Cross

Described by Harbison (1992, vol. 1, 47) as following: 'There are the remains of two crosses (WM027-066002-/3-) on the site of the old monastery of Clonfad. Close to the cross-fragment (WM027-066002-) is the lichen-covered shaft of a smaller cross, 52cm high, 27cm wide and 16cm thick. There is a panel of interlace on the south side, roll mouldings at the corners, and two holes on the north side'. An earlier site inspection carried out in 1976 records that this cross shaft is 'probably the 'standing stone' as marked' on the OS 6-inch map (SMR file). This high cross is located on the S side of a modern road to the S of a graveyard (WM027-066001-) and high cross (WM027-066002-). A monastery was founded here around the middle of the 6th century by St. Etchen (Cogan 1870, 553). The church (WM027-066005-) and graveyard (WM027-066001-) was probably located on the site of the monastery rather than the square-shaped enclosure (WM027-067001-) marked as ‘Monastery’ on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 3 December 2009