Sligo Friary - O'Crean Tomb

O'Crean Tomb, Sligo Friary

Choir Of Sligo Abbey. Drawn For Colonel Cooper from an original sketch and partly finished from a photograph July 1882.

Copyright Sligo County Library

O'Crean Tomb, Sligo Friary
Copyright Sligo County Library

O'Crean Tomb, Sligo Friary

Choir Of Sligo Abbey. Drawn For Colonel Cooper from an original sketch and partly finished from a photograph July 1882.

Copyright Sligo County Library

Enlarge image

Wakeman drew this monument in August 1880. It can be found in a recess in the north wall of the nave, just west of the rood-screen within Sligo's Dominican Friary. This is the O'Craian or Crean tomb of 1506 and is the earliest monument in the church.

What is immediately noticeable is that the lower part of the tomb was completely buried when Wakeman illustrated it. This is because the Board of Works reduced the ground level to the original level during the restoration of the friary in 1913 by Doctor Cochrane.

Today, because of the extensive restoration works, the whole tomb can be seen, while in Wakeman's drawing only the remains of a finely carved canopy and a later crest of the O'Crean's can be seen.

The tomb chest visible today is somewhat similar in design - called English Late Gothic - to the high altar but has nine figures carved in relief on arcaded panels on the front of the tomb.

Modern Image of O'Crean Tomb, Sligo Friary

Modern Image of O'Crean Tomb, Sligo Friary, County Sligo.

Copyright Sligo County Library

Modern Image of O'Crean Tomb, Sligo Friary
Copyright Sligo County Library

Modern Image of O'Crean Tomb, Sligo Friary

Modern Image of O'Crean Tomb, Sligo Friary, County Sligo.

Copyright Sligo County Library

Enlarge image

From left to right these comprise a friar, probably St Dominic; then a figure robed and crowned, with a sword in their right hand and he appears to be holding a circle against his breast, perhaps representing the wheel of St Catherine; the third figure is a possible female in a long gown held closed by a belt carrying a staff with an oval shape on its top, and possibly represents a pilgrim; the next figure is the Virgin Mary, beside whom is Christ on the Cross, with St John the Apostle next to him; the next and seventh figure is St Michael the Archangel, recognisable by his wings, raised sword and shield with a cross on it; beside him is St Peter the Apostle, holding the keys to Heaven, and finally there is a bishop holding a processional cross with his hand raised in benediction.

The Latin inscription along the upper part of the top slab of the tomb chest is incomplete but the date 1506 (MCCCCCCVI) can be read and the name Cormac O'Craian. His wife's name might be Johanna Nic Aengusa (Ennis). The O'Crean family were an important, wealthy merchant family, originally from Donegal but came to Sligo in the late 15th century.

The crest or coat of arms of O'Crean depicted in Wakeman's drawing is an armorial stone and is the earliest of its type in the Friary, dating to 1616. It bears the O'Crean family crest - combined with those of the French family crest. The initials on the crest AC and EF are probably those of Andrew Crean and his wife Elizabeth (?) French.