What is recorded here

On High Island, a tapering cross-slab stands as the footstone of a grave, its eastern face carrying a linear cross inside an ovoid ring. The lower edge was chamfered to fit a socket, proving the stone was moved and reused rather than carved for that exact spot. A replica now occupies the island while the original rests at the Athenry depot, separating the marker from the dead it once named.

In the N half of the graveyard (GA021-026026-) on High Island. Recorded by Fisher (2014, 206, no. 12, Fig. 7.3), this tapering garnet mica-schist cross-slab (H 0.66m; Wth 0.36m; T 0.09m), which was probably reused, was found in situ forming the footstone of pseudo Grave 6. Only its E face was decorated. It bears an incised linear cross within a centrally placed ovoid shape that is defined by two incised grooves. At the junctions with the outer ring the cross-arms fork as oblique terminals. An incised roundel is visible in each quadrant. Linear Greek crosses are visible in the upper two. The lower right edge of the slab appears to have been chamfered to enable its insertion into a socket. A similar cross-slab (GA021-026044-) is visible on the grave immediately to the N. This cross-slab is now in the care of the OPW (Athenry depot, Co. Galway, see GA084-151016-). A replica of it has been placed on High Island. (White Marshall and Rourke 2000, 154, no. 22) Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 19 November 2015

Likely dating to the early medieval period, this cross-slab may have originally served a Christian commemorative or liturgical function before being reused in a later burial context. Its presence in a graveyard suggests possible links to local Christian tradition or repurposing of earlier religious symbols.

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