The porch of St Lachtain’s church in Freshford, County Kilkenny. St Lachtain was born in County Cork at some date in the sixth century and even as an infant is credited with performing miracles. As a teenager he travelled to St Comgall’s monastery in Bangor, County Down where St Molu was his teacher. He was subsequently sent out to found religious houses including that at Freshford the establishment of which is therefore believed to date to before 622 when St Lachtain died. The porch, of honey-toned sandstone and now set into a much later facade, is from the 12th century. It comprises four orders of ornamented arches, the innermost one uniquely preserving a dedication in old Irish script that translates ‘Pray for Gilla Mocholmoc O Cennucain who made it. Pray for Neim [Niamh], daughter of Curc and for Mathgamain O Chiarmeic, for whom this church was made.’ Because the porch is on the west end of the church and faces onto a busy street, it receives relatively little notice from passers-by (but is obviously subject to much pollution).