Graveslab

The National Monuments Service's description

This is one of five 16th/17th century recumbent graveslabs that lie within the church (GA104-151001-). This slab (1.86m by 0.63 tapering to 0.50m at the base) bears the following inscription along the top: DONEL O HILANE. It is described by Chapple (1995, 18, no. 16) as bearing ‘a large, incised, ringed, cross calvary. The panels formed by the intersection of the arms and the ring are incised, giving the impression of a false relief decoration. The external edge of the ring breaks at where the head and arms should be, but are uncut. The stone bears a border of two parallel, incised lines. The words of the inscription are spaced by relatively large, incised dots. The text appears to be inexpertly carved, as the letters vary in size, and in many cases are incorrectly shaped.’ The carving on this slab is comparable in style to those beside it to the N and S (GA104-151005-; GA104-151007-) and, although undated, is of a type that is found in 16th/17th century burial contexts.

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 10 January 2014

The attached image is uploaded courtesy of Robert M. Chapple.