ABOUT:

This lovely cross, known as the Cross of St. Patrick, is in Carndonagh in the north of Donegal. Originally Carndonagh was a bishopric, said to have been established by St. Patrick himself.

Because this cross does not have the ring that we all associate with Celtic crosses it was thought that is must have been erected in the 7th or 8th centuries - a forerunner of the ringed crosses. Now, however, when scholars consider the quality of the carving they believe that the cross was made in the 9th or 10th century.

Its intricate interlace patterns are similar to the decoration found in the pages of a late 10th century Irish psalter. The figure on the shaft of the West face is thought to represent either the Crucifixion of Christ in glory with his arms raised in blessing. In the early Church the cross was a sign of victory over sin and death so it could represent both. Below the figure of Christ there are figures of three unidentified ecclesiastics.