What is recorded here

James Baccagh, a lame man, carved his own name into the cross shaft before it stood in Athenry. The broken piece now lies in the sacristy of the Dominican church, its shallow socket waiting for the missing top. His disability became his identity, carved in stone instead of hidden in shadow.

This fragment of the shaft of a memorial cross is now stored in the NE corner of the sacristy of the Dominican church (GA084-001014-). The piece (H 0.54m; Wth 0.25m; T 0.18m) is rectangular in shape and tapers slightly towards the base. A shallow socket (L 0.07m; Wth 0.01m; D 0.09) visible on its head indicates that another piece was attached. All four corners are rounded and each side has a raised panel, three are plain and one is inscribed with the IHS monogram and the following inscription in relief: IHS M |THIS | CROSS |WAS M | ADE BY | JAMES | BACC | AGH | COIL - the top line is incomplete due to damage. The word baccagh means lame and Crawford (1920, 66-7) suggested that it was included in the name as a mark of identity. A fragment of a wall plaque (GA084-001081-) is lying in front of it. (Bradley and Dunne 1992, 41) The following images have been uploaded: GA084-001067-_01.jpg GA084-001067-_02.jpg Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 12 November 2018

The Cross in Athenry is a fragment of a medieval memorial cross, likely built in the 13th or 14th century, associated with the Dominican church; its style reflects the Romanesque tradition and it is significant as a rare surviving example of early Christian monumental sculpture in the region.

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