INTERESTING ARTICLE ON A EUSTACE FAMILY MONUMENT REPRESENTING LORD AND LADY PORTLESTER

The Leinster Express 20^th May 1871

THE EUSTACE FAMILY

There is in St. Audoen’s Church, Dublin a monument representing Lord and Lady Portlester, which was removed there from New Abbey, near Kilcullen, county Kildare, about the year 1786, representing on the tomb in altorelievo the effigies of Sir Rowland Eustace, Baron of Portlester, and his Lady, Margaret Jenico.  Sir Rowland, who was founder of New Abbey in the year 1460, is clothed in armour, according to the custom of the times.  Lady Eustace is in the fashionable English dress of her age; on her head she wears a cap called a cornet, bound by a fillet or frontier of gold or silver lace, wrought with the needle in no inelegant pattern.  This fillet is tied behind from which depend long lappets, a kind of veil which occasionally could be draw [sic] over.  On her bosom is a cross of pearls.  Her gown is that species called a kertle, made to fit close with robings, and as pins were not then in use made fast by a girdle studded with pearl roses.  The skirts are plaited in large and thick folds, and trimmed at the bottom with a flounce.  Her shoes are neat and in a later fashion.  The inscription states Roland Fitz-Eustace de Portlester to have died 19^th December 1496, &c “etiam pro anima Margaretae uxoris suae.”  On the front of the sarcophagus are three figures representing in the centre a Keveen clothed in the Irish habit.  On her forhead, she wears the Cabbin or Keveen, and on her neck and shoulders a clallbade, &c.  The two other figures represent Heralds in the crown, sword, tunic, and cloak, of their office, and also on their heads under the crowns the long veil or coif usually worn at funerals.  At one end is a monk in the habit of his order, and other figures much defaced.  The principle seat of the Lords Portlester or Eustace family was Harristown, near Naas, of which they were barons in the year 1200, and also of Castle Martin.  The inscription on the tomb on the outer edge is—“Orate pro anima Roland FitzEustace de Portlester, qui hoc mo. construxit et fundavit, et qui ob; die December 19^th A.D., 1496, etiám pro anima Margaretae utois suae”

The Leinster Express of the 20th May 1871  reports on an interesting monument representing Lord and Lady Portlester  in St. Audoen’s Church,Dublin.