Inscribed slab in Monaincha

Listed by Okasha & Forsyth as Monaincha 6 who state that the slab of old red sandstone measuring 0.33m x 0.335m x 0.045m ,`was first recorded in 1964 when it was in the NMI. A file record sheet, FILE IA/192/64 was then made by the museum, and the three fragments were photographed. The file record states that the fragments had been found `in various places in the early church site of ... Monaincha' and were mounted on the wall of the church (TN018-001001) at Monaincha. In October 1964 the fragments were removed from the Museum by the OPW and by 1983 were in the depot in Kilkenny where they remain' (Okasha & Forsyth 2001, 209). The inscribed slab reads [--]C~[S~][.][-- which can be expanded to [--] SANCTUS [--] (Okasha & Forsyth 2001, 212). According to Okasha & Forsyth `The close similarity with the lettering on Monaincha 5 (TN018-001014-) suggests that this might also have read [s]c~[s~] for s(an)c(tu)s `saint''. This slab is now on display in the Black Mills Interpretative Centre at Roscrea (TN012-010017), but originally came from the vicinity of the Romanesque church at Monaincha. References Okasha & Forsyth 2001 211-212 photo, drawing concise discussion Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of upload: 22 September 2008