Cross — High cross (present location) in Graiguenamanagh

In Graiguenamanagh, in the graveyard adjacent to the restored Cistercian abbey church (KK029-018001-). According to Killanin and Duignan (1967, 302), this, 'North Cross is from an early monastic site in Ballyogan. The figure subjects include: E. face: Crucifixion, Fall, Sacrifice of Isaac, King David; W. face: Massacre of the Innocents'. The church (KK029-038001-) in Ballyogan is not visible at ground level, see KK029-038002- for the original location of the high cross. A granite cross (H .45m; Wth 0.59m) with an incomplete shaft (basal Wth 0.32m; T 0.21m), which stands on an incomplete base (H 0.55m; Wth 0.67m; T 0.64m) (Harbison 1992, vol. 1, 96-7; vol. 2., figs. 311-14). The cross has roll-mouldings at the edges and each panel is framed by a separate moulding (ibid. 96). The base of the E face is divided into two panels, one above the other, the lower decorated with interlace and the upper with an angular fret pattern (ibid.). Harbison describes the scenes on the E face of the cross as, 'David as harper - David sits on the left, playing his harp with a curving frame and vertical front. The bottom of the panel is missing. The Sacrifice of Isaac - Abraham stands on the right, raising the knife in his right hand. Isaac stands in the centre, leaning awkwardly backwards away from Abraham, his head over the altar on the left. The ram is shown above his head. The Lord reproves Adam or (?) Eve gives the apple to Adam...Beneath the apple tree with its branches falling down on the sides of the panel we see, on the left, a figure dressed in a cut-away cloak placing his hand on the stem of the tree. Adam, standing frontally on the right, is dressed in a long robe and has its right arm slightly raised across his body. The panel may possibly represent The Lord reproving Adam rather than Adam and Eve' (ibid.). The head is decorated with a crucifixion scene, 'Christ stands frontally, dressed in a long-sleeved robe. On either side stand Stephaton and Longinus, not clearly distinquishable one from the other. There are two small figures above Christ's head, more likely to be angels than Peter and Paul' (ibid.). The ring is described as having a 'battlemented' line between roll-mouldings (ibid.). On the S side the only decoration on the base which is clearly discernible is a panel of conjoined knots of interlace, while the shaft is decorated with interlocking angular C-shaped spirals and the ring and arm has a vertical groove in the centre of the lower and upper segments of the ring, and the end of the arm is undecorated (ibid. 97). On the N side the base is divided into two panels, each bearing interlace, the shaft is decorated with an irregular fret patter and there is a vertical groove on the outside of the ring (ibid.). The base of the W face is divided into two panels, each bearing a ringed cross in raised relief (ibid.). At the base of the shaft there is a scene described by Harbison as, 'The Visitation - A figure on the right (a servant?) looks on frontally as two figures - presumably Mary and Elisabeth - embrace one another' (ibid.). Above this, occupying the remainder of the shaft and continuing up into the centre of the cross head is a pattern of interlinking S-spirals with small bosses interspersed among them (ibid.). There are knots of interlace on the arms and the top of the cross is decorated with another figurative scene, interpreted by Harbison as the Annunciation to Mary, 'The figure on the right, shown frontally and probably seated, turns the head and raises the right hand towards the figure on the left, whose slightly raised left knee suggests that it is walking towards the right. The scene probably represents the angle on the left announcing the conception and birth of the Saviour to the Virgin on the right' (ibid.). See attached: KK029-018012-_01 E face KK029-018012-_02 W face KK029-018012-_03 location in graveyard with Aughkiletaun high cross (KK029-018002-) in foreground Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 15 March 2022