Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

On the SW shoreline of Aghleam Bay, at the site of a graveyard (MA024-018002-). On the 1838 OS 6-inch map the cross-slab is indicated in the SW corner of the graveyard, and is named named ‘Leaght Mc. Maheen’. On the later 1921 edition it is indicated as ‘Tombstone (on Site of) Kilbeg Grave Yd.’ It is recorded in the 1838 OS Letters (O’Flanagan 1927, 257 (134)) as follows: 'a stone with a cross cut in it called Leacht Mic Maithin Iorrais, i.e. the Monument of McMaheen of Erros, whose house [MA024-017----] was said to be the most westerly in Connaght in his time.'
Henry (1937, 270-271) described it as a ‘slab 16 inches [0.4m] wide at the top, 2 inches [0.05m] thick, with two crosses carved on its W. side. It was half buried, and when dug out of the ground, the carved portion proved to be 30 inches [0.76m] high.’ The accompanying photograph shows two cross-in-circles, one directly above the other, with the upper one beginning a few centimeters below the top edge of the stone. Both extend circles extend the full width of the stone. The upper circle encloses an equal armed cross, with gently expanded terminals; the lower circle encloses a cross of arcs.
An inspection in 1995 found that the slab has been broken into three pieces, one of which has been removed. The carving is degraded, and only very faint traces of the lower cross can now be seen.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 17 November 2017

References

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1927 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Mayo collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838. Bray.

Henry, F. 1937 Early Christian slabs and pillar stone in the west of Ireland. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 67, 265-279.