Cross-slab, Conwal, Co. Donegal
Conwal Graveyard sits on the southeastern slopes of Glendoon Hill above the River Swilly, occupying a spot of good agricultural land that has served as a sacred site for well over a millennium.
Cross-slab, Conwal, Co. Donegal
This still-active cemetery contains the remnants of an early ecclesiastical settlement that may date back to the 7th century, making it one of Donegal’s most ancient religious sites. Within its boundaries, visitors can find a holy well, the ruins of an old church, and a remarkable collection of carved stone monuments that speak to centuries of continuous worship and burial.
The graveyard underwent significant tidying around 1968, during which a grassy rectangular mound positioned at right angles to the church’s south wall was transformed into a stone cairn with a flat, paved top decorated with historic grave slabs. This cairn now serves as a display platform for an impressive array of early Christian stonework, including six upright slabs bearing cruciform designs, one depicting a human figure, and three plain examples. Five additional cross slabs lie loose on the cairn, whilst three recumbent cross slabs have been set directly into its structure. Twelve other grave slabs rest atop the cairn; one dates to the late 19th century, whilst the others remain plain and uninscribed, with several displaying the distinctive trapezoidal shape common to early Irish memorial stones.
About 23 metres northeast of the church’s corner stands another intriguing monument: an upright slab measuring roughly 59cm by 57cm by 14cm, carved on its eastern face with a small Greek cross. Though possibly modern rather than ancient, this stone adds to the site’s collection of carved markers that chronicle the long history of Christian worship at Conwal. The graveyard’s recent extension ensures that this ancient sacred space continues to serve its community, linking modern burials with a tradition stretching back over thirteen centuries.





