What is recorded here

Half a metre of rain-worn stone stands in Clonmacnoise, its cross arms flaring into fretted circles and a central disc swollen with spirals. The name Thadgan still ghosts through the worn letters, preserved in Petrie’s 1822 discovery and later scholarly drawings. Rain, foottraffic and time have rubbed the edges smooth, yet the slab keeps its shape: a dead man’s marker made visible again through patience, drawing and repeated return.

Clonmacnoise grave-slab inventory (1992) number: CLN00300 Dimensions: H 1.10, W 0.71, T 0.095 Double outline expansional cross with median line. The semicircular terminal expansions have fret patterns and the circular central expansion has spirals. Inscription: A very worn and mutilated inscription 'O[R] DO T[HADG]AN'. Evidence of discovery: Petrie 1822. Condition: Very worn but complete. National Monuments Service, Photo number: 81- Stokes, M. (1878) Christian Inscriptions in the Irish language, Vol 1, p LIX, no. 144 Lionard, Early Irish Grave-slabs, PRIA 60(1959-60), p 133, Fig 24, no. 1. 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 9th–10th century AD, consistent with the high cross tradition of early Christian Ireland. The cross-slab may have served a funerary or commemorative function, with decorative elements reflecting both Christian symbolism and prehistoric artistic traditions.

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