Inscribed stone (present location)

The National Monuments Service's description

This inscribed stone was discovered in 1997 during an archaeological excavation at a small complex of monuments, known as Trahanareear, which includes a hermitage (SL001-007001-), leacht (SL001-007002-) and an enclosure (SL001-007007-). The stone was found lying in shallow peat against the base of a possible leacht (SL001-007004-) located 2m S of the enclosure. Following the excavation it was moved to the Schoolhouse/OPW conservation store (O’Sullivan and Ó Carragáin 2008, 227).
It was described by O’Sullivan and Ó Carragáin (ibid. 177) as follows: ‘Roughly dressed rectangular slab (H: 0.732 m, W: 0.405 m, Th: 0.04 m). Positioned in the upper left area appear three capital letters – J A W – and directly above them is a small incised cross.
The letter forms and context of this stone indicate that it is of fairly recent date. It may commemorate John Andrew Waters, a notable character among Inishmurray's last generation of inhabitants and a brother of Michael Waters, the island's last 'King' (pers. comm. Mr Rodney Lomax, Mullaghmore).’

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of revised upload: 26 January 2018

References

O'Sullivan J. and Ó Carragáin T. 2008 Inishmurray: Monks and Pilgrims in an Atlantic Landscape. Volume 1: Archaeological Survey and Excavations 1997-2000. The Collins Press. Cork.