Monasterboice

Monasterboice OK, don’t look if you’re the driver, but off to the west, you can see the round tower of Monasterboice. The ruins of a monastery raided and destroyed by Vikings is still used as a cemetery by local people. But there are also three large Celtic Crosses, dating from the 10th Century.
The largest, known as the West Cross, is almost seven metres high, and engraved from top to toe with scenes from the Bible; David, Moses, Abraham and Issac as well as the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. Tradition has it that after the Famine, emigrants would chip pieces off it as keep-sakes of the old country.
The second cross, is much more elaborate and much less damaged. This cross known as Muireadach’s Cross is the most complete. Five and a half metres high, covered in 63 panels. It has an inscription on the west side base; “A prayer for Muireadach, under whose auspices the cross was built” It’s free to visit, there’s a car-park, but shockingly, no shop, café or interpretive visitors centre!