Font in Sleaty

Octagonal font in roughly dressed granite (W. c. 0.81m, D. c. 0.48m, T. 0.12m) located at W end of church (LA032-018001-). Described by Comerford as ' Inside the old church of Sletty, near the doorway, and to the left as you enter there is a large font of granite with a deep circular hollow, and pierced in the centre, which appears to me to have belonged to the primitive church of St. Fiacc. There was also a holy well (LA032-018004-) near this church called Tober-Feeg, but it is now stopped up' (Comerford 1886, vol. 3, 249). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Updated by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 19 March 2015

The octagonal font in Sleaty is likely medieval in origin and may have been built in connection with the old church of Sleaty, dedicated to Saint Lettice or a similar local saint. Its rough granite construction and octagonal form are characteristic of early Christian or medieval ecclesiastical architecture in Ireland.