Long before the advent of clocks and watches, the sundial was used in the early church to mark certain times during daylight hours, when the monks recited their "office". (Prayers said at different times of the day).

The three lines extending downwards from the gnomon hole in the example depicted, indicates the third, sixth, and ninth canonical hours of the monastic day; these are known as terce, sext (midday), and none. An ancient manuscript tells us that these hours represent the time of Christ’s passion; terce, the hour when Jesus was given up to Pontius Pilate, sext, the hour he was crucified, and none, because it was at that hour that Jesus died.

A straight stick was inserted into the gnomon hole of the sundial and this would have cast a shadow onto each line in turn indicating the appropriate times.

The sundial pictured below by Micheál Murphy is situated in Kilcummin graveyard, Co. Mayo, which also contains an early church and a grave marked by two standing stones, reputed to be that of St. Cummin from whom the townland derives its name.

 

Sundial at near St. Cuimin's church, Kilcummin, Co. Mayo.

These sundials, though rare, are to be found at some other monastic sites throughout the country.

For further reading see ‘The Modern Traveller To The Early Irish Church’, (1977), (Ann Hamlin & Kathleen Hughes) Reprinted 1997. Four Courts Press.

© Photo.