Graveslab (present location)

The National Monuments Service's description

This graveslab was originally located in the Saint’s Graveyard (CL029-009030-) on Inis Cealtra (Holy Island), Co. Clare - see CL029-009033- for original location). It is visible still in situ in a photograph from de Paor’s excavation report (1997) and was indicated as such on his plan (SMR file). It was exhibited in Mountshannon in August 1982 and was then placed for safe keeping in the OPW depot in Athenry, Co. Galway where it has SMR number (GA084-151007-). The slab (H 1.6m; Wth 0.59m; T 0.06m) has a ringed Latin cross in false relief. All four terminals have semicircular expansions, that of the shaft dividing into two petals. There is four-pointed recess at the centre of the cross. There are the outlines of two shod feet on the right hand side, the right foot above the arm of the cross and the left foot below it, both pointing to the top. Macalister (1916-17, 153, no. 31, plate XX) suggests that this may indicate that the person commemorated was a pilgrim. The inscription which is incised in two lines above the head of the cross and inverted reads ‘COSCRACH LAIGNECH’ (Coscrach the Leinsterman). The form of this cross is unique at Inis Cealtra and is dated by Macalister (ibid.) to the 10th century. (Okasha and Forsyth 2001, 58-61)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 10 March 2023

References

SMR file - Sites and monuments record files in the National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Okasha, E. and Forsyth, K. 2001 Early Christian inscriptions of Munster: a corpus of the inscribed stones. Cork University Press.

Macalister, R.A.S. 1916-17 Notes on certain Irish inscriptions. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 33C, 81-92.

Macalister, R.A.S 1916-17 The history and antiquities of Inis Cealtra. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 33C, 93-174.

de Paor, L. 1997 Inis Cealtra: report on archaeological and other investigations of the monuments on the island. E000180. Unpublished excavation report submitted to the National Monuments service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.

Record of Monuments and Places as established under Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, County Clare. Issued by National Monuments and Historic Properties Service 1996. Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.