Graveslab, Cartroncoragh, Co. Westmeath

Co. Westmeath |

Tombs & Memorials

Graveslab, Cartroncoragh, Co. Westmeath

In the eastern corner of Drumraney graveyard in County Westmeath, a flat stone slab lies recumbent on the ground, its surface carrying more information than most graves from its era would dare to declare.

Nearly two metres long and tapering to a triangular base, the slab commemorates Edmond Dillon and Una his wife, with the inscription running not across the face of the stone but around its very edge, as though the words are framing the whole composition from the outside in.

The date 1621 appears at the top of the slab, but it has been split in two, with the numerals placed on either side of the head of the ringed cross, a deliberate compositional choice also seen on a second graveslab in the same graveyard, dated 1632. The central motif is that ringed cross, sometimes called a Celtic cross in popular usage, here given a calvary base, the stepped plinth that traditionally represents Golgotha. The cross is carved in false relief, meaning the design is shaped so as to appear raised while remaining essentially flush with the surface. Its arms terminate in fleur-de-lys forms, and the four quadrants between the arms carry small, stud-like decorative features. At the centre, the letters IHS appear, an abbreviation derived from the Greek name for Jesus and widely used in Catholic devotional art of the period, with a small cross rising from the crossbar of the H. Flanking the head of the cross, just below the date, are what appear to be rose or floral motifs, lending the composition a symmetry that feels carefully considered rather than formulaic.

Taken together, the decoration places this slab within a tradition of early seventeenth-century Irish funerary carving that drew on continental Catholic imagery at a time when such expression carried a degree of political weight. The Dillon name was prominent in the Irish midlands, and a graveslab of this quality, with its layered iconography and precise lettering, would have represented a meaningful act of commemoration.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Graveslab, Cartroncoragh, Co. Westmeath. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement