Killadeas

Map Reference: H206540 (2206, 3540)

A modern church and graveyard now occupy an earlier site at Killadeas. North of the modern church are three sides of an earlier rectangular graveyard, orientated NNW-SSE. It contains many 18th century gravestones and also undecorated grave-markers, some of which could be Early Christian.The carved stones at Killadeas are interesting and enigmatic. The best known stone is the Bishop's Stone. This 1m high stone is almost rectangular but with one curved corner.



On the broad south face is a low-relief carving of a cleric carrying a bell and a crozier. The style of the carving is similar to that on some of the Co Kildare High Crosses (Castledermott and Moone). The head is pointed with a pointed chin or beard and the figure seems to be wearing pointed slippers.



At the top of the narrower west face of the stone is a high-relief carving of a human head which is similar in style to the carvings found on White Island. Below this is a panel of interlacing. A short distance away is a large slab, about 1.5m high, with many deep cup-marks on one side. On the other side is a high-relief cross within a circle on a bifurcating stem.



Close to it is a small round pillar stone and a large round perforated stone half buried in the ground.