Holed stone

The National Monuments Service's description

In 2010 a graveyard survey carried out by Laurence Dunne recorded the following details about Holed-stone No. 1122: 'Kildrum Graveyard is situated on the N side of the Dingle Peninsula 4km NE of Dingle. It is situated on an elevated site at 50m OD on the lower ENE slopes of Leathaoibh with views S over Dingle Harbour and Mount Brandon to the NE. The old graveyard [KE043-130001-] is studded with around three hundred small unnamed headstones, notched grave markers and cross-slabs that are disposed around the interior. The spatial and density patterning of these gravemarkers most likely reflect the location of the medieval church [KE043-130----] and also the oval enclosure that is evident on the 1st Ed OS map of 1841. There are no visible, above ground, coherent, remains of the medieval church of Kildrum today. Three holed-stones, (1098, 1120 & 1122), were recorded within the old burial ground at Kildrum. The third holed-stone (1122) is stylistically at variance with the previous two in that it could or should possibly be categorised as a perforated cross-slab? The local sandstone, 0.46m x 0.39m x 0,07m, has a narrow shaft that expands into a somewhat dome shaped head. Centrally disposed is a large hour-glass perforation with an external diameter of 80mm decreasing to 30mm at the centre or narrow neck of the hour-glass. The holed stone (1122 has) been trimmed and shaped into a variant cross-form that may be a skeumorph of the two definitive Tau cross-slabs, both of which are situated beside the holed-stone at Kildrum. Holed or perforated stones where found are generally associated with early ecclesiastical sites. They are not very common and not well understood. It is possible that these small low slab forms reflect a re-use of the earlier graveyard as a ceallúragh and may have only an incidental relationship to the earlier site. Some notable examples of perforated early cross inscribed pillars slabs and ogham stones at found at Reask, Kilfountain and Kilmalkedar. However, these are stylistically and morphologically at variance with the ones discovered at Kildrum and indeed, nearby at Raheenyhooig and Garfinny. The Dingle Archaeological Survey also recorded a holed stone in the nearby, early ecclesiastical site of Maumanorig, that is now, unfortunately, missing.

See attached plan and photographs courtesy of Laurence Dunne

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Laurence Dunne

Date of upload: 27 June 2022

References

Dunne, L. 2010 Archaeological Survey, Kildrum, Dingle, Co. Kerry. Unpublished report for The Heritage Office, Kerry County Council (SMR file).