crosses historical louth

Castle: This is a 15th or 16th century tower-house of 3 storeys, and with good trefoil headed windows. Its most unusual feature is the excellent corbelled roof (in the same technique as the Newgrange chamber roof, 4,000 years older!) which is on the third storey. The famous antiquarian Ussher lived nearby for some time. It was repaired by Captain Brabazon in 1641. A bawn with rounded turret which belonged to the castle has disappeared. High Cross: In the graveyard of St. Fechin's Church...

The monastery was founded by an obscure saint named Buite who died in 521. We know that the monastery remained in existence up till 1122, and the Vikings appear to have occupied it for a time until they were attacked by Domhnall, King of Tara, in 9687. One of its most learned monks, Flann, died in 1056. the importance of Monasterboice lies in the fact that it contains two of the finest High Crosses in Ireland, both probably dating to the 9the century. One of these, the Cross of Muiredach, ge...

the church is alleged to have been founded by St. Patrick, but it is more likely that it was his disciple Lughaidh (died 515-16) who founded the monastery. St. Ronan, who cursed Suibhne Geilt and caused him to go mad, was abbot here and died of the great plague in 664. The High King, Aedh Finnlaigh, died here in 876. The monastery was plundered by the Irish in 908, by the Danes in 978 and again by the Irish in 1043. The Round Tower and a High Cross still survive from the old monastery. The...