What is recorded here

Death itself may have worn the flutes smooth before human hands touched them. Five columns hold the basin above a cut graveslab, suggesting the living wanted water poured near marked dead rather than forgotten soil. The font left St Mary's and reappeared in St. John's Cathedral, carrying its chambered shape from one house of prayer into another.

Formerly in St Mary's church in Kilkenny city (Devine and Ó Drisceoil 2005, vol. 1, 17-18). Currently in St. John's C of I Cathedral (see TS061-025101-), at the NE end of the nave, immediately S of the chancel. This square limestone font (dims 0.71m x 0.71m; H 0.43m) is chamfered at the angles and around the base. The bowl (diam. 0.58m; D 0.2m) is circular and straight-sided with a flat-bottomed base with a shallow circular depression (diam. 0.16m) around the central drainage hole (diam. 0.05m). Each of the external faces of the font is decorated in relief with eleven round-headed flutes. The pedestal on which the fonts stands is modern and consists of five circular limestone columns. The columns rest on the upper dexter portion of a reused graveslab (TS061-025102- and KK019-026259-) which was originally larger but has been machine cut to form its present shape. The 15th-century font (TS043-034010-) at Kilcooley Abbey has similar fluting on one side. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

The font is a medieval stone baptismal font, originally from St Mary's Church in Kilkenny city, and is now located in St. John's Cathedral. It is significant as a surviving ecclesiastical artifact from the former parish, reflecting the architectural and liturgical traditions of the region.

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