What is recorded here

The sandstone cross-arm from Cloone now stands in the small graveyard of St. Mary’s, having left the head of a grave at the early monastery site when that place was conserved in the early 1990s. Its hollowed angles, double moulding and interlace suggest a taller cross that once rose beside worship, while one panel shows a bishop with a crozier and the other probably Christ blessing with open palms. The stone is small enough to touch, yet it carries the shape of a lost vertical world.

The transom or cross-arm of the high cross of Cloone was at the head of a grave in the graveyard attached to the site of the early monastery (LE033-006001-), but it was moved to the small graveyard of St. Mary’s when that graveyard was conserved in the early 1990s. It is a sandstone (dims 0.24m x 0.2m; L 0.77m) with the hollowed angles at the crux of a typical high cross. There is a double moulding around the edges and single figures on each side. One is a bishop with vestments and holding a crozier; the other is probably Christ performing a blessing as he appears to be fully clothed with hands extended from the elbows, palms forward. One end panel has an intricate interlace but while the opposite panel is less clear it is probably of the same design. (Kelly 1993, 158-61) See the attached image of Christ performing a blessing Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 6 December, 2019

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