blessed Oliver.[78] For more than fifty years
now, Mass has been offered annually at Loughcrew and the tradition has been
that this occurs annually on the last Sunday of June. For 2025 it is planned
that Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
will be the main celebrant for Mass on Sunday 29 June 2025 (3p.m.) at Loughcrew.
A Plunkett family gathering is planned for Friday 4 July also to be held at Loughcrew.
This will be followed by a weekend of celebration at Drogheda, culminating in a
procession and Mass at St Peter’s Church on Sunday 6 July
2025. While the anniversary of St Oliver’s birth occurs when the days are ‘shorter’, on 1 November
2025, All Saint’s Day, it will no doubt be locally and appropriately marked.
Acknowledgements
The author is indebted for much help
received. The late Heather King was very helpful in regard
to the Duleek tomb. It was through the unpublished
work of Helen Roe (†1988) that the arms
D’Artois on
the tomb were first identified. Both these ladies were two of several who
published articles relating to heraldry in Co Meath. Articles published by
Beryl Moore and Elizabeth Hickey were also very helpful.
Thanks is extended to Mrs Emily
Naper, Fr Mark Bohan, Charlie Kirk, Randal Plunkett (Lord Dunsany) Canon Jim Carroll, Canon Eugene Sweeney,
Kieran Campbell, Tom French and the late Noel Ross for helpful conversation or who read parts of the article. The drawing of the Duleek
shields by the Dundalk artist, Carol Quinn Wallace is also acknowledged.
Gerard Crotty was very supportive, he read an earlier draft and his comments
were both insightful and helpful. Tommy Burns has been very encouraging and he
provided additional reference and source material. Finally thanks to Peter
Connell, editor of Ríocht
na Midhe for his help.
[1]. In the 1970s he was appointed Postulator of the Causes of
the Irish Martyrs (seventeen of whom were beatified in 1992 including Blessed
Margaret Ball) and of Catherine McAuley and Nano Nagle. It was Monsignor John
Hagan who was the postulator prior to the beatification of Blessed Oliver in
1920.
[2]. Drogheda
Independent, 24 July 1920.
[3]. James Moynes, Seán Duffy (ed.) ‘Plunkett’
in Medieval Ireland: An Encyclopaedia,
(2005, Milton Park), pp 376-77; For the online Ireland’s National Biographical
Dictionary, see:
https://www.dib.ie/biography/plunket-john-beaulieu-a7368 by John Brand (accessed on 30 September
2024).
John Lodge (revised by Mervyn Archdall), The Peerage of Ireland, (7 vols.,
Dublin, 1789) vi, pp 160-64; gives the surname of Alice above is given as
D’arcy.
[4]. Lodge, The Peerage of Ireland, pp 160-64.
[5]. Harold O'Sullivan, ‘The beginnings of the
Catholic Parishes of Dundalk, Haggardstown and Kilkerley in the County of
Louth’, Seanchas Ard Mhacha, vol. 19, no. 2, (2003), pp 1-52, p. 43. Hereafter cited as O'Sullivan,
‘Catholic Parishes in County Louth’.
[6]. Tomás Ó Fiaich and Desmond Forristal, Oliver Plunkett (Indiana, U.S.A., 1976), p. 122.
[7]. Tommy Burns, St. Oliver Plunkett: Journey to Sainthood (Drogheda, 2019, revised
edition), p. 67.
[8]. William Lynch, View of the Legal Institutions, Honorary Hereditary Offices and Feudal
Baronies established in the Reign of Henry II, (London, 1830), p. 268.
Available online, see:
https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008645851 (accessed on 30 September 2024).
[9]. Moynes, ‘Plunkett’, pp 376-77; Mary Rose
Carty, History of Killeen Castle, (Dunsany,
2008), pp 10-11.
[10]. Art Kavanagh, The Landed Gentry and Aristocracy: Meath, (Dublin, 2005), p. 141.
[11]. Stephen B. Barnwall, ‘Plunkett of
Loughcrew’, Irish Genealogist, vol.
5, No. 4, Nov. (1977), pp 422-27, p. 426; John Lodge, The Peerage of Ireland, (4 vols., London, 1754) i, p. 156.
[12]. John Hanly, The Letters of Saint Oliver Plunkett 1625-1681, (Dublin, 1979), p.
69.
[13]. Barnewall, ‘Plunkett of Loughcrew’, pp
422-27.
[14]. Stephen B. Barnwall, ‘The Ancestry of St.
Oliver Plunkett: a genealogical puzzle’, Irish
Genealogist, vol. 5, No. 4, (Nov., 1977), pp 428-30; also illustrated by
Mary Rose Carty and Malachy Lynch, The Story of Dunsany Castle, (Dunsany,
2000), p. 97.
[15]. James Jocelyn, ‘The Renaissance Tombs at
Lusk and Newtown Trim’, The Journal of
the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 103, (1973), pp 153-166,
p. 161. Hereafter the abbreviation J.R.S.A.I.
is used.
[16]. Ibid., pp 153-54, pp 158-61.
[17]. Ibid., pp 153-58; see also:
https://www.dib.ie/biography/barnewall-sir-christopher-a0384 (accessed on 30 September 2024).
[18]. George Edward Cokayne, The Complete Peerage, (8 vols., London, 1887-98) iii (1890), p. 223.
[19]. O’Sullivan, ‘Catholic Parishes in County
Louth’, p. 41-45.
[20]. The Parish of Haggardstown and Blackrock, The Centenary of St. Oliver Plunkett Church
Blackrock, (Blackrock, 2024), pp 20-27.
[21]. Thomas Hardwood, A
Survey of Staffordshire: Containing the Antiquities of that County,
(London, 1820), pp 190-1. Also available by searching Googlebooks under ‘Survey
Staffordshire’, (accessed on 30 September. 2024).
[22]. Charles MacNeill, ‘The De Verdons and the
Draycots: Norman Grants in County Louth’, C.L.A.J.,
vol. v, 3, (1923), pp 166-172, p. 168. Hereafter the abbreviation C.L.A.J. (before 1970) and C.L.A.H.J.
(from 1970 onwards) is used.
[23]. Stephen Barnwall, ‘Henry Draycott and the Draycotts
of Mornington, Co. Meath’, Ríocht na
Midhe, vol. vi, 3, (1977), pp 68–81, pp73-5.
[24]. Seamus Bellew, William Nolan (ed.), Louth: History and Society,
Interdisciplinary essays on the history of an Irish County, ‘Aspects of
Monumental Heraldry in the Drogheda area’, (2023, Dublin), pp 223-249, pp
238-240.
[25]. Burns, St. Oliver Plunkett: Journey to Sainthood, p. 46, p. 56.
[26]. Desmond Forristal, Oliver Plunkett in his own words, (Dublin, 1975), p. 9. see also:
https://www.catholicireland.net/oliver-plunkett-in-his-own-words/
(accessed 30 September 2024); Burns, St.
Oliver Plunkett: Journey to Sainthood, p. 8.; Drogheda
Independent, 29 May, 1920. This refers to the sermon given by Fr Sheehy
C.M. at Peter’s Church, Drogheda, on 23 May 1920, the day of Blessed Oliver’s beatification in
Rome.
[27]. Burns, St. Oliver Plunkett: Journey to Sainthood, p. 15.
[28]. Aoife Duignan, ‘Patrick Plunkett’, Dictionary
of Irish Biography, 2019,
see,
https://www.dib.ie/biography/plunkett-patrick-a7393 (accessed
on 30 September 2024).
[29]. See: The Sketches,
Notes and Diaries of Austin Cooper, vol. i, National Library of
Ireland, 1783, available online at: https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000044795 (accessed
on 30 September 2024).
[30]. Burns, St. Oliver Plunkett: Journey to Sainthood, p. 107, p. 173.
[31]. Séamus Bellew, ‘The Seventeenth Century
Reliquary of St Oliver Plunkett at the Siena Convent, Drogheda’, Seanchas Ard Mhacha, vol. 23, no. 2,
(2011), pp 37-65.
[32]. Séamus Bellew, ‘Drogheda Churches:
Heraldry and Memorial Inscriptions’, C.L.A.H.J.,
vol. xxvi, 4, (2008), pp 534-62.
[33]. Hubert D. Gallwey, ‘The Cusack Family of Counties Meath and
Dublin, Part iv, Sir Thomas Cusack and his Descendants’, Irish Genealogist, vol. v, no. v, (1978), pp 591-600.
[34]. Elizabeth Hickey, ‘Monument to Sir Thomas Cusack’, Ríocht na Midhe, vol. iv, no. 5, (1971), pp 75-91.
[35]. National Library of Ireland, Funeral
Entries, vol. iii, containing
armorial and genealogical notes 1604-1622. Google: Holdings Funeral Entries
vol. iii, nli.ie, then look for image 41, on page 19 or else use the following
url: https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000529284 (accessed on 30 September 2024).
[36]. Hickey, ‘Monument to Sir Thomas Cusack’, pp 86-9.
[37]. L.C. Johnstone, History of Drogheda, (Drogheda, 1826), pp 81-2.
[38]. Helen Roe, ‘Cadaver Effigial Monuments in
Ireland’, J.R.S.A.I., vol. 99, No. 1,
(1969), pp. 1-19, p. 4., p. 15. See: http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000044779 for a drawing by Austin Cooper, 1784 (accessed on 30 September 2024).
[39]. Walter Fitzgerald, ‘St Peter’s Parish,
Drogheda’, Journal of the Association for
the Preservation of Memorials of the Dead in Ireland, vol. iv, 2, (1899),
pp 273-9, p. 275. Hereafter the abbreviation J.A.P.M.D.I. is used.
[40]. Ibid., p. 278.
[41]. Etienne Rynne (ed.), Figures from the Past: Studies on Figurative Art in Christian Ireland
in honour of Helen Roe, (Dublin, R.S.A.I., 1987), articles by: Heather A.
King, ‘Seventeenth Century Effigial Sculpture in the North Meath Area’, pp
283-307, p. 301; Nóra Ní Shúilliobháin, ‘The Robertstown, Co. Meath, Effigial
Grave-Slab: an Historical Footnote’, pp 308-13.
[42]. Ibid., King, pp 295-6; see also Noel
French: https://meathhistoryhub.ie/clonabreany-oldcastle/ (accessed on 30 September 2024).
[43].
https://meathhistoryhub.ie/kilskyre-old-cemetery/ (accessed on 30 September 2024).
[44]. Gerard Crotty, ‘Heraldry in Medieval
Ireland I: Prolegomena’, Peritia,
vol. 24-25, (2013-14), pp 313-47, pp 336-8;
[45]. Christine Casey and Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North Leinster,
(London, 1993), pp 357-60.
[46].
Mary Rose Carty, History of
Killeen Castle, (Dunsany, 2008), p. 13; pp 99-100.
[47]. Beryl Moore, ‘Tombs in St. Mary’s Ruined
Church, Killeen’, Ríocht na Midhe,
vol. iv, no. 4, (1970), pp 24-29, p. 14. See also: https://meathhistoryhub.ie/killeen-dunshaughlin/ (accessed on 30 September 2024).
[48]. Carty, History of Killeen Castle, p. 5.
[49]. Pearse Cusack, ‘The Cusacks of Killeen,
Co. Meath’, Ríocht na Midhe, vol.
vii, no. 1, (1980), pp 3-35, p. 14.
[50]. ibid. p. 21.
[51]. Walter Fitzgerald, ‘Killeen
Church Ruins’, J.A.P.M.D.I., vol. viii, no. 4, (1911), pp
401-418, p. 405;
John Hunt, Irish
Medieval Figure Sculpture 1200-1600, (2 vols., Dublin, 1974), vol. i, pp
207-10, vol. ii, plate 134.
[52]. https://www.tara.tcd.ie/handle/2262/39694
(accessed on 30 Sept. 2024).
[53].
https://www.discoverboynevalley.ie/boyne-valley-drive/heritage-sites/trim-historic-trail
(accessed on 30 September 2024).
[54]. Hunt, Irish
Medieval Figure Sculpture 1200-1600, vol. i, pp 205-6, vol. ii. plate 138.
[55]. Thomas J. Westropp, ‘The Churches of
Dunsany and Skreen, Co. Meath’, J.R.S.A.I.,
Fifth Series, vol. 4, No. 3 (September, 1894), pp. 222-231, pp 224-8.
[56]. Carty, The Story of Dunsany Castle, p. 18; The Illustrated London News, 11 Dec. 1852, p. 533. Available online
at https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/mb then search "The illustrated London
news" v.21 Jul-Dec 1852 (accessed on 30 September 2024).
These sources differ slightly in detail, but both clearly point to the surname
of Castlemartin as the maiden name of the mother of Anne Fitzgerald-Plunkett.
[57]. Crotty, ‘Heraldry in Medieval Ireland I:
Prolegomena’, 336-8; Séamus Bellew, ‘Coats of Arms and the Bellew Family’, C.L.A.H.J., vol. xxv, 4, (2004), pp
426-50, pp 426-33.
[58].
http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/dunsany1462.htm (accessed
on 30 September 2024).
[59]. Bellew, ‘Coats of Arms and the Bellew
Family’, p. 427; See also the Bellew family pedigrees at the National Library
of Ireland, GO MS 173, p. 236; GO MS 181, p. 171.
[60]. For images of the Bellew tomb, use the
url: http://www.tara.tcd.ie/discover and search under Duleek (accessed on 30 September 2024).
[61]. Hunt, Irish
Medieval Figure Sculpture 1200-1600,
vol. i, pp 204-5, vol. ii, plates
196-7.
[62]. Walter Fitzgerald, ‘Rathmore (St. Lawrence’s Church and
Burial ground)’, J.A.P.M.D.I.,
vol. vii, nos. 1 & 2 of Part II, (1908), pp 424-443, p. 430.
[63]. TRIARC - Edwin Rae Collection (Digital
Image Collection), see: https://www.tara.tcd.ie/xmlui/discover
The image in Figure 20 is available at:
https://www.tara.tcd.ie/bitstream/handle/2262/39795/ertk2337.jpg (accessed 30
September 2024).
[64]. H.G. Leask, ‘Rathmore Church, Co. Meath’, J.R.S.A.I., Seventh Series, vol. 3, no.
2, (1933), pp 153-166, pp 159-63.
[65]. Fitzgerald, ‘Rathmore (St Lawrence’s Church and
Burial ground)’, facing p. 428.
[66]. Bernard Burke, General Armory, (London, 1884), p. 68 (Bellew), p. 1054 (Verdon).
[67]. Brendan Smith, Crisis
and Survival in Late Medieval Ireland, (Oxford, 2013) pp 18-19.
[68]. Burke, General Armory, p. 501 (Hollywood).
[69]. http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/dunsany1462.htm (accessed on 30 September 2024).
[70]. Walter Fitzgerald, ‘Malahide Churchyard’, J.A.P.M.D.I., vol. vii, no. 1
of Part 1, (1907), pp 44-5.
[71]. Walter Fitzgerald, ‘Howth, St Mary’s Churchyard’, J.A.P.M.D.I., vol. vii, no. 3 of Part 1, (1909), pp 570-74; Walter Fitzgerald, ‘Notes on the St. Lawrences, Lords of Howth, from the End of the Twelfth to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century, with a Description of the Family Altar-Tomb in St. Mary's Church at Howth’. J.R S A I., Fifth Series, Vol. 37, No. 4, (1907), pp. 349-359. Hunt, Irish Medieval Figure Sculpture 1200-1600, vol. i, pp 144-5.
[74]. Bellew, ‘Drogheda Churches: Heraldry and
Memorial Inscriptions’, p. 552.
[75]. Una Palcic, ‘The origins and Interconnections of Three Eighteenth Century Landowners
in the Barony of Demifore, Co. Meath’, Ríocht na Midhe, vol. xxxv, (2024), pp
163-84.
[76]. Burns, St. Oliver Plunkett: Journey to Sainthood, p. 46, p. 56.
[77]. Meath Chronicle, 17 August,
1940.
[78]. Meath Chronicle, 18 April, 1953.
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