“Designed, sculpted Presented J Wallace Clonmel January 1853” is inscribed on this HOly Water Font located in the narthex (fancy word for a church lobby, I just looked this up now) of St Peter and Paul’s in Clonmel .
I lack the specialist vocabulary, but there is something quite modern about the face. Something that doesn’t suggest 1853.
On the other hand, it does remond me of the Corlekc Head:
Early Iron Age, first to second century ad.
Known since it came to scientific attention in 1937 as the Corleck Head, this three-faced stone idol was found in the townland of Drumeague, Co. Cavan around the year 1855. …
The likelihood is that the Corleck Head was associated with a shrine reflecting Romano-British traditions located close to where the carving was discovered. The three-faced carving is the finest of its type and there is a small hole in the base to help it stand securely, perhaps on a pedestal. One of the faces is heavy browed and all of them have bossed eyes, a broad nose and slit mouth. One of the mouths has a small circular hole at the centre and this feature is also found on two of the Co. Armagh carvings and on another from Woodland
More view of the Wallace font’s head:
Séamus Sweeney 