What is recorded here

Much of the cross has been taken by the weather, yet the uneven circles and small crosses at the ends of its arms still mark it as a grave memorial from Clonmacnoise. It is little more than half a metre tall, thin enough to be lifted, and bare of any name. The loss of its inscription removes the certainty of who it belonged to, but the care given to its shape suggests someone wanted the dead person remembered with more than a plain stone.

Clonmacnoise grave-slab inventory (1992) number: CLN00471 Dimensions: H 0.46, W 0.425, T 0.06 Outline cross in two line circle. Each of the arms of the cross ends in a crosslet contained within a circle. They are not all equal in size. No inscription. Evidence of discovery: Macalister 1898-1905. Condition: Much weathered since 1954. Frame slighlty damaged. National Monuments Service, Photo number: 81-438, 718 Lionard, Early Irish Grave-slabs, PRIA 60(1959-60), p 137, Fig 27, no. 3. The Clonmacnoise inventory was compiled by the Office of Public Works. A copy of the record for this slab is available for inspection in the relevant Archaeological Survey of Ireland (SMR) file. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of upload: 23 May 2011

Date likely to the early medieval period, possibly 8th to 10th century AD, given the Christian cross symbolism and style typical of monastic sites like Clonmacnoise. The crosslet-in-circle motif may represent a form of early Christian iconography, possibly with protective or liturgical significance.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.