Margaret Clarke (1700-73) Headstone No. 129

18th-century headstone (H 0.77m x Wth 0.4m x T 0.11m) marking the grave of Margaret Clarke (1700-73) in Old St. Brendan’s Graveyard (OF035-012002-), in the historic town of Birr (OF035-012----). Headstone has a six-pointed star/rosette/hexafoil. A hexafoil is a geometric design featuring six-fold dihedral symmetry, typically created by drawing six overlapping circles arranged radially around a central point. In Christian symbolism, the six-pointed star (or hexagram) is sometimes referred to as the Creator's Star or Star of Creation. The six points of the star represent the six days in which God created the world. From the medieval period through the 19th century, hexafoils were commonly scribed (using compasses) or carved into the timber framing, stone walls, fireplaces, and doorways of historic English homes, barns, and churches. Folklore held that these unbroken, looping lines could trap evil spirits, banish darkness, or ward off witchcraft