Graveslab in Callan South

Lying prostrate close to the S wall, at the W end of the S aisle of the nave of St Mary’s church (KK026-010012-), Callan. A straight-sided limestone slab (min. total L c. 2.13m; Wth 0.84m; min. T 0.11m) which is broken into three pieces (upper piece L 0.5m; Wth 0.57m; centre piece L 0.7m; Wth 0.65m; lower portion L 0.93m; Wth 0.84m). The upper portion of the slab is missing, as is the dexter portion of the centre of the slab and the lower dexter corner. It is decorated in relief with a banded cross, with a seven-armed cross-head, with curvilinear interlace and fleur-de-lys terminals. The cross-shaft rests on a stepped cross-base. There is an inscription in the border in Latin, in raised Black Letter script. It begins on the lower sinister side and continues along this side along the dexter side. Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 306) describes the lower portion of the slab but did not see the upper pieces which must have been separated from it at the time of his visit. He transcribed the inscription on the lower portion of the slab on the sinister side as, ‘Hic jacet discretus vir Dns……’ and on the dexter side as, ‘Butler, comitu Ormodie’ which he translated as, ‘Here lies the discreet man, Mr……’ , ‘Thomas Butler, Earls of Ormond…..’ (ibid.). The inscription on the recovered upper portions, ‘Willms Phale qu[o]de vicaris’, gives the name of ‘the discreet man’ as William Phale and his position as vicar. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 19 November 2019