Cross-slab in Cooly

The early ecclesiastical site here consists of a sub-rectangular shaped graveyard inside of which are a number of earlier features. The site is located on excellent land sloping to Lough Foyle to the E and is traditionally claimed to have been founded by St. Patrick (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 399). To the W outside the entrance to the graveyard (DG021-008001-) is a tall, plain, ringed high-cross (DG021-008005-). Inside the graveyard are the remains of two churches (DG021-008002/003-) and a mortuary house or tomb shrine (DG021-008004-). One of the churches served as a medieval parish church (Leslie 1937, 265). E of the Mortuary House is a small basin stone or possible bullaun stone (DG021-008007-) and to the NW a small cross-inscribed slab (DG021-008006-) 0.8m high × 0.46m wide E-W. The Latin cross has bar terminals and the upper portion of a central ring (Lacy et. al. 1983, 261) Listed by Herity in 1997 as Cooly 01 and described as a 'broad rectangular upright slab with an encircled cross with T-bar terminals incised on its east face. Near the north-west corner of the Mortuary House' (DG021-008004-) (Herity et. al. 1997, 94). A graveyard plan drawn by the Cooley Cross Heritage Committee shows location of cross-inscribed slab as number 9. The attached image (DG021-008006-_03.jpg) is a plan of the church and graveyard commissioned by the Cooley Cross Heritage Committee showing location of cross-slab number 9 inside graveyard. 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). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 24 February 2015

Cross-slab in Cooly likely dates to the early medieval period and may have functioned as a Christian memorial or waymarker, reflecting the site's historical role as an ecclesiastical location. Its placement within a sub-rectangular graveyard suggests a connection to local Christian burial practices or pilgrimage routes.