Ardboe High Cross

Ardboe High Cross stands in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, beside Lough Neagh. It is a tenth-century stone cross marking the entrance to an old cemetery and the remains of a monastery founded in the sixth century by Saint Colman. The cross rises about five and a half metres and is the tallest of its kind in Northern Ireland. Its name comes from the Irish for ‘hill of the cow’, recalling a legend that the monastery was built from the milk of a magic cow from the lough. The cross is the only surviving part of the early monastic site, though the head is damaged. The cross is carved with twenty-two panels illustrating scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The east face shows Adam and Eve, the Sacrifice of Isaac, Daniel in the lions’ den and the Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace. The south side depicts Cain and Abel, David and the lion, David and Goliath, and the Desert Saints Paul and Anthony. The north side portrays Christ’s early life, including his baptism. The west face shows the Adoration of the Magi, the Miracle at Cana, the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, and Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. Visitors find the cross standing at the edge of a quiet cemetery near the lough shore. The surrounding area is flat farmland, with the water visible across the fields. The cross itself is set on a low mound, making it easy to walk around and examine the carvings at close range. The panels are weathered but still clear enough to follow the biblical stories. The site is peaceful, with few visitors, so the cross can be studied in quiet surroundings.