What is recorded here

Half a meter of sandstone, carved with a ringed cross and the words OROIT DO CHATHALAN, it stood buried in the graveyard wall for centuries before men carried it into the church. The knots and spirals still hold the shape of a prayer spoken for one Cathalan, perhaps a boy, perhaps a saint, lost now except in the cut lines. Durrow gave the slab its life, and the slab gave back a name the forgetting could not take.

National Monument No. 313. A sixth century monastery was founded at Durrow reputedly by Colum Cille [of the church] who died in 597 and whose feastday is celebrated on the 9th of June (Ó Riain 2011, 213-14). Early Christian cross-inscribed slab (dims. H 0.88; Wth 0.7m; T 0.21m) possibly of 9th century date that was built into E face of W wall of Durrow graveyard (OF009-005009-). This slab along with four others have been recently moved into the conserved C of I church (OF009-005013-) which now houses the high cross (OF009-005010-). Described by Crawford (1913, 263) as a 'rectangular sandstone slab 2ft. 11in. (0.89m) by 2ft. 6in. (0.76m), incised with a ringed cross, having a square centre, and rectangular extremities, all containing knots. The arms of the cross are nearly equal in length, and the ring is ornamented with plaits. Below the cross is the inscription or do cathalan'. Durrow (c) in Crawfords catalogue of cross-slabs at Durrow. This slab was described by Macalister (1949, 41-2) as`an equal-armed cross in a circle contained within a rectangular frame in relief. A square expansion at the centre with a spiral interlacement in the centre: rectangular expansions at the ends of the arms with ordinary interlacements...On the circle are running spirals, alternatively round and square'. The inscription reads O~R~DOCHATHALAN which can be expanded to OROIT DO CHATHALAN (Petrie and Stokes 1878, 56-7). See attached drawing of image taken from Macalister 1949. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 23 April 2014

This cross-slab likely dates to the early medieval period, associated with the Christian monastic settlement at Durrow founded by St. Colum Cille in the 6th century. It may have served a liturgical or commemorative function, reflecting the spread of Christianity and the veneration of saints in early Irish monastic tradition.

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