Grange, Circle D, Co. Limerick.

Location – This one can be hard to spot. From circle C, walk to the road and the remains of this circle can be seen by the field boundary.
OS: R 633 405 (map 65)
GPS: R (Accuracy: m)
See map at the bottom of the page.

Description and History – Only a loose arc of 9 stones remain of this stone circle and most of these have been just pushed into the field boundary. The stones are much smaller than those of Grange Lios and circle C and this may be why the circle was destroyed because the stones could be easily moved. Based on the present remains is it estimated that the circle was nearly 60m in diameter which would make it larger than the main Grange Lios circle.

Difficulty – Easy enough to get to once you get to circle C, hard to spot if the grass is high.

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Really not much to see here.

These two appear to be the only ones left in situ.

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Nurney Church, Co. Kildare.

Location – In the village of Nurney about 5km S of Kildare town on the R415. Not to be confused with Nurney in Co. Carlow.

OS: N 705 055 (map 55)

Longitude: 6° 56' 51.03" W

Latitude: 53° 5' 44.5" N

GPS: N 70497 05526 (Accuracy: 4m)

See map at the bottom of the page.

Description and History – There really is little to say about this ruin. It is yet another example of on ivy covered medieval church in Ireland. I’m starting to think that apart from raths this is the most common ruin in the country. Every town and village seems to have one. All the remains is a portion of the E gable end which has a small slit window. A small portion of the S wall survive and wall footings of the N and W walls. It would have been a very small church about 5m x 3m in measurements. A sad sight.

Difficulty – Easy to get to and plenty of parking. Watch the speed bumps which are not painted and hard to spot. I nearly wrecked my car on them.

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 Yet again it is time to play spot the ruin.

Wall footings.

A little bit of wall does poke out here and there.

I managed to crawl in and get this poor and blurry shot of a remaining window.

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Bolton Hill, Bullaun Stones, Co. Kildare.

Location – In the grounds of the Moone High Cross Hotel just next to the N9.
OS: S 780 897 (map 61)
Longitude: 6° 50' 20.52" W
Latitude: 52° 57' 10.11" N
GPS: S 78020 89739 (Accuracy: 3m)
Grid references are for the hotel.
See map at the bottom of the page.

Description and History – There are four nice bullaun stones here but they are in a bad location and are basically ash trays for the Moone High Cross Inn. One is located by the entrance of the bar and really has been used as an ash tray and has a single depression. The second is located directly across the road by a gate and is a monster with two large depressions in it. These two stones were from the Castledermot area. The other two bullauns are now being used as garden ornaments in a small garden by the side of the hotel. These are smaller, found locally and have a single cup in both. These are a great collection and are just in a bad spot. Maybe the two larger stones should be relocated to Castledermot and the other two can go to be with the Moone High Cross...at least they would be back at ecclesiastical sites.

Difficulty – Pretty easy to find and have a pint while you’re here...if you’re not the driver of course.

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This one is by the front door.

It's disgusting how it is being used.

This is a lovely stone...and huge.

Part of a pair now used as garden ornaments.

These two are used as bookends to a bench.

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Moone High Cross and Abbey, Co. Kildare.

Location – NE of the small villiage of Moone. I can’t give great directions to the cross because I got lost and stumbled across it. The current OS map isn’t up to date and the new road makes finding it difficult. Also there were road works in Ballitore which made things worse.
OS: S 789 927 (map 55)
Longitude: 6° 49' 26.89" W
Latitude: 52° 58' 44.93" N
GPS: S 78973 92686 (Accuracy: 5m)

Description and History – This high cross is simply stunning and colossal. It is nearly 5m tall and stands on the site of a 6th century Christian foundation of St Columcille. The cross is very well preserved because it was buried and only rediscovered in the 1850’s minus the shaft. It was re-erected in that state and only stood to a height of 2.5m. The shaft was rediscovered in the 1890’s and attached to the cross. The remains of the Abbey date to around 1800. Dating to the 10th century this cross depicts many biblical scenes including: Adam and Eve, the sacrifice of Isaac, Daniel and the Lions, the children in the furnace, the flight into Egypt and the feeding of the five thousand. There is also the crucifixion and many Celtic patterns. There is a second cross here that survives only in fragments but the carving is fantastic. This cross has less human figures on it but many more patterns and animal designs. This cross would have been quite nice when it was complete but dwarfed by its partner. The two crosses are housed within the 14th century abbey which is having some conservation carried out on it at the moment. It appears to have been much modified in the past two centuries and hopefully the conservation work will restore some of these to their original form. While walking around the graveyard outside I stumbled across a cross base which is undecorated. Does this mean there was another cross at the site? This is well worth going and spending some time at as the cross is really beautiful and it takes a while to take it all in.

Difficulty – Hard to find and there isn’t much space for parking but navigating the site is easy enough.

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Pictures don't give a great idea of the scale of the cross.

The 12 disciples on the base of the cross.

The sacrifice of Isaac and Daniel and the lions.

The children in the furnace.

The flight into Egypt and the loaves and the fishes.

Adam and Eve.

Various animals on the shaft.

The crucifixion.

Fragments of the second cross.

The high cross base in the surrounding graveyard.

Part of the abbey. The shed is obviously modern.

Inside the abbey.

The roof was added in recent years to protect the cross.

The doorway has been altered.

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