Celtic
Cross of Drumcliffe
"Beloved to my heart also in the West Drumcliffe, at Culcinne's
Strand."
These lines are from a poem attribuated to St.Columcille (or St.Columba
as he is also known) the founder of the monastry at Drumcliffe.
He was born in Donegal, a member of a royal family, studied at bardic
and monastic schools and after his ordination travelled Ireland
and founded several monastic settlements, including Derry, near
his own birthplace Durrow and Kells.
On one of his journeys he made a hurried copy of the Book of Psalters
belonging to St.Finnian of Moville. A dispute arose about the ownership
of the copy and the High King of Ireland - Diarmuid - gave the famous
judgement "To every cow its calf, to every book its copy".
Shortly after this a fugitive from King Diarmuid sought sanctuary
with Columcille. Diarmuid's men pursued him and, violating the law
of sanctuary, killed him. Colmcille responded with anger and called
on his royal kinsman for support. There was a battle at Culi-dreinne
at which the King was defeated and there were many casualties. Columcille
was overcome with remorse, feeling that his earlier argument with
the High King had tempted Diarmuid to violate sanctuary and this
had led to the battle. It is unclear whether he was sent into exile
by a Synod or whether exile was a self imposed penance - in any
event Columcille left for Scotland. There he founded monastic settlements,
the most famous being Iona, which became his home for the rest of
his life.
We know that he made one famous return journey to Ireland at the
Council of Druim Ceat in Co.Meath. He visited Clonmacnois and so
on his journey up the west coast to Sligo he founded the monastic
settlement at Drumcliffe not far from the scene of the fateful battle.
He is said to have left his bishop's crozier there as a sign of
his love.
Certainly the magnificent cross erected there later - the only
important one found in Sligo - is a tribute to the family of Columcille
who were its patrons for some generations. The cross has fantastic
animals in full relief as well as Scripture scenes. These are represented
by both figures and symbolic designs.
Nearby is the grave of the poet, William Butler Yeats. It is marked
as he requested with a stone inscribed with the epitaph which he
wrote for himself: "Cast a cold eye, On life, on death, Horseman,
pass by."
Celtic
Cross of Drumcliffe replica cross in gold or silver
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