Clare County Library

Tomfinlough Parish

1894, Vol. II (3)

Fenloe (Tomfinlough) Ancient Church.
Received from Thomas J. Westropp, Esq.:—

Vault.
Arms—Between a rose and 3 cinquefoils a fess with 3 martlets, impales, three cocks.
Crest—A falcon on an armed hand.

“This monument was erected by | MR. HENRY HEWETT, in memory of his Father MR. THOM. | HEWETT who departed July ye 20^th, 1722, aged 21 years.”

1897, Vol. III (3)

Fenloe or Tomfinlough Church
Received from Thomas J. Westropp, Esq.:—

HEWITT—, 1722. THOMAS. Arms—A fess charged with 3 martlets between 3 escarbuncles, a rose in centre chief. Crest—A falcon on an armed hand. Impales Arms—Three cocks 2 and 1.

1912, Vol. VIII (3)

Tomfinlough Church.
From Mr. T. J. Westropp.

An interesting place, though greatly decayed and overgrown; there are remains of a small oratory, having a west door with a lintel and inclined jambs and three corbels with human faces overhead. Only the west end exists, having been embodied in the graveyard wall. The church exhibits in its walls massive cyclopean masonry; the two early south lights, one built up and one having a neat, round-headed splay and inclined jambs, possibly belong to the tenth century. It was repaired, probably by the order of Thomas or Richard de Clare, at the close of the thirteenth century; the east end was rebuilt with a plain three-light east window, and more elaborate details, a richly moulded ambry and south window in the south-east corner. The window has two pointed lights and had a centre pier standing detached in the deep recess, with round shafts having moulded joints, but this and the central block of the double arch have fallen and lie about the graveyard. The east end closely resembles that of St. Finghin’s Church at Quin, rebuilt by Thomas de Clare after it had been burned over his soldiers by the O’Briens in 1278. The church was much re-edified about 1460. A two-light window, with trefoil heads, was set in the east gable, and the large older window built up; an external stair led to a gallery at the west end. The north wall fell in the great thunderstorm of 1907. In the graveyard wall is the locally famous “plague stone,” probably a base of the older east window; it is reputed to have kept the cholera from the parish in the last century. The holy well is a basin stone.

St. Luichtighern Mac Ua Trato was a contemporary of St. MacCreehy, a disciple of St. Ailbe, of Emly, who died about 540.

Beside the south wall:—

Sub hoc lapidem Reponuntur | Reliquiæ Rev. Patricii O Quin | Presbytori atque (?) Arhidiaconi Laonensis | qui parochiarum Tom Finloe et | Killanasuelagh triginta tres annos | curam pastoralem habuit obiit Jan 20 | anno dni 1761 ætatis suæ 63 | Requiescat in pace.

Inside the same piece of wall a vault, with neat mouldings and armorial carving; see this Journal, vol. ii., p. 448 [above]. Arms—A rose between two escarbuncles in chief, a fess between three martlets; impaling—three cocks; crest—arm and hand vambraced holding a Hawk:—

This monum [sic] was Erected by M^r Henry Hewett in memory of his father Mr. Thom : | Hewett who departed July y^e 20^th 1730 aged 70 y^rs. Here also lyeth y^e Body of M^r John Hewet son of sd [sic] Tho^s who dyed July y^e 28^th aged 21 y^rs.

Against the Hewett’s vault:—

Here lies y^e Body of Patrick Mullens decea. | May y^e 23 1746 | aged 5 years erected by his | fath. Peter Mullens.