crosses historical ireland

This is a site of where a high cross once stood. All that remains here now is only the bottom stumb of a high cross....

Three 16th and early 17th century wayside crosses erected in a grove just outside the village of Killucan. The first has an inscription 'This stone was for Tir: McKin : and Alson Plunkett his wife in the year 1531'. Those commemorated, Tirlogh McKenny and his wife, died in a coaching accident (it happened even then!). The cross originally stood beside the Dublin - Athlone road. The second cross says 'Arthur Darcy et K. Fitzgerald me feri na Dni 1604. The rest of the Latin inscription is from...

The High Cross in the field is one of the most satisfying of the earliest carved Irish Crosses, the interpretation of the symbols still exciting scholars. The worn stone carvings include St. Anthony and St. Paul in the desert; the Temptation of St. Anthony; Jacob and the Angel; a figure flanked by two horsemen and a hunting scene. Strong traditions holds this to be the burial place of Niall Caille MacAeda, High King of Ireland, who died in 846 A.D. The early church was reconstructed in the Mid...

West from Christ Church runs the ancient High Street of Dublin.

Here was situated the High Cross of the old Norman city from which government decrees, papal bulls and decrees of excommunication were read....

A focal point of the northern midlands where the provinces of Leinster, Ulster and Connaught all converge, Longford, where history and literature, tragedy and triumph are all woven together, takes its name from the ancient stronghold of the O'Farrell family (Long Fort - Fort of the O'Farrells). Bordered to the West by the majestic River Shannon, Longford is a county of rolling plains and picturesque stretches of water. The highest pint of the county, Cairn Hill, is only 279 m high, but from a...

The shafts and head of one or two crosses, possibly of 11th century date. The decoration is well executed, and presents a fine study in loosely knit geometrical interlacing patterns....

The church on the site of a monastery founded by St. Buodan was built probably in the 17th century but the lintel over the door, with worn carved figures on it, was taken from an earlier church.

In the north-east angle of the church is a grave-slab erected by Magnus MacOrristin (possibly a Scotsman) with a sword and a hurley stick on it.

In the adjoining field to the west is a very pleasing High Cross. On its east face in the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, and on the we...

The monastery was founded by an obscure saint named Buite who died in 521. We know that the monastery remained in existence up till 1122, and the Vikings appear to have occupied it for a time until they were attacked by Domhnall, King of Tara, in 9687. One of its most learned monks, Flann, died in 1056. the importance of Monasterboice lies in the fact that it contains two of the finest High Crosses in Ireland, both probably dating to the 9the century. One of these, the Cross of Muiredach, ge...

Durrow High Cross Durrow High Cross belonged to a monastery founded by St. Columba in 553, made possible by the generosity of Aedh, son of the local Prince Brendan. The monastery was plundered and burned a number of times. There is no trace left of the Monastery, but in the churchyard is a holy well and a High Cross - a 9th century relic which shows on one face: the rising of Christ, the sacrifice of Isaac and Christ with David and his harp and Christ with David killing a lion on the right. Th...

An Early Christian monastery founded possibly by St. Berichter or Berchert who, with his father (a Saxon Prince) and two brothers, came to Ireland after the Synod of Whitby in 664. Another saint of the same name, who was possibly also Abbot of the monastery, died in 839.

The existing church is of various dates. The south end of the east wall is probably the oldest part (12th century?) while the south door and window are early 13th century. The present chancel was built in the 15th ce...