Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

The early ecclesiastical site here consists of a sub-rectangular shaped graveyard inside of which are a number of earlier features. The site is located on excellent land sloping to Lough Foyle to the E and is traditionally claimed to have been founded by St. Patrick (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 399). To the W outside the entrance to the graveyard (DG021-008001-) is a tall, plain, ringed high-cross (DG021-008005-). Inside the graveyard are the remains of two churches (DG021-008002-/003-) and a mortuary house or tomb shrine (DG021-008004-). One of the churches served as a medieval parish church (Leslie 1937, 265). Unlocated broken cross-slab described by Lacy (1983, 261) as 'a fragment of a cross-slab with a with a wheeled-cross was found lying in the interior of the South Church (DG021-008002-)'. In 1980 the location of the slab was described as a 'loose fragment of a carved wheel cross was found in the graveyard lying beside the wall of the church' (DG021-008002-) (SMR File). The condition of the slab (approx. dims. H 0.3m x Wth 0.45m) was described in the 1980 survey as 'broken off so that only top and part of arms survive' (SMR File). This cross-slab has not been located. Listed by Herity (1997, 94) as Cooly 03 where it was recorded as 'not found'. A graveyard plan drawn by the Cooley Cross Heritage Committee shows a 'wheel-head cross-inscribed slab' located n of the centre of the S wall of the S church where it is marked with the number 4 and known locally as the 'Tee Stone'. This may be the same monument as the cross-slab described by Lacy (1983, 261).

The attached image (DG021-008018-_01.jpg) is a rubbing taken by Lacy of the cross-slab, copy of the rubbing in the SMR File.

The attached image (DG021-008018-_02.jpg) is a plan of the church and graveyard commissioned by the Cooley Cross Heritage Committee showing location of cross-slab No. 4 which may be the remains of the slab described in the Archaeological Survey of Donegal.

The attached image (DG021-008018-_03.jpg) is a close up of the section of the plan of the church and graveyard commissioned by the Cooley Cross Heritage Committee showing location of cross-slab No. 4 which may be the remains of the slab described in the Archaeological Survey of Donegal.

The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 25 February 2015

References

Leslie, J. 1937 Derry clergy and parishes. Enniskillen.

Lacy, B. with Cody, E., Cotter, C., Cuppage, J., Dunne, N., Hurley, V., O'Rahilly, C., Walsh, P. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1983 Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century A.D. Lifford. Donegal County Council.

Herity, M., Kelly, D. and Mattenberger, U. 1997 List of Early Christian cross-slabs in seven north-western counties. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 127, 89-124.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.