The Gallen Priory grave-slabs are set into
a wall of what was once the gable of an early church.
Gallen Priory, County Offaly.
The Gallen Priory monastic site contains one of Ireland's
finest collections of cross slabs. The site is loacted in Ferbane, County Offaly, on the grounds of a nursing home, and is close to Clonmacnoise
and Cloughfinlough. The monastery, founded by Saint Canoc, was excavated in 1934 as part of the Harvard Archaeological Mission to Ireland. The excavation revealed an Early Christian graveyard with many finely engraved head-stones.
Some of the decoration at Gallen Priory is
similar to that of Clonmacnoise, High Island and Inchagoill.
The Gallen slabs are set into the walls of what were once the gables of a Twelth century church. A finely carved pillar stone
with a hole drilled through the top, possibly for a sundial, has been set standing within the church.
The location was used as a convent, boarding school and latterly a nursing home between 1921 and the late 1970's. The last of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny moved out in 2013.
A small pillar stone at Gallen Priory.
Ancient Cross Is Unearthed
Dug Up on Grounds Of Old Monastery In Ireland
DUBLIN, Irish Free State, Nov. 7 1934—
A magnficent wheeled cross in high relief bearing animal and figure ornaments in unusual carving, apparently belonging to the 9th or 10th century, has been unearthed on the site of an ancient monastery known to historians as "Gallen of the Britons" in the grounds of Gallen Priory.
An unemployment relief gang work ing under the supervision of experts from the British Museum and the Free State National Museum made the find, near Ferbane in King s County.
The highly decorated cross-slab at Gallen Priory.
The cross is regarded as a notable addition to the antiquities cf Ireland ana satisfies the authorities that con tinued digging may reveal more sculptures comparable to the rich series assembled at Clonmacnoise in the same county. Other old crosses un earthed In the ruins of the ancient monastery bear a foreign "Marigold" pattern that is believed to have pre ceded the blossoming of Celtic art in better known form.
The Gallen Priory monastic site contains one of Ireland's
finest collections of cross slabs. The site is loacted in County Offaly, on the grounds of a nursing home, and is close to Clonmacnoise
and Cloughfinlough.
The huge bullaun stone at Gallen Priory.
The Gallen slabs are set into
the wall of what was once the gable of an early church. A pillar stone
with a hole, possibly for a sundial, is free-standing.
The Guardian, Thursday 18th October 1934.
Among other discoveries by the excavators at the site were two coins of Henry II cr III and a massive lump of partly fused and rusted metal which has turned out to be the remains of a surcoat of mail armor, the rings of the chain being plainly visible. It is thought, however, that these objects have no connection with the other finds.
Gallen Priory Excavations 1934
The site examined was a grassy mound that stretches from the lawn boundary in front of the Priory for a length of about 60 yards. This was quickly shown to be a thickly crowded burial area, but the areas were, so far as was possible, left undisturbed, and the work concentrated on a search for monastic remains. A thick spread of stone rubble with fragments of motor showed that a building had in all probability existed on the site, and it was not long before the founda tion-walls of a church were discovered.
This proved to be a long, narrow rectangular building with a sacristy in the north-east corner. The line of the walls was exposed, and a large number of burials within the church walls were found. There was abundant evidence that this building had been destroyed by fire, and it is thought, though it is not yet certain, that we have here all that remains of the church known to have been burnt in the 10th century. It is hoped that further excavations will reveal the adjacent monastic buildings and provide further information about the plan of the ancient monastery.
On the present evidence, we may suggest that the buildings and burials in and near the mound are not later than the early Middle Ages (11th and 12th century), and date back to the earliest days of the Gallen monastery ( late 5th and early 6th century).
During the work a number of interesting pieces of sculpture have been collected, and others include some notable carvings. The best is a beautiful grave slab bearing a wheeled cross in high relief, orna-mented with human and animal figures. This is 10th century work. We have also found many earlier carvings, the most interesting being a slab with a marigold design that was built into the south-east corner of the church wall. This is probably carving of the early 6th century. We have also found an early inscribed grave-slab bearing the name of Coemzus, and a number of other illustrate various styles of Early Christian ornament in Ireland. These, together with the slabs previously discovered, form an exceedingly important collection, and it is hoped that arrangements may be made to house them on the site in a building erected for the purpose by the Board of Works. If this were done, Gallen would become second only to Clonmacnoise in its interest for the archaeologist and art-historian of Ireland.
A Gallen Priory grave-slab compared to examples from Clonmacnoise.
Among the other finds, we may call attention to the discover of a fused coat of mail armour.
It is certain that further excavations would lead to discoveries of great interest, and there is no doubt that Gallen Priory could become archaelogical ly famous if the site were fully explored. It is, however, clearly realised that excavation should not be allowed to spoil the considerable natural beauty of the Priory grounds, and every care could be taken to leave the site in an orderly and attractive condition.
