What is recorded here

Half buried in the Clonamery graveyard when Crawford found it, the narrow greenish pillar now stands against the east wall of the 10th or 11th-century church. Its stacked marks, a plain cross, circled cross, shallow cups and taller short-armed cross, climb like a remembered ritual rather than a decorative border. The stone may have marked a burial, a boundary or a prayer path before the church gave it its present address.

Currently fixed in an upright position against the E face of the E wall of the nave of the 10th/11th-century church of Clonamery (KK033-021001-), the lower portion (L 0.2m) being currently in the ground. According to Crawford (1923, 197-9), the stone was found half buried in the graveyard (KK033-021002-). It is a narrow rectangular upright stone (total H 1.04m (ibid.); Wth 0.15-0.21m; T 0.06-0.1m) with a rounded top, of what Crawford (ibid.) describes as a 'greenish slate rock'. It is decorated in ascending order from the base with a raised plain cross (H 0.14m; Wth 0.12m), 0.3m above this there is an incised cross within a circle (diam. 0.6m), 0.115m above this there is a circular depression (diam. 0.085; D 0.035), 0.08m above this there is a raised cross (H 0.2m) with shorter cross arms (Wth 0.14m) and 0.02m above this is a circular depression (diam. 0.06m; D 0.015-0.02m) 0.05m from the top. Crawford (ibid.) compares this to similar pillar stones found S of Dublin. There are two other cross-inscribed pillars in this church (KK033-021009-; KK033-021010-). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 18 January 2017

Probably dating to the early Christian period (5th–11th centuries), the cross-inscribed pillar likely served a liturgical or commemorative function, possibly marking a holy site or burial. Inscribed crosses of this type are often associated with Christian devotion and may have had protective or symbolic significance in local folklore.

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