What is recorded here

Kilnanare church in County Kerry holds a small loose stone carved with an interlaced five-strand knot, still called the True Lovers' Knot. Local story gives it a sharper edge: a woman and her lover were buried on opposite sides of the wall, and roses from their graves climbed through the stone until their blooms touched. The church kept that shape, turning private love into a marker everyone could read.

In the SW corner of Kilnanare church (KE047-044002-). A loose rectangular block of stone (c. 0.4m x 0.3m) decorated on one of its surfaces with a low relief, interlaced pattern of five-strand wide bands. McDonnell (1965, 190) refers to the stone, which was used as a grave-marker in the church, as the 'True Lovers' Knot'. The stone is traditionally associated with a woman and her lover who were buried on either side of the church wall. Roses planted on their graves grew upwards and intertwined, giving rise to the stone being known locally as the 'briar and rose stone'. A second stone (KE047-044006-), with a similar design, has also been noted in this church. Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011

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