tullylease church

An Early Christian monastery founded possibly by St. Berichter or Berchert who, with his father (a Saxon Prince) and two brothers, came to Ireland after the Synod of Whitby in 664. Another saint of the same name, who was possibly also Abbot of the monastery, died in 839.

The existing church is of various dates. The south end of the east wall is probably the oldest part (12th century?) while the south door and window are early 13th century. The present chancel was built in the 15th century, and a number of fragments of Early Christian cross-slabs were incorporated in its walls.

Fastened to the interior of the east gable is what is possibly the finest Early Christian decorated cross-slab, with the inscription QUICUMQUE LEGERIT HUNC TITULUM ORAT PRO BERECHTUINE (whoever reads this inscription, let him pray for Berichtuin - perhaps referring to the founder). Because of its resemblance to the Book of Lindisfarne, the slab has been dated to the 8th century, though it could be 9th.