What is recorded here

A 1.85m greenish sandstone column stands beside the N cross at Monasterboice, marking terce, sext and none through three radiating lines carved from a central hole. Sunlight once traced those edges across the monastery courtyard, calling monks from prayer or labour without spoken warning. The faint circles and maltese cross below suggest the stone measured more than hours, perhaps mapping sacred rhythm into ordinary days.

A monolith of fine greenish sandstone (H 1.85m) now erected beside the N cross (LH021-062009-) at Monasterboice. The S face is decorated and there is a plain panel in slight relief at the top of each of the narrow sides. At the top of the S face there are the remains of two horizontal lines. At the mid-point of the lower of these there is a small hole from which three incised lines radiate. Each of these lines terminates in three prongs indicating the hours of terce, sext and none. Below the sundial there is an incised circle, now faint. A vertical line divides this circle in two. There is another circle below the last; this surrounds an incised maltese cross. See attached photographs courtesy of M.J. Harley (https://www.sundials-ireland.com/amedieval/medmellifont.htm) Compiled by: Claire Breen Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 27 May 2022

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