Cross of Muiredeach XP61

Welcome to the Celtic High Cross Collection by Ogham. Each cross is a miniature work of art and is an authentic copy back and front of the east and west side of the original cross.

Each Celtic Cross is handcrafted in our workshop by our master Goldsmiths who have taken great care to reproduce the detail and originality of these ancient monuments.

Each cross is hall marked by the Company of Goldsmiths in Dublin Castle, an independent stage appointed body that authenticates the precious metal content of each piece. Together with the maker's mark this is your guarantee of premium quality.

A little book, included with each cross, will provide you with the background history and folklore associated with each of the Crosses.

The Cross of Muiredeach at the Monasterboice in County Louth is one fo the most beautiful of the Irish High Crosses still standing. At the base of the West side can still be seen the inscription in old Irish ' OR DO MUIREDEACH LASNDERNAD IN CHROS' which translates as ' A prayer to Muiredeach, for whom this cross was made'. Most scholars think that this applied to Muiredeach, son of Domhaill, an abbot of Monasterboice who died around AD922.

The main sculpture on the circular head on the West face is an elaborate Crucifixion scene while on the East face there is an even more interesting and elaborate decpition of the Last Judgement. The face of the shaft on the West side shows incidents in the life of our Lord, incidents from the Old Testament, stories from the lives of the Saints and symbolic figures. The scenes on the shaft of the cross are read from the bottom up. They appear to represent Christ seized in the Garden; 'Doubting Thomas' thrusting his hand into Our Lord's side; and Christ sitting between Peter and Paul, giving the keys to the other one and the Book of the Gospel to the other.

Henry Morris suggested a more colourful interpretation - the bottom panel depicts two Viking soldiers roughly seizing a central figure the Celtic Abbot. In the panel above the same two moustached 'Vikings' are shown wearing ecclesiasical robs, while the central figure, clean shaven and with a coronal tonsure as before, has his hand raised in blessing. In the top panel all three ecclesiastics have Viking moustaches and they hold the Keys and the Book of Gospels. This is the stoy of the encounter of the Abbot with the Viking invaders; their conversion in time to Christianity and acceptance as monks at Monasterboice, and finally a time with a Viking Becomes the Abbot of the monastery.

There is some historical support for this theory. One of the first permanent Viking settlements, a fortified stronghold, was made eight miles from Monasterboice at Annagassan on the Louth coast in AD840. It is recorded that from here the Vikings plundered Clonmacnoise in the west in 841 and Armagh in the North in 850. Yet Monasterboice, a couple of hours march away, was never plundered by them. They remained at Annagassan until 925 and must have had contact with the monastery. If some became Christians and Monks, this could explain Monasterboice's immunity from attack.

Sterling silver pendant and chain. Made in Ireland.

Pendant comes with 22" chain.

Cross of Muiredeach XP61