Experts reveal their findings after Seir Kieran surveys

SEIR KIERAN Monastic Site in Clareen is recognised as possessing a unique history and being one of the midlands most treasured archaeological monuments.
It's a multi-period site dating from the 5th Century, when a prestigious monastery was founded here.
This monastery reached the height of its influence in the 8th to 10th Centuries, when many of the monuments which survive today, such as the High Cross, Round Tower, and earthen enclosure are likely to have been built.
An episcopal borough with an Augustinian Priory was developed at the site in the 12th Century. The Priory was dissolved and burned in the 1500s.
Seir Kieran is deeply valued by the local community, many of whom are keen to see some of its tantalising mysteries revealed. Whenever you visit the place you inevitably ask, What is lying beneath my feet?
On Friday evening, as part of Heritage Week, Professor Muiris O'Sullivan from UCD, led a walking tour around the sacred ground and explained some of the things that we could see. He showed us the base of the High Cross, a giant base which would have meant a tall, imposing cross. He pointed out the 1100 year old sandstone grave slab of Cerball, one of the Kings of Ossory (the etchings of which are very faint; Cerball is recorded as dying in 888AD). He showed us the walls of a large church. These walls have recently been strengthened, thus preserving them from collapse.
The group then moved on to Clareen Parish Hall where we listened to a couple of short talks by experts in their field.
Stephen Callaghan told us the fascinating details of his grave survey in Seir Kieran. Denis Shine of the Irish Heritage School told us about some of the things which the recently conducted geophysical surveys had discovered.
Stephen said his interest in Offaly's graveyards dates back to 2014 when he began working as an intern in Offaly County Council. “I visited every graveyard in the county and Seir Kieran stood out as one of my favourite sites. There are 150 memorials in the graveyard, mostly limestone and standstone. They date from 1682 to the present day. There are box tombs, table tombs, cross-inscribed slabs. Quite a few people buried here are from Birr.” He said there are a number of 'Passion' headstones in the cemetery which show the crucified Christ being speared by a Roman soldier. Some headstones have a sunburst (signifying resurrection) and the Christogram IHS (which is an abbreviation of the Greek word for Jesus). These headstones also have depictions of hourglasses (a memento mori).
Stephen showed us a picture of a headstone with a love-heart surrounding the Ten Commandments.
“Some of the gravestones are naive in execution,” he remarked. “Some are beautifully done and are works of art.”
Also in the cemetery are coffin-shaped headstones.
There's the grave of a Captain Munro who was sentenced to hang for killing his brother-in-law in a duel. The hanging was commuted to six months imprisonment. Munro died in Birr.
“We have confirmed that the cross slab of Cerball King of Ossory (died in 888AD) is definitely here,” continued Stephen. “On the slab are inscribed the words 'ordo cherbhall'.
Stephen said his survey of the graves is ongoing. “It's a job I really enjoy doing,” he commented. “I think it's valuable work and adds another element to this historic site.”
Denis Shine said he and Ger Dowling did the geophysical surveys but Ger was unfortunately not able to be present for this evening. “Geophysical Surveys are something like x-rays of the ground. There are a number of different types of geophys one can use. We used Electrical Resistance and Magnetometry in Seir Kieran. The Magnetometry is useful for locating features such as ditches, pits, enclosures. Electrical Resistance is useful for detecting features such as masonry, walls.
“Even before doing any geophys it is obvious that there is a lot, archaeologically speaking, going on in Seir Kieran. There is 1500 years of continuous human activity here.”
He pointed out that in 1997 Professor Muiris O'Sullivan and his UCD team carried out “a fantastic survey here”. The difference between now and 1997 is that archaeologists can carry out their surveys considerably quicker because of better equipment.
The site covers an area of eight hectares. “We chose a couple of spots for an Electrical Resistance survey. What this revealed was many features which looked like ditches; other features looked like possible burning sites; some features are perhaps plough lines; and other features could be roadways.
“There is an outer enclosure and within that at least three more enclosures; and two possible trackways.
“We carried out Electrical Resistance on part of the northern rampart and found what could be a church with a burned out roof.”
The archaeologists won't know for certain what is there beneath the surface until they carry out an archaeological excavation. Locals are very keen that excavation will be done. One season of digging can cost from €80,000 to €100,000. The OPW own the land; the Department of Education decide if the digging can go ahead or not. Top of the list for digging would be: all four enclosures (to ascertain, probably through carbon dating, what period of time they were in use); the possible church, denoted on an 1840s map; a number of structures located in the southeast corner just outside the graveyard. The inhabitants of Seir Kieran might have used a lot of organic, degradable material therefore there mightn't be much pottery to be found. Denis pointed out that his company hasn't made any grant applications yet for digging and therefore he doesn't know if digging will happen. However, he said he is very keen to carry out an excavation. He pointed out that IHS dug at Ferns Wexford and found many interesting things there. Finally, it's important to also point out that Seir Kieran remains important to people of the Catholic faith as well as the Church of Ireland.