This location, noted simply as ‘Cross’ on Ordnance Survey maps from 1836 and 1907, was originally home to one of two carved stone figures that flanked a high cross, all three monuments forming a significant early Christian ensemble. The sculpture, along with its companion piece and the high cross itself, has been designated as National Monument number 271 and placed under state ownership for protection.

The decision to relocate these medieval treasures came from concerns about weathering and erosion, threats that have claimed countless stone monuments across Ireland’s Atlantic coast. Rather than leave them exposed to Donegal’s harsh elements, conservationists moved all three pieces to a sheltered location immediately east of Carndonagh graveyard. This protective measure ensures that future generations can still appreciate the intricate carvings that have survived since the early medieval period.

Visitors seeking these relocated monuments can now find them safely housed under cover, where they’re catalogued under new reference numbers: DG011-035009, DG011-035010, and DG011-035011. The stone sculptures display detailed carving work on their eastern faces, testament to the skill of medieval craftsmen who created these religious artworks. Their original roadside position would have served as both a spiritual marker and a gathering point for the local community, a role that many such crosses and their accompanying figures played throughout Ireland during the early Christian period.