Cross - Market cross

The National Monuments Service's description

The Urban Survey of Limerick recorded the following details about a market cross in the historic town (LI029-031001-) of Rathkeale; 'In the early seventeenth century Sir John Dowdall was granted a weekly market on Thursdays at "the high cross of Rathkeale" (Westropp 1906-7, 214). In the absence of a major cross-roads cutting through the town itself it must be assumed that this refers to a freestanding market cross. It is to be presumed that the weekly market occurred in Main Street but the square in front of the Court House may have been used at a later date. There is a Fair Green to the north of the town and the O.S. map notes a market place
immediately east of the abbey (LI029-031006-). The latter is now gone and is a roadway leading to a new estate of houses' (Bradley et. al. 1989, 219).
The precise location of this market cross within the historic town of Rathkeale has not been identified. The cross-roads annotated 'Holy-Cross' 810m to the NW of the town square on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map may mark the general location of this 'high cross'.

Compiled by: Denis Power

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 14 January 2019

References

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H.A. 1989 Urban archaeological survey - county Limerick (3 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Westropp, T.J. 1906-7 The ancient castles of the county of Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 26, 54-264.