Cross-slab in Scattery Island

Situated c. 3m W of St Senan’s bed (CL067-024002-) on Scattery Island. An irregularly shaped recumbent cross-slab (L 1.59m; max. Wth 0.6m) set flush with the ground. Oriented NW-SE the slab is well preserved with an inscribed Latin cross formed of a two-strand interlace with triquetra knots at each of the terminals. Over the head of the cross the words ‘or do moinach’ (a prayer for Moínach) are inscribed. Four lines of slightly larger text are inverted and placed below the cross and beside the shaft. These read ‘or do moenach aite mog roin’ (a prayer for Móenach tutor of Mogrón). The slab resembles one of the types found at Clonmacnoise and is likely to be of later 9th or 10th-century date. This is a national monument in state care, no. 10. (Westropp 1897, 285; Okasha and Forsyth 2001, 108-112) The following image has been uploaded: CL067-024017-_01.jpg Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 19 September 2016 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 1/1971).

Probably dates to the early medieval period, associated with Christian monastic activity linked to St Senan. The cross-slab may have marked a burial site or served as a memorial, reflecting both religious devotion and local ecclesiastical traditions.