Font in Raheen (ballybacon Par.)

The baptismal font from the ruined church at Ballybacon is now located at the present church at Ballybacon (TS088-072----) which is situated a few 100 yards to the NW of the old church in the townland of Garryduff. Exposure to the elements in the grounds of the ruined church was believed to be having a detrimental effect on the font and it was moved to its present location in 1975. The font is described in some detail by Cahil and Twohig (1976, 91-3). The font is rectangular both internally and externally with a flat bottom and a central drain. It is made of fine-grained granite, decorated externally on all four sides. Three sides are similar with three large leaf motifs in relief on each side of two triangles. The fourth side consists of two flower-like motifs in relief, composed of six petals and separated by two triangles set apex to apex. A large circular depression 0.32m in diameter and 0.01-0.02m deep has been cut into the underside of the font maybe suggesting that it was mounted. The exterior panels are 0.57m by 0.53m; interior panels 0.45m by 0.34m rim 0.05m wide, depth 0.21m. Cahil and Twohig discuss the dating of the font, suggesting that, though square or rectangular fonts were popular in the 11th and 12th centuries in England, work by Helen Roe would suggest a mid to late 13th-century date for the Ballybacon font (ibid. 92-3). The font is compared to a number of fonts fom Ossary which are assigned to a mid-13th-century date (ibid.). The square font is quite rare in Ireland, with three quarters of all known examples being English (ibid. 93). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 29 November 2013