Tomb of Saint Nicholas, Archaeological site in County Kilkenny, Ireland

The Tomb of Saint Nicholas is a rectangular grey stone slab lying flat on the ground, its surface cracked into irregular plates and mottled with white and dark grey lichen. A long diagonal fissure runs across the middle. On the upper half, carved in low relief, are two circular spirals side by side with a vertical ridge between them. The slab is bordered by short grass in the graveyard of St Nicholas's Church at Newtown Jerpoint.

The tomb originates from the medieval period when crusaders transported relics from Myra to Ireland, establishing this sacred site. This tradition connects the Irish island to distant lands that shaped Christian networks during the Age of Crusades.

Local tradition holds that the slab marks the grave of Saint Nicholas of Myra, whose remains were said to have been brought to Newtown Jerpoint in the 12th century by two crusaders, the knights carved behind the cleric's shoulders. The story gained plausibility because Norman knights in Kilkenny collected religious relics and took part in the Crusades.

To visit the tomb, you need to enter Jerpoint Park, located about 2 miles (3 km) southwest of Thomastown, which is privately owned. Most visits require advance arrangement with the property owners to gain access to the site.

The slab is carved with a cleric and, behind each shoulder, the heads of two knights. Legend says these are the crusaders who brought Nicholas's remains to Ireland; Norman knights in Kilkenny did collect relics and join the Crusades.