What is recorded here

Inishkeel Island, County Donegal: a portable cross-slab, 0.85 m long, stands on the rebuilt altar inside St. Connell’s medieval church. The graveyard around the two churches also holds a high-cross fragment, other cross-slabs and a graveslab, while one slab has vanished. Reached on foot through shallow water at low tide, the place keeps its shapes in pasture and salt air.

Located within a graveyard (DG064-003001-) which encloses two medieval churches, St Mary’s (DG064-003002-) and St. Connell’s (DG064-003006-), a fragment of a high cross (DG064-003008-), four cross slabs (DG064-003004-; DG064-003005-; DG064-0030009-; DG064-003010-) and a graveslab (DG064-003007-). Another cross-slab (DG064-003003-) is now missing. This complex of monuments, a National Monument in state ownership (No. 658), is located on the E side of Inishkeel Island in good pasture land. This small island which lies in a sheltered spot c. 500m offshore is accessible on foot at low tide. A portable cross-slab (DG064-003009-) .85m × 0.59m × 0.065m is erected on an altar constructed against the E interior wall of St. Connell's church. This altar was rebuilt in 1967 but its main feature, a perforated slab, is shown in the same position on the Robert Welch photo-graphs in the Ulster Museum (W04/01/9 and 10). The cross-slab is not evident in these photographs taken in the early part of this century. The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008

Probably dates to the early medieval period (8th–11th centuries) and may have served as a funerary or commemorative monument, possibly associated with Christian worship or local saints. Its cross-carving reflects the influence of Insular Christian art and may be linked to the nearby medieval churches of St Mary’s and St Connell’s.

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