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Killamery High Cross

Killamery Cross is a 9th-century high cross and National Monument in Killamery, County Kilkenny, Ireland.[1] It is located in the north of Killamery graveyard.[2]

History

A monastery was established at Killamery by St Gobhan, a disciple of Saint Fursey, in AD 632. The Killamery High cross is part of the western Ossory group of crosses, used as a model for many of the small high crosses sold across the world as an Irish symbol.[3]

Locals formerly touched the cross's capstone to cure headaches.[4][5]

Description

The cross stands 3.65 metres (12.0 ft) high. It is richly sculptured on the shaft with marigold flowers carved on it. There is a boss in the middle of the wheel-head that is surrounded by interlacing snakes and, above the boss, an open-mouthed dragon, giving it the name of the Snake-Dragon Cross.[citation needed]

The western face has a sun swastika at the centre and also depicts Adam and Eve, a stag hunt and a chariot procession.[2][6] On top of the cross is a gabled cap-stone. Noah and John the Baptist are depicted. On the base an inscription reads OR DO MAELSECHNAILL, "a prayer for Máel Sechnaill", who was high king of Ireland in 846–862.[citation needed]

Other artefacts

There is also a cross-slab of an earlier date the inscription OROIT AR ANMAIN N-AEDAIN, "Pray for the soul of Áedáin". Two bullaun stones can also be seen. There is also a holy well, St Goban's Well.[7][8][9][10]

References

  1. ^ "Killamery, Co. Kilkenny".
  2. ^ a b "Killamery high cross - Nigel Borrington".
  3. ^ Hourihane, Colum (1 January 2001). From Ireland Coming: Irish Art from the Early Christian to the Late Gothic Period and Its European Context. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691088259 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Richardson, Hilary; Scarry, John (1 January 1990). An introduction to Irish high crosses. Mercier Press. ISBN 9780853429548 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Monk, Michael A.; Sheehan, John (1 January 1998). Early Medieval Munster: Archaeology, History and Society. Cork University Press. ISBN 9781859181072 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Killamery High Cross".
  7. ^ "Killamery High Cross". megalithic.co.uk.
  8. ^ "Killamery High Cross - Tulllahought Tidy Towns".
  9. ^ "Killamery High Cross".
  10. ^ "Killamery High Cross". megalithicireland.com.