Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

Founded by St. Kieran the elder in the fifth century (ITA Survey 1943). Early Christian cross-slab (dims. 1.68m x 0.66m x 0.1m) described by Crawford as 'a slab of irregular shape , incised with a six-line cross, having the centre a circle, and the ends three-quarter circles. At the sinister sides are the traces of an inscription 'or do cherball'' (Crawford 1913, 265; Carwford 1916, 166). Now housed inside the C of I church, with a replica lying in the graveyard where the original was located.

Described by Macalister as `Among four ancient tombstones lying on this historically important site there is one of sandstone, recumbent west of the church, a Latin seven-line cross with a circular expansion at the centre and fantastically varied expansions at the terminals' (Macalister 1949, 39). The inscription reads O~R~DOCHERBALL which can be expanded to OROIT DO CHERBALL (Macalister 1949, 39).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien.

Date of upload: 23 May 2011

References

Crawford, H.S. 1916 Supplementary list of early cross-slabs and pillars. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 46, 163-7.

Crawford, H.S. 1913 A descriptive list of early cross-slabs and pillars. (cont.) Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 43, 151-69, 261-5, 326-34.

Macalister, R.A.S. 1949 Corpus Inscriptionum Insularum Celticarum, 2 vols. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.