On the stone the Old Irish inscription reads 'In loc so taninmarni Ternoc mac Ceran Bic er cul Peter Apstel'. This means 'this place, bequeathed by Ternoc, son of Cernan the Little under the patronage of Peter the Apostle'. As Ternoc's death is recorded in the Annals in 714 - 716, the stone must have been erected in the early 700's AD, making it the earliest datable stone monument in Ireland. The rounded face of the pillar is decorated with ten crosses and excavations in 1966 and 1968 uncovered a number of stone built and dug graves nearby. Close to the pillar are several small stones, some with crosses.