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Monasterboice Monastic site, a few miles north of Drogheda off the N1 has two of the most impressive and best preserved Celtic high crosses in Ireland. It also has a 110feet high round tower and two small ruined 9th and 13th century churches on the site in a graveyard. The location of the site itself, along a country lane, with nothing but a house nearby, gives it an enchanted atmosphere if you are the only visitor. The monastery was founded in the 6th century by a follower of Saint Patrick called St Buite (the Irish name is Mainstir Buite, Buite's monastery). The Boyne River and Valley were also named after St Buite. When Buite died in 521AD his monks continued his work and the monastery became renowned as a centre for learning in the 9th and 10th centuries. It monastery was plundered by the Vikings who burnt many of its books and treasures in 951AD. They in turn were defeated by Donal the Irish High King of Tara. The top of the round tower is gone and you can't go into it, but you can walk into the roofless 13th century small churches and there is easy access to the spectacular high crosses which stand at the compass points between new and ancient graves. The most impressive of the high crosses is dedicated to a 10th century abbot at Monasterboice, Muireadach, and has lively biblical carvings of the Fall of Adams and Eve, Cain killing Abel, David and Goliath, the three wise men bearing gifts, the Last Judgement, the arrest of Christ, and an inscription which reads, 'A prayer for Muireadach for whom the cross was made.' The largest cross on the site, the 21 feet high West Cross also has impressive but more worn scenes including David killing a lion, David with Goliath's head, the Resurrection, the baptism of Christ and the kiss of Judas. The North Cross has a few plainer carvings and is thought to have been damaged by a Cromwellian army. There are also two Gaelic inscribed gravestones and an ancient sundial on the site. (Entry free. No restriction on hours).
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Monasterboice Monastic site
