Errill Church and Wayside Cross

In the centre of Errill graveyard lies the remains of a late medieval church dedicated to St Kieran. What survives today includes a doorway at the west end of the south wall and a splayed, chamfered opening with a round headed window at the east end of the south wall. Cut stones from this ruined church appear to have been re-purposed as grave markers throughout the graveyard.

What remains of the Errill Wayside Cross, which stands at the crossroads of Errill, is now located not too far from the graveyard. It features a large cut-stone, chamfered pedestal supported by a massive, graduated base of four steps. The combined height of the base and pedestal is 8 feet, while the remaining shaft of the cross measures c. 0.85m high, 0.38m wide, and 0.21m thick.

On the upper part of the eastern face of the shaft, there was a shield sculpted with the coat of arms of the Lords of Upper Ossory. The coat of arms consisted of the following: 'Sable, a saltire argent; on a chief azure, and three fleur-de-lis. Supporters, two lions sable, armed and langued gules. As there was no room for the supporters at the sides, the sculptor has placed them on the shield. The crest - a dragon vert, surmounted by a lion passant sable-was no doubt carved above the shield but that portion of the stone is now missing. On the lower part are inscriptions, dated 1613 and 1622, to the Baron of Upper Ossory, his wife Kathrin More and their son and daughter-in-law.'  Beneath the shield is a much-worn inscription in raised Roman capitals: "Florence, the Baron of Upper Ossory, died 11 February 1613, and Catherine Moore, his wife, died 30 December 1612." Around 1860, the structure, which was in a dilapidated condition, was repaired by the first Lord Castletown. These repairs, consisting of the insertion of a pair of iron clamps, resulted in the destruction of the inscription and the coat of arms contained on the cross.

The western face of the cross bears an inscription in Roman capitals, though it is so heavily worn that deciphering it requires significant effort.

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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014