Cross of Cong and the Clonmacnoise Crozier

The cross consists of an oak cross, covered in gold, silver, niello, copper, bronze, brass, enamel, coloured glass, and is highly decorated in interlacing animals and serpents. It measures 30 inches tall and 19 inches wide and was used as a processional cross. It is said it contained a piece of the true cross.

The cross of Cong was made in 1123 in Roscommon at the order of the High King of Ireland of the time, Turlough O'Conor. It is oak covered in plates of gilt-bronze.

There is an inscription which reads: In this cross is preserved the cross on which suffered the Founder of the World, and Pray for Turlough O'Conor, King of Ireland, and Abbot O'Duffy, and for the artist Maol Iosa O'Echan.

Detail Cross of Cong Ireland

The cross is now on display in the National Museum, Dublin.

Clonmacnoise crozier, eleventh century

A crosier is the stylized staff of office (pastoral staff).

 The most evocative aspect of the decoration is the snake-like animals in figure-of-eight patterns that decorate the sides