Cross in Station Island

It is traditionally believed that a monastic settlement was founded here in the fifth century by St. Patrick who installed Dabheoc as the first abbot. There are forty-six islands in Lough Derg but only two of them are of archaeological interest. The original monastic settlement is believed to have been located on Saint's (formerly St. Dabheog's) Island (DG101-001001/002/003/004/005/006/008-). This became a priory dependant on the Augustinian Abbey of SS Peter and Paul, Armagh in the 1130's and was suppressed and abandoned towards the end of the sixteenth century. The chief concern of the monastery was to minister to the needs of the pilgrimages to the cave, known as St. Patrick's Purgatory, on nearby Station Island. Some sources suggest that the original cave had been located on Saint's Island and that the pilgrimage was later transferred to its present location (Leslie 1961, 9-10). The Lough Derg pilgrimage was famous throughout Europe in the middle ages and a large literature grew up around it (Curtayne 1962, 160-62). An ancient roadway to the pilgrimage site from the village of Pettigo passes Rathnacross ringfort (DG105-002-) and Templecarn old church and burial ground (DG105-003; DG105-015-). The roadway continues to a point on the SW shore of the lake where a wooden bridge (DG101-002-) connected it to Saint's Island. Natural boulders projecting from the lake may be the remains of the supports for this bridge. On the SE shore of the lake is a natural L-shaped stone known as St. Brigid's Chair. St. Dabheoc's Seat on top of a hill to the S of the lake formerly consisted of a stone seat in front of a 'grave-like opening' (O'Connor 1879, 40). The area is now forested and nothing appears to remain of the site. STATION ISLAND Almost the entire area of the island is taken up by the Basilica and administrative buildings erected here in the early part of this century. The penal beds consist of a series of circular structures c. 2.8m in diameter. Although they resemble clochán foundations they do not appear to be of great antiquity. Miscellaneous ecclesiastical remains include a cross-shaft (DG101-004002-) 1.3m in height of cylindrical shape surrounded by spiralling bands or tracery. This is known as St. Patrick's Cross and it is said to have been transferred here from Saint's Island. The broken head of a cross (DG101-004003-) is built into a modern wall. This is .54m wide with a small central depression surrounded by a raised circular band. A small font (DG101-004001-) with an unclear inscription is built into another modern wall. The inscription was read in the last century as MANUS COIVANI (O'Connor 1879, 66). Another inscribed stone recorded by O'Connor was not observed on this occasion, although a small fragment of wrought stone (DG101-004004-) was found lying nearby. The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983).