Cross - High cross (present location)

The National Monuments Service's description

This is the present location of the high cross from Kylebeg or Banagher, Co. Offaly (OF021-003004-). Described by Harbison as 'A cross-shaft of sandstone which originally stood at Banagher, Co. Offaly, was removed by Cooke around the middle of the last century (1800's). After his death, it was moved to Clonmacnois around 1870, and to the National Museum in Dublin in 1929, where it is now on display with the inventory number 1929:1497. It is 1.47m tall, and its tapering faces and sides have maximum dimensions of 40cm and 19cm respectively. All the corners have small roll moulding, and the panels-which are all of different sizes-are also framed by similar moulding. Damage to the two top side panels was probably caused by a secondary attempt to add a ring. A shallow mortise-hole on top is probably
secondary also.
FACE 1 - Panel 1: Emerging from a single-strand interlace between two animals with backward-turning heads at the bottom of the panel is a two-strand interlace. The top of this interlace coalesces with two figures in profile. The right hand of the left-hand figure grasps the other's left wrist, and their respective other hands seem to touch. The two figures - with their spiky noses - have hair which forms an interlace between their heads.
Panel 2: A crouching lion with protruding tongue and with its tail between its legs. There is a three-point interlace in the upper left-hand corner and another very irregular, interlace above the lion's back.
Panel 3: A two-strand interlace.
SIDE 1 - Panel 1: two animals one above the other, enmeshed in a narrow band of interlace. The tail of the upper animal terminates in a triangular shape in the centre of the panel.
Panel 2: A single-strand interlace.
Panel 3: Interlinking C-shaped spirals forming pelta-shapes, terminating in two outward-turning spirals at the top.
Panel 4: A damage coiled animal (head missing) with a fish-like tail.
FACE 2 - Panel 1: A human interlace with the legs intertwined at the centre and the bodies radiating outwards to the corners. A narrow ribbon winds its way around the arms of the four human figures.
Panel 2: A deer with its front right leg caught in a rectangular trap.
Panel 3: A horseman, with hair flat on top and falling to a curl behind, holds a crozier in his right hand which emerges from the folds of his cape-like garment. He has no stirrups, and his legs are placed well forward as the horse prances proudly to the right. Above is a partially-damaged prancing lion with protruding rongue, also facing towards the right. Its tail rises behind, and terminates in two leaf-like shapes.
SIDE 2 - Panel 1: A tall panel bearing interlace of various kinds which terminate in animal-heads with rope-like necks and ear-lappets, and with their mouths biting the interlace.
Panel 2: Very similar to panel 3 on side 1.
Panel 3: Interlace terminating below in animal-heads which bite the interlace. A broad groove at the top suggests that a ring may have been inserted secondarily to support the arms of a cross' (Harbison 1992, vol. 1, 25-6).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 15 October 2013

References

Harbison, P. 1992 The high crosses of Ireland: an iconographical and photographic survey, 3 vols. Dublin. Royal Irish Academy. Bonn. Dr. Rudolf Habelt GMBH.