What is recorded here

Innisfallen is a small island in Lough Leane where an abbey church still stands beside the water. Inside its chancel, a broken limestone slab lies flat, marked by a faint cross that may be as old as the ninth century. The island has no road, so people must arrive by boat or walk across the lake when the water is low.

In the chancel of an abbey church (KE066-072001-), SW of the altar. A recumbent limestone slab (L c. 2.1m; T c. 0.2m) tapering from top to bottom (Wth at top 0.7m; Wth at base 0.55m) with a chamfer at the base. The slab is broken in three places and the incised cross is barely visible. The cross (H of shaft 1.5m; L of transom 0.55m) with open terminals (may be due to erosion). It is comparable to Lionard's Group 1 class (1961 REF?) of outline crosses. It could be as early as the 9th century with the chamfer added later but is more likely to be 12th or 13th century in date. (Weaver 1995) M. Weaver 1995 'An architectural survey of Inisfallen Island, Lough Leane, Co. Kerry.' MA Thesis, Dept. of Archaeology, UCC. Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011

Probably dates to the early medieval period, associated with the monastic foundation of Innisfallen Abbey. Likely used as a funerary or commemorative cross-slab, reflecting Christian symbolism and burial practices of the time.

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