What is recorded here

Kilcock is identified as the Coffin-resting stone in County Kildare, Ireland. Local tradition holds that Catholic funerals waited outside the graveyard gates until fees were paid, resting the coffin on a stone during the delay. A small roughly dressed block beside the eastern entrance pier is still pointed to for that role, though another account names a former cross base near the Fair Green instead. The competing claims do not weaken the image: death itself was made to pause while living people completed their business.

According to Simms (1999, 183-4), local tradition relates that in the past, Catholic funerals had to remain outside the gates of the graveyard (KD005-002002-) until the burial fees were paid and the coffin was rested on a stone in the interim. A small roughly dressed block of stone beside the E pier of the entrance gates is pointed to as having been the coffin-resting stone. However, Rochfort (1999, 74) states that a cross base (KD005-030----), once located at the edge of the Fair Green, served that function. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

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