Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

The early Christian monastery of Coolbanagher is associated with Saint Lughach son of Lughaidh whose feastday occurred on the 6th of October (Ó Riain 2011, 407-8). This saint is also associated with Banagher Church, Co. Fermanagh, Rattoo, Co. Kerry and Toomour, Co. Sligo (Ibid., 407). The twelfth century preface to the Martyrology of Tallaght allegedly records that in the ninth century Saint Aonghas of Tallaght went to Coolbanagher where he began the writing of the Martyrology which he completed in the monastery of Tallaght, Co. Dublin (Ibid., 79). The Early Christian church at Coolbanagher was also associated with Saint Sinche the ‘daughter of Annudh, of Cuil Bennchuir’ whose feastday was held on the 22nd of August (Fitzgerald 1904, 300). A roughly rectangular sandstone slab ( 0.61m x 0.30m; T 0.08m) with an incised 'Greek cross' (0.19m x 0.19m) with T-shaped terminals now on display attached to inner face of N wall of chancel off centre to E near NE angle of Coolbanagher Church (LA008-014001-).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 26 February 2014

References

FitzGerald, Lord W. 1903-5 The history and antiquities of the Queen's county barony of Portnahinch. Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society 4, 184-204, 285-311, 325-51.