The Standing Stone: The Clonfnlough Stone, Rock Art, Co. Offaly.

Original article can be found here.


Location – A few miles East of Clonmacnoise on Esker Hill.
OS: N 042 296 (map 47)
Longitude: 7° 56' 13.37" W
Latitude: 53° 19' 1.53" N
GPS: N04195 29647 (Accuracy – 5m)
See map at the bottom of the page.

Description and History – This rock art needs a bit of time to look at. When I got here I just couldn’t make sense of what I was seeing and it took some time to allow my brain to make sense of all the patterns and depressions in the stone. This is a large glacial boulder that has been decorated with various designs. There are cup marks indicating a Bronze Age date but yet there are some clear cross shapes which suggest a Christian hand in the making. Could this be a multi-period site? Maybe early Christians found this rock and decided to Christianize it. I’m just speculating but it is a possibility. Among the cup marks and the cross shapes is a shoe print. This is very unusual and I can’t quite make sense of it. Why a shoe print? How old is this design? It has been argued that many of the designs on the rock are natural but have been enhanced at some point by a human hand. Needless to say this is an unusual and interesting site and worth having a look at.

Difficulty – This rock is signposted from the road and there is a path up to it. There is room for one or two cars on the side of the road.

Cup marks.

One of the many cross designs.

The shoe print.

Some has carved their initial onto the stone.

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The Standing Stone: Killinane Church, Closutton, Co. Carlow.

Original article can be found here.


Location – On the N9 between Leighlinbridge and Bagenalstown.
OS:  S 687 633 (map 61)
Longitude: 6° 58' 59.72" W
Latitude: 52° 42' 59.45" N


Description and History – There is very little to say about this ruin because all that remains are some much altered walls that stand to about a quarter of their original height. The work that has been done has made this place devoid of any character. The main concern in this work seems to have been tidiness as opposed to any historical or architectural concern. The remains consist of a nave and chancel measuring 14m x 6.5m. The W wall is now completely missing. The wall between the nave and chancel still remains and the original entrance is missing. No remains of any doorways survive. The E wall is now home to a large shrine.

Difficulty – Easy to find with limited parking. This is a very busy road so be careful.

For more ecclesiastical sites, click here.
For more sites in Co. Carlow, click here.

The Standing Stone: Clonaslee, Cross Slabs, Co. Laois.

Original article can be found here.


Location – In Clonaslee, N of the Slieve Bloom Mountains on the R422 in the grounds of the RC church.
OS: N 318 112 (map 54)
Longitude: 7° 31' 28.71" W
Latitude: 53° 9' 1.4" N
See map at the bottom of the page.

Description and History – These two cross slabs are somewhat disappointing. I have no doubt that they were once spectacular and a clear rival to those cross slabs at Clonenagh, also in Laois. However, they are severely damaged. The damage does not obscure them completely but their poor location does. They have been located against a white washed wall outside a modern church and are set in concrete and tarmac and form part of a parking space. I do not know how much damage is being done to these slabs with car doors slamming into them every day of the week.  They are rectangular in shape and are sandstone with simple cross inscribed designs. There was a third slab but this has now been lost. If you have an interest in cross slabs go and see these before it is too late.

Difficulty – There are a couple of churches in Clonaslee so it took me a while to locate them. Plenty of parking.

For more ecclesiastical sites, click here.
For more sites in Co. Laois, click here.

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The Standing Stone: Kilbride, Church, Co. Offaly.

Original article can be found here.


Location – Along the banks of the canal, W of Tullamore.
OS: N 304 253 (map 48)
Longitude: 7° 32' 36.66" W
Latitude: 53° 16' 39.11" N
GPS: N 30447 25340 (Accuracy – 6m)
See map at the bottom of the page.

Description and History – There is little left of this canal side church but it boasts a long history. A church was originally located here in the 8th century when Irish monks were establishing many communities in the area. The present structure is late medieval and may not have had a long period of usage as the Penal Laws brought an end to Catholic worship here as it did to many other churches throughout Ireland. The present church is badly ruined and measures 16m x 7.5m. The E and W walls survive to full height but the N wall has collapsed in recent years destroying very fine Latin inscribed gravestone underneath it. The graveyard contains some very nice gravestones.

Difficulty – Easy to find on the canal side. Ample parking.

Recently collapsed section of wall.

I think this portion of wall will collapse soon.

There are some lovely late medieval grave stones here.

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The Standing Stone: Kilmanman Church, Co. Laois.

Apologies for my absence. Life has been very busy and still is. Here is a small church near Clonaslee in Co. Laois. The original article can be found here.

Location – Not far from Clonaslee in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
OS: N 305 124 (map 54)
Longitude: 7° 32' 38.26" W
Latitude: 53° 9' 40.49" N
GPS: N 30474 12351 (Accuracy – 5m)
See map at the bottom of the page.

Description and History – Named after St. Manman this church was the centre of a late medieval parish and the ruin dates to the late 16th century. It’s fairly large for a parish church and is nearly 20m in length and 10m wide. The church is largely featureless but does have the remains of a bellcote. There is a small barrel vaulted chamber which appears to be much later in date than the original construction.  This is a very picturesque church. There was a holy well nearby also dedicated to St. Manman but I could not find this. It was disused in the 19th century so I think all traces of this well have disappeared.

Difficulty – Easy enough to find and get to.

 The remains of the bellcote.

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The Standing Stone: Killeshin Church, Co. Laois.

Another Laois church this week and not far from the last post about Sleaty. This is one of my favourite ruins and stands out as a masterpiece of Irish Romanesque art. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

The original article can be found at 'The Standing Stone.'


Location – Just off the R430 about 3km West of Carlow town

OS: S 673 778 (map 61)
Longitude: 7° 0' 2.6" W
Latitude: 52° 50' 49.68" N
GPS: S 67318 77817 (Accuracy: 5m)
See map at the bottom of the page.

Description and History – This place is absolutely beautiful and you really could spend hours here looking at the wonderfully carved Romanesque doorway. This place really has to be seen to be believed as even the photos do not do it justice. The doorway is really fantastic and far out does most Romanesque carvings in Ireland. Yet it is not well known at all. A church was founded on the site by St. Dermot in the 6th century but he is no longer the venerated saint here. St Comhdan is commemorated here on the 27th February. In 1041 the site was plundered and the church was burned in 1077. All that remains of the subsequent 12th century building are the gable ends and some of the N wall. The church was approximately 28m in length. The ornate doorway has four orders with human heads on the capitals with intertwined hair. The arch of the doorway has a large triangular hood is decorated with animal and floral patterns. There are two inscriptions on the doorway. On the N side of the doorway an inscription reads ‘a prayer for Diarmait, King of Leinster’. Diarmuid invited the Normans to Ireland to help him reclaim his kingdom and the consequences of his actions can still be felt today. This church therefore dates do a period just before the Normans seized control and this makes this church historically significant. I do not know what the other inscription says. A round tower,which has been unfortunately destroyed, dates to this same period. Parts of the E wall are later in date. A late medieval font sits by the doorway. It is undecorated.This really is a fantastic site and a must for any fan of Romanesque art and architecture of which I certainly am.

Difficulty – Easy to get to and easy to park at.

As you can see, every surface of the doorway is carved.

The undecorated portion of stone was put in during restoration to replace a now missing stone.

You can see the inscription here on the central panal.

More of the inscription.

The underside of the arch.

A human face on the capital.

Another face on the capital.

The face of the saint?

The font by the doorway.

Late medieval window.

Beautiful little Romanesque window.

 The inside of the door is much less exciting.

The church from the rear.

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