What is recorded here

Eanach Dhúin is a ruined abbey in County Galway where a broken cross-slab still lies in the nave. Its irregular lines and lost edges suggest a busy place of prayer, ceremony and memory before the building fell into shadow. The slab does not explain itself, but it preserves the shape of human devotion in stone.

This cross-slab is in the nave of the abbey (GA069-001013-). It was recorded by Higgins (1987, ii, 336, no. 62, Fig. 58) who described it as a fragmentary recumbent limestone slab (max. L 1.28m; max. Wth 0.27m; T 0.2m) with traces of a multi-line cross. None of the original edges or any of the terminals survived. The cross design was irregular – on three of the limbs it consisted of four lines, while on the fourth it was of two lines. Near the widest end of the slab there was a semicircular feature or boss. The cross-slab probably dates to the 13th century (pers. comm. Dr J. Higgins, 23 October 2014). The following image has been uploaded: GA069-001015-_01.jpg Compiled by: Olive Alcock Updated by: Olive Alcock Date of revised upload: 8 August 2023

This cross-slab likely dates to the early medieval period, associated with Christian monastic activity in the region. It may have served as a funerary or commemorative monument, reflecting the spread of Christianity in Gaelic Scotland.

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