31/03/2024

For the day that’s in it, let’s take a ramble to one of the most remarkable early Christian monuments in Donegal. To visit the Killaghtee Cross, you take a path through a rusty old gate, a path running parallel to what used to be the train line out to Killybegs. Before you ever get to the old church, you marvel at what joy there might be if these trains were still running, the views are so glorious, and what now seems to be the crazy decision to strip the whole county of its train network. Moving along, you come to an old church ruin, - it’s got one pretty window and a higgledy piggledy grave yard - but there in the long grass stands quite an incredible piece of history. The Killaghtee cross is more slab than cross- the cross is carved onto the stone, marking the transition between horizontal flat stones and the vertical high crosses of later times. This is very early- probably 7th Century, and sadly the carvings are being weathered away - you can still see the Greek-style cross at the top, but a stunning carved triple knot beneath the cross has almost disappeared. Nevertheless, it is where it belongs, among the wild primroses and birdsong and distant sound of the ocean ~ and if you want an hour of serenity and deep peace, it’s worth the visit.
#donegal #happyeaster2024#studyabroadireland