Type: Tomb Slab
Townland: Séipéal Naomh Séamas, An DaingeanSt. James', Dingle
Situated on the E side of Main Street within the medieval walled town is the site of the 13th century parish church (Cal Docs Ire, V, 297) which was appropriated to the Augustinian priory of St. Mary's Killagh, near Castlemaine.
The church was probably refurbished or rebuilt in the 15th/16th century, reputedly under Spanish patronage (Smith 1756, 177). According to McKenna (1979, 48), Dingle was one of the chief embarkation points for the great medieval pilgrimage to the shrine of St. James at Compostela and it is probably no coincidence then that the church was dedicated to St. James.
By 1756, only a small section of the church was kept in repair, the remainder having gone to ruin (Smith, 177). In the graveyard, S of the church, many carved fragments of medieval date have been re-used as gravemarkers.
The present Church of Ireland church was built on the site in 1807 and there are no visible remains of any earlier structure.
This wedge-shaped slab is formed of 2 sections neatly jointed together.
The upper surface of the stone is decorated with a raised rectangular pattern embodying a swastika motif and an interlaced curvilinear design. The monument is well preserved but appears to bear no dedication.
The above description is derived from J. Cuppage (compiler) 'Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey.' Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne (1986), no. 1011.
Kathleen Reen