Pillar stone in Inishmurray

Located at the entrance to the enclosure (SL001-002002-) which surrounds Templenaman church (SL001-002001-) and graveyard (SL001-002007-). A tall, broad-faced, slender orthostat forms the north jamb of the gateway to Templenaman on the west side. There is no visible carving on the stone. This stone may be contemporary with the construction of the gateway and enclosing wall, which are certainly modern, but is possibly a pre-existing pillar stone that was incorporated in the gateway. This is a National Monument (no. 117) in state ownership. The above description is derived from the results of a survey of the archaeological monuments on Inishmurray undertaken in 1997-1999 and published in: Jerry O’Sullivan and Tomás Ó Carragáin 2008 Inishmurrary. Monks and pilgrims in an Atlantic landscape. Volume 1: Archaeological Survey and Excavations 1997-2000. Cork. The Collins Press. Date of upload: 16 January 2018

Date likely to the early Christian period (5th–9th centuries AD), given its position as a gateway marker to a church and graveyard. Such stones may have had ritual or symbolic significance, possibly serving as boundary markers or memorials.