What is recorded here

Crois-gar, the little cross, still stands in County Kilkenny, no taller than a child’s knee. Country people later built a rubble base around it, making the small stone appear larger and more important. It may have begun as the gable cross of Ballycallan church, one kilometre away, before travelling or falling into the open field. Its brevity does not diminish it; it concentrates attention, forcing every viewer to bend, notice and remember the place without grandeur.

This ‘small ancient cross' was identified in the 1850s and was described as being, 'evidently very old; the rubble work upon which its base is placed is modern, having been built by the country people, that by thus raising the cross it would look more important, as it is very small, and is called in Irish, 'Crois-gar,' or the little cross. The Rev. James Graves suggests that it may originally have been the gable cross of Ballycallan [medieval] church [KK018-072001-]' (Anon. 1854-5, 343-4). Holahan (1883, 88) describes the cross as being, 'about two feet [c. 0.6m] in height. Tranverse length of cross 19½ inches [c. 0.5m]. Thickness of arms, 7 inches [c. 0.18m]'. According to Crawford (1907, 238) this is, 'a plain cross, 18 inches [c. 46m] high; it appears to be modern'. Ballycallan church (KK018-072001-) lies c. 1km NE of the cross. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 17 May 2021

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