Stone sculpture (present location)

The National Monuments Service's description

Stored within the CBS school, James’s Street. It had been dug up in the Christian Brother’s monastery garden before 1978, probably in the 1970s (Bradley 1983, 542). 
A rectangular limestone block (H 0.72m; Wth 0.21m; T 0.205) with the figure carved in relief on one side. The top of the block has been cut off, including the head of the figure and portion of the upper left side and arm of the figure have been damaged and broken off. The figure is described by Bradley (ibid. 542-4) as being that of a man, ‘wearing a pleated skirt and has a cloak coming under his right arm, across the chest, and falling in folds from the left. It is not clear whether the cloak was clutched in the left hand or merely thrown over the arm because this part of the figure is missing. The right hand holds a banded staff and just below the fingers is an object resembling a buckle but which may be a purse. The feet, his right shoulder and chest are base. Underneath the figure is a small recessed panel ornamented with three rosettes’. The figure was originally set into a wall and Bradley (ibid. 545) suggests that as it is too large to be part of a chest tomb it may have been incorporated into a cloister arcade, perhaps at the nearby Dominican friary, the ‘Black Abbey’ (KK019-026021-). He also suggests, among other options, that the figure may be that of St James of Compostella and could have on display in the wall of St James’ Gate at the W end of James’ Street (ibid.). On stylistic grounds Bradley dates the figure to the mid-15th century, though he does mention that the rosettes at the foot of the figure are not commonly found until the 16th century (ibid. 544-5).

See attached photograph:
KK019-026118-_01 Urban Survey photograph, December 1992

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

References

Bradley, J. 1983 A medieval figure sculpture from near the Black Abbey, Kilkenny. Old Kilkenny Review New Series 2, No. 5, 542-5.