Cross in Ballynacourty

Lying on the ground to the NE of the foundations of a building that may be associated with the house (GA103-033001-) and brewery (GA103-033003-) owned by the Martyn family (Holt 1911-12, 241 (70)). According to Holt (ibid.), this ‘tall slender pillar of cut limestone’ initially stood near the roadside. It was insecurely set ‘in a square graduated pedestal’ and subsequently fell and broke during a gale. After that, ‘one half lay on the ground and the other had been requisitioned to block a gap.’ On inspection in March 1983, the base and shaft were together on the ground. Gosling (1986, 17-18) noted that the octagonal limestone shaft (L 2.5m) was flat topped and he suggested that the cross was probably of 16th-17th century date, and that it may have functioned as a wayside or market cross, though local people informed Holt (1911-12, 241 (70)) that it was 'only the shaft of the brewery scales'. Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG Date of upload: 17 November 2022