The inscription on this memorial reads: IHS / Here lies the body of / PATRICK CONSIDINE who / depd this life the 25th Novr / 1825 Aged 25 Years Erected / by his Father JOHN CONSIDINE / of Ennis Tobacconist for him / and Posterity. May he rest / in peace. Amen

This monument located in the sacristy of Ennis Friary marks the final resting place of Patrick Considine who died at the young age of 25. It is one of only a few examples in the friary where specific information on the trade or profession of past townspeople is recorded. Even general terms are rare, with only five instances of the use of the term merchant on gravestones, all of which date from the 18th century. The few more specific descriptions of trades or job titles date to the 19th century.

In this instance Patrick's father John describes himself as a tobacconist. Two tobacconists were listed in the Ennis section of Lucas's Trade Directory of 1788. By 1824 when John Considine was trading on High Street there were six listed in Pigot's Directory of the town including John himself and John Considine Junior, both located on High Street. This increase may indicate a growing demand for the products. The clay pipe is a commonly found artefact throughout Ireland reflecting their widespread use and popularity. The provision of tobacco and clay pipes for mourners was part of the tradition of Irish wakes (Clare Champion, 2004).

While John and John junior are both listed as tobacconists on High Street in 1824, only one John Considine is listed under that business at the same location in Slater's Directory of 1846. It would appear that John senior passed away in 1839, an obituary in the Limerick Chronicle of 6 November that year reads "Deaths. In Ennis, Mr. John Considine, Tobacconist, aged 82 years".

The family business seems to have continued as in 1856 John Considine & Son were tobacconists in High Street (Spellissy, Sean, 1996), and Slater's Directory has a listing for a John Considine, tobacconist at O'Connell Square in 1881.

It is possible that John, Patrick's father, and other members of the family are buried in the friary too but there is no addition to the inscription or seperate memorial recording this.

Sources

The Clare Champion, March 5, 2004: Riches of Clare: The Tradition of Pipe Smoking
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/claremuseum/news_events/pipe_smoking.htm

Trade Directories in genealogy section of Clare County Library website

Lucas's Directory 1788 http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/directories/lucas/lucas.htm

Pigot's Directory, 1824
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/directories/pigot/pigots.htm

Slater's Directory, 1846
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/directories/slaters/slaters_directory_1846.htm

Slater's National Commercial Directory of Ireland, 1881
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/directories/slaters1881/slaters_directory_1881.htm

Obituaries, Death notices etc from the Limerick Chronicle at local studies section of Limerick City Library website,
http://www.limerickcity.ie/Library/LocalStudies/ObituariesdeathnoticesetcfromtheLimerickChronicle/1839/

Spellissy, Sean, 1996, The Merchants of Ennis, On Stream Publications, Co. Cork.