Stone Cross — Ráith

In Raymunterdoney Old Church (DG025-029003-). This high cross is a National Monument in state ownership (No. 23). It is a large ringed cross recently re-erected and placed just inside the N wall of Ray Church. It is set in a modern concrete support .6m high. Above this, the cross measures 5.56m in height. The shaft is .66m wide at the base and narrows to .55m at the top. The arms are c. 3.7m above the top of the concrete support and measure 2.3m in overall width. Both are .55m in height. The ring band in the angles of the shaft and arms, which measures 8 cms to 11 cms in width does not form a true circle, but encloses a space varying from 1m to 1.2m across. The two stretches of ring band on the left hand side are, at least in part, modern repairs. The angles of the shaft and arms are not right-angled but joined by a short, slightly convex diagonal line. Two broad metal strips used to secure the cross in one piece, and in position, partly obscure their angles. At the top outer corner of both arms, a slight projection is visible at the back of the cross. Towards the outer edges of both arms is a panel in light relief. Both are approximately .24m square. In, addition to the two metal strips in the angles of the cross, two more bind the shaft. The strips are at points where the cross was broken. The bottom of the shaft is concealed in the modern concrete support. A drawing by Getty (1853, 143) shows a hole at the base of the shaft to aid its erection. This is now concealed. Getty measured the length of the cross at 20ft 6in. The cross lay broken in the graveyard just outside Ray Church until placed in its present position. The outline of the cross is still visible in the graveyard. There are unconfirmed and unlikely claims that the cross was brought from Tory Island in the last century. John O'Donovan (O'Flanagan 1927, 39) saw it in its present state in Ray Graveyard in September 1835 and was told it had been knocked by a storm about a century before. At the base of the cross are: (1) a millstone which has been cut to form a cross base. (2) a second millstone. (3) a stone of subcircular appearance in which there is a cork-screw perforation. 8m W of the SW corner of the church and in the graveyard (DG025-029007-) which surrounds it, there is a large flattish subrectangular basin-stone (DG025-029004-) .8m x .85m x .15m. A depression .64m in diameter and 0.1m deep is carved in it. Also, in the NE corner of the graveyard is a standing stone (DG025-029002-) 2.1m high x 1.17m wide at base x .14m thick; N-S. The site is located in low-lying, wet land, close to the sea. It was believed by O'Donovan to be the site of the early ecclesiastical settlement, Rath Finan (O'Flanagan 1927, 39). 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. The following description of the High Cross at Ray is taken from, P. Harbison (2002-) The High Crosses of Ireland: An Iconographical and Photographic Survey, 3 vols., Habelt, Bonn, vol. 1. 162). Ringed Cross 'A tall cross which lay for a long time on the ground outside the ruined church at Ray, near Falcarragh, and which is now mounted against the inside north wall of the church, was reputedy brought here from Tory Island, but there is no strong evidence to support the claim. It is about 5.56m high and 2.26m across the arms. The bottom of the shaft is 65cm wide and 15cm thick. The ring is very thin for such a tall cross. Other than the raised flat panels on the head of the south face of the cross-square in the centre, and slightly rectangular on the arms-there is no decoration'. Date of upload: 22 September 2008