Cross-slab (present location) in Inishmurray

This cross-slab, broken into three pieces, was removed to the Schoolhouse/OPW conservation store house from Teach Molaise in 1989. When Wakeman recorded this in the 19th century it was in two – not three – fragments on the surface of the Clocha Breaca leacht (SL001-001013-). Slab in three fragments (0.38 m by 0.40 m, 0.32 m by 0.27 m, 0.375m by 0.20 m) inscribed with a shafted and encircled cross ( 0.53 m by 0.48 m). The arms comprised pairs of false relief strands that formed Stafford knot terminals. The details of a large and complex interweave at the crossing are no longer recoverable. The ring is delimited by false relief strands between which are step twist features (32 originally). The inner and outer strands break at their bases and form the twin strands of the shaft sections above and below the encircling element respectively. 0.05m below the ring the strands of the shaft join at which point two slightly irregular inward facing mirror spirals develop. The above description is derived from the results of a survey of the archaeological monuments on Inishmurray undertaken in 1997-1999 and published in: Jerry O’Sullivan and Tomás Ó Carragáin 2008 Inishmurrary. Monks and pilgrims in an Atlantic landscape. Volume 1: Archaeological Survey and Excavations 1997-2000. Cork. The Collins Press. Date of upload: 20 February 2018

Date likely to the early medieval period (7th–10th century AD), based on the style of the carved cross. Such cross-slabs were often associated with Christian worship or memorials, possibly linked to monastic activity on the island.