What is recorded here

Half a metre of pale stone still marks the east end of a grave south of Ballywiheen Church, though the missing upper fragment carried the true reach of its inverted cross. The surviving slab holds three notches along its top edge and a broken T that once stretched twice as high, pointing toward skies no longer visible. It stands at the foot of Croagh Marhin, waiting for the dead and the living to remember what loss removes.

Ballywiheen Church/Teampall Bhaile Bhoithín: The remains of a simple rectangular church (KE042-103001-) are situated in a graveyard (KE042-103002-) near the foot of the E slopes of Croagh Marhin. Cross-inscribed Stones (KE042-103004-/011-): (2) A stone marking the E end of a grave, to S of the church. It is 0.62m high, 0.59m wide and 0.06m thick. Its E face is inscribed with an inverted T and the upper edge of the stone bears 3 notches. The stone was originally almost twice its present height and the stem of the T extended into the now missing fragment (Macalister 1898, 18). See attached photograph courtesy of Laurence Dunne See attached line drawing of cross-slab taken from Cuppage 1986 The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 981. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 11 July 2022

This cross-inscribed stone likely dates to the early medieval period, associated with the Christian settlement at Ballywiheen Church. Such stones often served as grave markers, memorials, or ecclesiastical symbols, reflecting the spiritual life of the local community.

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