crosses historical ireland

At Clones, the Presbyterian church (1854) is on left. The Church of Ireland church (1822) dominates the Diamond, the centrepiece of which is an excellent example of an early High Cross (9th or 10th century). Old Testament scenes are depicted on one side of the cross, while the reverse side illustrates New Testament stories....

The church, which was dedicated to Saint Bridget, is unusual in that the chancel is broader than the nave. The chancel has a rounded chancel-arch and two round-headed east windows. It is of 12th or 13th century date. After the Norman conquest it was granted to the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, and was attached to Kill of the Grange. In a field on the opposite side of the road is a tall, narrow cross with a bishop on one face and a head on the other, while a little down the road an ancient u...

Four Km from Athlone on the Mountemple road, you can see the Twyford Cross, of 10th century origin; it was discovered in a local log in the last century and is now erected on top of a prominent hill. Nearby, on the remains of Moydrum Estate, is an almost perfect early 19th century ice-house, the forerunner of our present day domestic refrigerator....

Castle: This is a 15th or 16th century tower-house of 3 storeys, and with good trefoil headed windows. Its most unusual feature is the excellent corbelled roof (in the same technique as the Newgrange chamber roof, 4,000 years older!) which is on the third storey. The famous antiquarian Ussher lived nearby for some time. It was repaired by Captain Brabazon in 1641. A bawn with rounded turret which belonged to the castle has disappeared. High Cross: In the graveyard of St. Fechin's Church...

The modern road cuts through a monastery founded by St Cronan who died between 600 and 620....

An old monastery was founded here by St. Tighernach in the 6th century. The high Cross probably stood near the Round Tower originally and was later moved to its present position in the Diamond. The cross (9th century?) is in two parts which did not belong together originally. On the west face are Adam and Eve, the Sacrifice of Isaac and Daniel in the Lions' Den, while on the east face are the Adoration of the Magi, the Marriage Feast of Cana, the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes and th...

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...

The heads of two High Crosses have been mounted on modern shafts in a hill-top graveyard. Neither bears figure sculpture, but one bears a decorated boss at the centre of one face and encircled bossed ornament on the other....

A 12th century romanesque church consisting of a nave and chancel. The doorway has been much tampered with (possibly in the 16th century when the innermost order of the doorway was constructed). Over the window above the doorway is a sculptured panel showing the meeting of two people-it may have formed part of the original doorway, as at Freshford. Note the worn heads above the doorway; one is said to represent St. Moling, the founder of the church, and the other is said to be St. Fiacre. Th...

A long rectangular 12th century church. The west doorway is flat-headed but has Romanesque moulding on the outside and a round arch inside, and also holes which held the bars to lock the door. Two round-headed windows in the east wall have hood-mouldings on the outside supported by pillars. There are also some old gravestones, a water font and an unfinished granite cross. Little is known about the history of the place other than that the monastery was possibly founded in the early 6th centur...