Stephen Lynch & Nicholas Lynch Fitz Stephen
Stephen Lynch, the son of Dominick Duff Lynch, was elected mayor of Galway four times, in 1505, 1508, 1517 and 1528. Under the north window of the south transept is a tomb, believed to be his resting place. A Latin inscription above the tomb translates as:
‘Stephen Lynch, of illustrious lineage, the darling of his soldiers and the terror of the enemy, in years still a young man, but old in valour, of whom the world was not worthy, was exalted to heaven the 14th of March A.D. 1644’,
To either side of the window are carved panels depicting the Lynch coat of arms. Below each of these panels is a carving of an angel. According to legend, the heads of the angels were smashed by Cromwellian soldiers, who are said to have defaced a number of features in the church.
In his will, Dominick Duff Lynch directed his son Stephen to finish the works he started at the church. Stephen's son Nicholas, made a number of additions to the church.
Nicholas Lynch Fitz Stephen was elected mayor in 1554 and again in 1561. He extended the south transept, now known as the ‘Lynch Transept’ and built the tower adjoining it. The transept was divided into two storeys. The upper storey had its own entrance and turret stairs. It was known as ‘Our Ladies Chapel’ and served as the private chantry of the Lynch family.
Nicholas Lynch Fitz Stephen was elected mayor in 1554 and again in 1561. He extended the south transept, now known as the ‘Lynch Transept’ and built the tower adjoining it. The transept was divided into two storeys. The upper storey had its own entrance and turret stairs. It was known as ‘Our Ladies Chapel’ and served as the private chantry of the Lynch family.
The chantry chapel was a late medieval phenomenon, the origins of which are unclear. A chantry was essentially an endowment for the performance of masses for the benefit of the souls of specified persons, usually family members. For those who could afford it, it provided a privatised form of commemoration. A chantry chapel could take the form of a simple altar against a pillar, or a special de-marked area of the church. In very exceptional occasions, a chapel was built as an appendage to the church. A chantry chapel such as Our Ladies Chapel would have required considerable investment and again serves to reflect the wealth and prestige of the Lynch family.