Leacht at Glencolmcille, County Donegal, Ireland

A leacht (plural: leachta) is a small square or rectangular stone structure often found in Early Irish Christian places of worship. They are typically made from rough, unmortared stones, and are most often found in monasteries on island off the west coast of Ireland.[1] Their precise function is unknown, they may have been erected to mark burial places (a number contain human remains), or to honor a saint, or for use as an altar or place of prayer.[2]

Because they are so perishable and easily destroyed, their original density and distribution is unknown. The best known examples are found on the islands of Skellig Michael and Illauntannig, both off County Kerry, and Inishmurray off County Sligo.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Horn et al, p. 42
  2. ↑ "Skellig Michael, The Monastery". Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Retrieved 22 December 2018

Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leachta.
  • Horn, Walter; Jenny; White Marshall; Rourke, Grellan. The Forgotten Hermitage of Skellig Michael. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990. ISBN 978-0-5200-6410-2
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