The centrepiece is a high cross flanked by two intricately carved stone sculptures, each about 0.8 metres tall and 0.3 metres square. These precious monuments, designated as National Monument number 271, were relocated from their original position to protect them from centuries of weathering. Their former location, marked as ‘Cross’ on 19th and early 20th century Ordnance Survey maps, can still be traced through archaeological records.

The two stone sculptures showcase the artistic sophistication of early Irish Christian art, with each of their four faces bearing unique carved designs. The northern pillar displays an eclectic mix of imagery: a double pelta design on its south face, a warrior figure wielding shield and sword on the east, fish and bird motifs on the north, and a harp player on the west. Its southern counterpart is equally fascinating, featuring an animal-headed figure holding what appear to be two discs and a hammer on the north face, an ecclesiastical figure clutching a bell and book with a crozier beneath on the east, a carved face near the top on the west, and perhaps most intriguingly, a human head emerging from a fish’s mouth on the south face; possibly a reference to the biblical story of Jonah.

Today, these monuments rest on a modern plinth that incorporates a substantial flat-topped boulder measuring 1.5 by 1.3 metres, with the cross set into a rectangular socket carved into this stone base. The entire complex sits just outside the graveyard that surrounds an 18th century Church of Ireland church, continuing to bear witness to Carndonagh’s long and rich religious heritage. The detailed carvings on these stones offer a window into the beliefs, stories, and artistic traditions of early medieval Ireland, combining Christian symbolism with older Celtic motifs in a style that’s distinctively Irish.