Kilkieran

At Kilkieran Co Kilkenny there are three sandstone crosses and the fragments of another high cross. These crosses are part of the Ossory group, which includes the crosses at Ahenny, Killamery, Seir Kieran, Lorrha and Kilree.

West Cross

The west cross, or decorated cross pictured below, is probably the most important and is very similar to the crosses at Ahenny. On the eastern side of the base there is some figure sculpture showing eight horsemen, the rest of the cross is mainly covered with celtic interlace but it is unusual, in that a panel of the interlace on the base is imperfect, which is very rare on high cross sculpture. This cross also has the conical cap we associate with other crosses in this group and is also interspersed with bosses. The cross is also similar in height to the Ahenny crosses as it stands at 3.55 metres high.

West Face

East Face

East side

North side with the imperfect panel

South side

West side

Plain Cross

The plain or south cross, pictured below, although it has the same shape and design as other crosses in the group the cross is plain and bears no decoration. It is the smallest cross of this type in the group, standing at just 2.80 metres high.

Plain Cross, East Face

Plain Cross, East Face

Tall Cross

Pictured below is the Tall cross, or as Harbison calls it, the north cross. It is quite unique in its tall and slender shape, with short arms and no ring. It stands at 3.5 metres high with rope moulding and bears some traces of other decoration. These crosses date to around the 9th century.

Cross Shaft Fragments

Pictured below is the fragmented head of the fourth cross. It is now on display in the visitor centre at Jerpoint Abbey. The cross is broken into four fragments. In the centre of the head is an equal armed cross and the two arms, pictured below, bear whorls and swastikas. A fragment of the shaft, pictured bottom, still remains at Kilkieran. At one stage the shaft fragment was re-used as a lintel in the mausoleum of the Osborne family of Kilmacoliver. The fragment now stands next to thr mausoleum.

Situated: In a Graveyard in Kilkieran, County Kilkenny. From Carrick-on-Suir take the R 697 North, after 6 kilometres take a right turn onto the R 698 towards Owning, the graveyard is about 300 metres down this road on your left.

Group: Western Ossory

Google Map.

Discovery Map:75 S 4214 2753. Last Visit: Jun 2003.

Longitude: 7° 22' 51" W

Latitude: 52° 23' 52" N

Nearest High Crosses featured on this website

Ahenny: 2 Kilometres NNW.

Killamery: 10 Kilometres NNW

Kilree: 16 Kilometres NNE

Graiguenamanagh: 33 Kilometres ENE.

Ullard: 36 Kilometres NE.

Photos: Jim Dempsey and José Gutierrez.