Cross - High cross

The National Monuments Service's description

On an E-facing slope in undulating hilly terrain. A high cross, of sandstone, is centrally placed within a square graveyard (TS079-007005-) defined by a stone wall. A later medieval church (TS079-007001-) is located c. 30m to the N. Another high cross (TS079-007003-) is located to the S and a cross base (TS079-007004-) to the SE. The N cross (H 3.65m; Wth 1.39m) is of the ringed high cross type with a conical capstone. The cross itself is decorated with ornamental designs which are paralleled in 8th-century metalwork (Richardson and Scarry 1990, 29). The stepped base (1.23m x 1.05m; H 0.66m) is decorated with figured scenes on all four sides. The N side depicts a procession with chariot; the E side Adam naming the animals; the S side a funeral procession, an ecclesiastic with a ringed processional cross walks in front of a horse bearing a headless body, ravens attack the corpse and at the rear a man carries the head; the W side depicts seven cloaked figures carrying staffs or croziers and has been interpreted as seven bishops or the mission of the apostles (ibid.; Hickey 1955, 118-21). The high cross is part of a group of crosses identified with the former medieval kingdom of Ossory (Crawford 1909, 256-60; Edwards 1983, 5-46).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 26 August 2011

References

Edwards, N. 1983 An early group of crosses from the kingdom of Ossory. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 113, 5-46.

Hickey, E. 1955 North cross at Ahenny: a suggested interpretation. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 85, 118-21.

Crawford, H.S. 1909 The crosses of Kilkieran and Ahenny. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 39, 256-60.

Richardson, H. and Scarry, J. 1990 An introduction to Irish high crosses. Cork and Dublin. Mercier Press.