What is recorded here

Loose at the west end of the south chancel in Callan, the limestone slab waits without its tomb. Three round niches, vine leaves and a knotted zig-zag band still catch the light, suggesting a chest built to hold someone important. The missing body and vanished structure turn the fragment into a small mystery, beautiful because it refuses to explain itself.

Lying loose, at the W end of the S side of the chancel of St Mary’s medieval parish church (KK026-010012-), Callan. A decorated limestone slab (L 0.67m; H 0.65m; T 0.16m) which appears to be part of a chest tomb front panel. There is a plain border (Wth 0.035m) running along the top and bottom of the panel. The panel is decorated in false relief with three round-headed niches, separated by plain pillars. The soffit of each niche is filled with vine-leaves and the spandrels with a floral motif. There is a highly decorative horizontal panel above consisting of branches in full leaf, with a knotted band zig-zagging through it. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 3 December 2019

Chest tomb, medieval period. The decorated limestone slab represents funerary architecture associated with early Christian or medieval ecclesiastical sites in Ireland.

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