Font in Foyran

According to Cogan (1870, 569) the abbey of Foyran, anciently called Faebhrom, or Faobhran, was founded most probably in the sixth century. The Four Masters record at A.D. 754, ‘Eochaidh, Abbot of Faebhran, died’. In 1864 George Du Noyer painted a watercolour of Foyran Church showing the ruins of a multi-period nave and chancel church (WM001-042----)with a possible doorway located off centre to W in N wall of nave and triangular-headed window of pre-Norman date in S wall of nave (Du Noyer Sketches VI (45), Royal Irish Academy). A plan of the church drawn by Du Noyer (George Victor Du Noyer, “Small cross of road side Td. Of Foyran. 300 yards WNW of the old church. Co. W Meath. Sheet 1/4,” Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, accessed January 22, 2020, http://rsai.locloudhosting.net/items/show/23442.) shows that the church was a multi-period building with a chancel added to a pre-Norman single-cell church which later served as the nave. At this time Du Noyer recorded the presence of the base and capital of a font which he sketched (George Victor Du Noyer, “Two carved blocks of limestone from the old church of Foyran, pronounced Wheeran. Co. Westmeath Sheet 1/4 [plan and section],” Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, accessed January 22, 2020, http://rsai.locloudhosting.net/items/show/23441). The location of the base and capital of this font could not be found within the church and graveyard (WM001-042001-)at Foyran. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 22 January 2020

The font in Foyran is associated with an early monastic site founded in the sixth century, possibly dedicated to Saint Eochaidh, who died in 754. Its style reflects early Christian Irish ecclesiastical traditions and it signifies the historical and religious importance of the site in medieval Ireland.