Reask

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Ogham Standing stone at Reask

Reask is a ruined early Monastic site located 1km east of Ballyferriter, County Kerry, Ireland. Nothing remains of the bulidings but low walls and a cross-slab standing stone which sits in the middle of the compound. Exacavations in the 1990s revealed the ruins of an oratory, four clochans (stone huts), a graveyard and about ten stone slabs, of which one is a particularly fine example.

This pillar measures 0.8 metres in height and is 0.4 metres wide by 0.2 metres thick. Its origin has been estimated by radio-carbon dating as having been between 385 ± 90 a.d. The stone was decorated in early Christian times (c. 7th century) with a Latin cross coupled with bifurcated terminals. The ogham text, set sideways to the cross, reads 'DNE' - D(omi)ne - O Lord. Standing stones were often decorated by early Christians, primarily to disguise their pagan origins.

[edit] Sources

McNally, Kenneth (2006). "Ireland's Ancient Stones" (Belfast: Appletree Press). ISBN 0 8628 1996 2
Noonan, Damien (2001). "Castles & Ancient Monuments of Ireland", (London: Arum Press). ISBN 1 8541 0752 6