The village of EMO, in County Laois ( from the Irish IOMA, which I can't find a translation for), is situated a few miles N.E. of Portlaoise, on the road to Portarlington.
The village grew up around the estate called EMO COURT, founded in the late 1700s by the then Earl of Portarlington. The estate in those days consisted of thousands of acres of land. The 3rd Earl, Henry Dawson-Damer, donated the site for the village's Gothic R.C. church, Saint Paul's, completed in 1870 approx.
We noticed the above plaque on an entrance gate pillar while driving by one day at Easter last.
The church's fine interior includes some beautiful stained glass windows, especially that over the altar, depicting the Last Supper, also one depicting Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Jesus
In addition, there's this fine 'Pieta' on left inside the main door.
Main attraction, however, must surely be a life-size Carrara
marble monument by the famous sculptor, Joseph Boehm, which was commissioned by
Lord Portarlington in 1875 in memory of his wife, Lady Alexandrina, better
known as Aline.
.
Therein lies the first connection with Portlaw.
The sculptor, Boehm, also executed the fine marble effigy of
Florence Grosvenor Rowley (1844 - 1895),
wife of the 5th Marquess of Waterford,
at Clonagam Church, Portlaw.
Lady Florence's memorial in Portlaw.
Lady Florence died in childbirth.
Both herself and her infant child are buried outside the front door of
Clonagam Church (Church of Ireland/Eaglais na hÉireann), Portlaw,
County Waterford.
Further pictures of the memorial can be seen on this blog
by clicking on the Clonagam Church entry
under 'Popular Posts' on the site's home-page.
N.B. Clonagam Church and cemetery are seldom open nowadays;
maybe only one day a year!
Further text to follow!
