Kilkieran High Cross, Kilkenny

Kilkieran High Cross

Kilkieran is a beautiful place to visit at any time and the fact that there are actually three

High Crosses here along with numerous other objects of interest is really just an added bonus.

The area is also called Castletown townland and it's quite picturesque and surrounded by pleasant green countryside and small rolling hills in Kilkenny.

The name is derived from combining the Irish word for Church, Cill, with Kieran to arrive at Kilkieran, although which Kieran seems to be anyones guess as I can find no definitive answer to this.

Was it named after Ciarán of Clonmacnoise,

Ciarán of Saighir, or a completely different Ciarán altogether (Kieran), who knows?

There is no church standing there now however the ruins of a stone church were converted into a mausoleum which fell into disrepair

but has now been tidied up and consists of a small rectangular slab surrounded by what remains of the walls.

The site is very well maintained and while there I had a nice chat with a local man who was pulling Ivy off the walls of the enclosure.

There is a very unusual High Cross here which is one of the few in Ireland that doesn't have a "Celtic Cross" type ring that are generally associated with most of these Crosses.

It is a tall slim Cross with notches carved into the shaft and it's quite beautiful in its setting.

Of the other two High Crosses, one is an undecorated Cross while another has a depiction of eight horsemen on its base and is richly decorated with carvings.

There is also the decorated shaft of a fourth High Cross here but its carvings are badly weathered and hard to make out.

The Kilkieran High Crosses are believed to date from the 8th or 9th Century.

These High Crosses belong to the "Ossory Group" of Crosses, Ossory being once an ancient Irish Kingdom.

Two of the High Crosses have caps which are interpreted by some to represent Mitres, a type of hat worn by Bishops.

A peculiar and interesting little Standing Stone is located near the undecorated Cross and there are a variety of Millstones and Bullaun Stones at Kilkieran which were unearthed in the general area and placed here.

Saint Kierans Well is also located here and there is a large Bullaun or Font beside it. Its waters are reputedly a curative for headaches or pains of the head.

In a corner near the entrance is a modern post stone marked "Strangers Corner" which I found to be a touching marker for those who rest here unknown but not unremembered.

It struck me as a poignant reminder of just how fortunate we often are and sometimes take this for granted.

There is probably more local history associated with Strangers Corner but I haven't any more information on this.

I reached Kilkieran when the weather was overcast and misty so my photographs don't properly represent the beauty of the area.

The collection of varied Bullaun Stones held my attention and curiosity for a while and overall I really enjoyed my trip to this tranquil and secluded site which was wonderful to vist.

A collection of Bullaun Stones at Kilkieran.

Signage board at Kilkieran.

The undecorated High Cross at Kilkieran.

Pictured below is the small Standing Stone at Kilkieran.

A marker to remember those who are interred at Kilkieran but were unknown, possibly travellers on the road or paupers.

Coordinates Here :

52°23'53.8"N 7°22'44.9"W

52.398288 - 7.379141

Sites nearby to visit

Killamery High Cross Here :

Killamery High Cross

Ahenny High Cross Here :

Ahenny High Cross

Kilree Round Tower and High Cross Here :

Kilree Round Tower

Kells Priory Here :

Kells priory

Possible Road Trip in Ossory, pictured below :

Ahenny High Cross, Kilkenny

Ahenny High Crosses

In the small rural village of Ahenny in Tipperary are not one, but two beautiful High Crosses.

Ahenny lies in Tipperary but is also quite close to the Kilkenny Border.

The Ahenny High Crosses are of a type belonging to a class of High Cross called the

"Ossory group."

These are found chiefly throughout Kilkenny and Tipperary in parts of what was once the "Kingdom of Ossory."

The site at Ahenny is called Kilclispeen and there is a plaque inserted into the entrance which reads

" Kilclispeen Churchyard 1843."

It's believed the Ahenny High Crosses date from around the 8th Century and that originally a Monastery was located here.

There is occasional mention of a Saint Crispen asociated with Ahenny but there are no records of such a figure to be found nor any trace of an early Monastery.

There is also the base socket of a third High Cross here at Ahenny so it was obviously a very important early ecclesiastical site.

The wonder of places like Ahenny is that today such locations seem remote and sparsely inhabited yet in their heyday they must have had large numbers of Monks living on site with large numbers of people living nearby and in close proximity.

Early monasteries were small centres of industry engaged in farming both livestock and tillage, brewing, writing, milling, and possibly carving and metalworking.

I'm not an archaeologist but there are mention of several monasteries where the Monks numbered in their thousands. To maintain such large settlements would have required considerable self sustaining resources and local trade.

The Ahenny High Crosses are very richly decorated and the carvings have survived over 1200 years of Irish weathering.

Covered in spirals, knotwork and pictorial representations they are a beautiful monument to the skill of the craftworkers who carved them all those years ago.

Some of the Caps on Crosses of the "Ossory group" are thought to represent a Mitre, a type of hat worn by Bishops.

With Waterford, Kilkenny and Tipperary so close by as well it makes for a wonderful place to visit and is a very scenic area, well worth visiting at any time of year.

Coordinates Here:

52°24'50.7"N 7°23'36.2"W

52.414074 -7.393397

My photo's were taken on a particularly overcast day and don't do the area justice.

 

Kells Priory Here :

Kells Priory

Kilree Round Tower and High Cross Here :

Kilree Round Tower and High Cross

Killamery High Cross

and Saint Nicholas' Well Here : 

Killamery High Cross

Suggested Road Trip picture below:

Killamery High Cross, Kilkenny

Killamery High Cross

 

Killamery High Cross is located in a picturesque area of County Kilkenny and while quite close to the N76 it still feels like it's remote and rural.

It's believed Killamery was first established in 632 by Saint Gobban (Góban) however today it is associated with Saint Nicholas. 

First views of Killamery are dominated by the ruins of an early 1800's Board of First Fruit Church.

Saint Nicholas is reputedly buried at the Church in the 

"lost town" of Newtown Jerpoint, an old abandoned medieval settlement not far from Jerpoint Abbey.

The High Cross at Killamery is believed to date from the late 8th or early 9th Century, one of the "Ossory" group of High Crosses. 

It is richly decorated with a flower pattern of Marigolds, Snakes devouring each other and a Monster type creature which is a bit weathered. 

Several panels have interlaced lozenge patterns on them and there is an inscription in Irish on the base of the cross but it has long since been weathered away. 

The arms of the Cross are also decorated with intricate patterns and the cap of the Cross resembles a Gabled Roof and is fully intact.

 

It's a tranquil and quiet site with several other interesting relics around it including Bullaun stones, Holed stones, an inscribed medieval carved Cross Slab and Saint Nicholas' Holy Well which has an unusual "Gabled" style covering over it.

There is also a plaque mounted on the wall into Killamery commerating those who died in the 1798 United Irishmen rebellion.

Close to Killamery are Ahenny and Kilkieran which both contain several beautiful examples of Irish High Crosses as well.

Nearby is Knockroe Passage Tomb which is the ruin of an unusual Passage Tomb in that both passages are aligned with the Sun at different times, Sunrise and Sundown on the Winter solstice. There are also some nice examples of neolithic Rock Art at Knockroe.

There are specific "Dark Green" coloured signs around here which must have been created for sites of interest in this area and they can be spotted as you travel about. 

The signs are very useful in finding your way around and navigating to sites of interest in the area. 

Killamery exudes a feeling of calmness and peace and is a nice spot to relax for a few minutes leaving behind the 21st Century for a moment or two.

All in all Killamery is quiet and tranquil, well worth a visit in its own right if you are in the area or travelling through. 

Coordinates for Killamery :

52°28'34.8"N 7°26'40.0"W

52.476328 - 7.444452

Kells Priory here :

Kells Priory

Kilree Round Tower and High Cross here :

Kilree Round Tower/High Cross

Ahenny High Crosses here :

Ahenny High Cross

 

Kilree Round Tower, High Cross and Church, Kilkenny

Kilree

Kilree in County Kilkenny is the ancient site of a monastic settlement reputedly founded by Saint Rhuidche in the 6th Century.

The name is possibly derived from either Rhuidche or from the combined Irish words for Church and King, i.e. Cill Rí, the Church of the King.

It is located not too far away from Kells Priory and is worth visiting in its own right as it is set in a nice, peaceful and tranquil area.

There are no entrance fees and it is open to visit all year round. There are no facilities here such as Café or toilets, just the site itself. Set in rural and pleasant surroundings Kilree is a world away from busier tourist attractions.

There is a Round Tower at Kilree, in Irish called a Cloigtheach,

(Bell House/House of the Bell). 

These beautiful structures were originally believed to have been buit for defensive purposes however it is generally acknowledged today that they would have been of little use as such because you would have effectively trapped yourself inside and could have been easily smoked out.

 

They were probably first and foremost a Bell Tower but also served as a point which could both be seen from and too in the distance. 

This would mean pilgrims and travellers could see them from a distance but also that an observer in the tower could see anyone approaching from far afield.

 

As monasteries could at times be busy places it is also likely that they may have served as a place for the temporary storage of valuables or manuscripts.

 

Round Towers are remarkable structures. The base layer of foundation stones is often quite shallow so the Doorways are always high above the ground. Placing the doorway higher up on the tower adds to the structural integrity and strength of the building.

 

Inside were several floors built of wood, each accessed by its own ladder and most, but not all Round Towers, have four top windows facing the Cardinal points of the compass, North, South, East and West.

 

Beside the Round Tower at Kilree are the ruins of a beautiful little medieval Church. The Church has large buttressing on one wall and some architechtural features which suggest the original building is from the early medieval period and first constructed sometime in the 11th Century.

 

Directly across from the Church and clearly seen in the adjoining fields is a 9th Century High Cross. 

It's believed that these Crosses which must have been hugely impressive in their time were erected as places where worshippers could gather and the carvings, figures and scenes on the Cross could be used as visual aids by whoever was teaching or preaching.

 

 The High Crosses of Ireland are often covered in highly decorative patterns depicting animals, beasts and biblical scenes and a host of unknown entities and mysterious creatures. It is believed that they were originally decorated with brightly coloured paints which have long since been weathered away.

At first glance a particular Cross may seem uninteresting but take the time to look a little closer at some of the more richly decorated examples and the detail and intricate stone work becomes astonishing.

There are also many exampes of plain undecorated High Crosses in Ireland and a lot of the High Crosses were carved from a single block of stone, quite a feat of early Stone Masonry.

There is a Bullaun stone in the field here somewhere although I was unaware of its presence and didn't see it on my visit. 

These stones are often associated with monastic sites and were probably used to hold water for rituals however their origins are uncertain and it's possible stones like these may first have been used as far back as the stone age Neolithic period for grinding, who knows?

On my way out I found a large Black Bull blocking my path and refusing to move so I  slowly walked close to him and quietly stared at him till he walked away, all the while ready to break a World Record for the 20 metre dash. 

I have no expertise on livestock so you'll have to deal with things like that yourself as they arise but do be careful because a Bull, even a Bull which seems placid can cause serious damage and injury in a matter of seconds. Those big guys are faster than they look.

Google Maps Coordinates  for Kilree :

7°16'03.6"W 

52.518074 - 7.267663

Killamery High Cross here :

Killamery High Cross

Kells Priory here:
 Kells Priory

Ahenny High Crosses here:

Ahenny High Cross