Graveslab in Callan South

Lying prostrate in the centre of the nave of St Mary’s church (KK026-010012-), Callan. A badly broken limestone slab (total L 1.74m; Wth 0.65m; min. T 0.07m). It is decorated with a cross in relief, however, the cross-head is missing. There is an oval knop beneath the cross-head. The cross-shaft is largely worn away, it rests on a rectangular cross-base (H 0.15-0.2m; Wth 0.19m). There is a faint trace of the vertical line of a border (Wth 0.13m) on the lower portion of the slab on the sinister side. The upper portion is broken into three pieces, the upper dexter (L 0.23m; Wth 0.23m), the lower dexter (L 0.47m; Wth 0.28m) and the sinister side (L 0.87m; Wth 0.43m). The lower portion (L 0.89m; Wth 0.65m) was reused at some stage as a threshold, there is a circular depression near the lower dexter angle worn by the swivel of a door post. There is no visible inscription. This graveslab may be that decribed by Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 300) as a, ‘long narrow floor-slab, now broken into several pieces. There is a raised interlaced cross of most beautiful design in the centre. The inscription, in raised Old English [Black Letter], runs round the edge, and is continued in four other lines parallel to the shaft of the cross’. He transcribes the inscription as ‘…et discretus vir Joaes Tobyn quondam Rector hui ecclie fudatorq chantere nove qui obiit xxi die Martii A D Mcccccxli Cui aie ppiciet de Ame. Testis sis C’ste q’ uo iac’ hic Iapis iste Corp ut hornet’ s’ sps ut mem…tur. I’ C’ di[vinus] rede[m]ptor aie ppiciet’ & I nobissio die Sit celo surrecturus Ryorius O [tunny me fabricavit]’ and translates it as, ‘Here lies the discreet man, John Tobyn, formerly Rector of this church and founder of the new chantry, who died March 21st, 1541. On whose soil may God have mercy. Amen. Be witness, O Christ, that this slab does not lie here that his body be honoured, but that his soul may be remembered. May Jesus Christ, Our Divine Redeemer, have mercy on his soul, and on the last day may he rise to heaven. Rory O’[Tunny made me]’ (ibid.). In a revision of his work, Carrigan (unpublished 1923) amended the inscription to ‘xxx maii’ changing the date of John Tobyn’s death to 30 May (Ó Fearghail 1996, 98-9). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 13 November 2019

Christian graveslab, medieval period (probably 12th–14th century). Its significance lies in its decorative cross in relief, reflecting early Christian art and funerary practices in Ireland.