Oughtmama No. 1 / Ucht Mama / Oghtmama

In his visit to the three churches of Oughtmama, Westropp (1895) describes "the third and largest church", in which, "set in the S.W. corner is a curious stoup or font, carved in high relief, with two struggling animals, their necks intertwined." No. 10 of the 'Autumnal Rambles about New Quay, County Clare' has an illustration [old drawing; source not indicated] of the quadrangular object and the following description: "In the southwest interior angle of the church, a small stoup projects from the wall. It was once used as a font for holding holy water, and the front of it is curiously ornamented with carving, representing in relief some fanciful fabulous animals, covered with scales and entwined together by the necks. One of them appears to have no less than six feet, two of which the people of the neighbourhood denominate tails. From this circumstance, the whole tank has acquired the appellation, Cathastaurable, or the cat with two tails, derived from Cat, a cat, Da, two, and Earbull, a tail." [source:www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/history/...]. A modern [between 1890 and 1915] photograph of the stoup can be found, with ID no. 47592, in the site: www.limerickcorp.ie/applications/general/museum... [cf. Index entry for Oughtmama No. 2 for a possible baptismal font in the same site]