High Cross of Bealin

Ornamental surfaces, center and sides - drawing by Crawford

The High Cross of Bealin ( English Bealin High Cross or Baylin Cross , Irish Ardchros Bhéal Linne ) is located on a hill in the townland of Twyford on the outskirts of Bealin ( Irish Béal Linne ) about 6 km northeast of Athlone in County Westmeath in Ireland .

High Cross of Bealin, photo by Henry Saxton Crawford (1867–1927)

The somewhat damaged Celtic cross , which is around 2.0 meters high, bears the image of a lion and intertwined creatures with bird heads on the east side. The shaft is covered with a Celtic knot pattern . On the north side there is a hunting scene of a rider with a spear and above him a dog biting a deer leg. An inscription on the lower edge of the west side makes the cross datable to around 800 AD. The old Irish inscription reads: OROIT AR TUATHGALL LAS DERNATH IN CHROSSA (“a prayer for Tuathgall, from whom this cross was made”). It is believed that the cross originally came from Clonmacnoise , 15 km away , and in fact an abbot of Clonmacnoise named Tuathgall (or Tuathgal) died in 810 or 811 .

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Commons : Hochkreuz von Bealin  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Description Engl. and pictures

Coordinates: 53 ° 26 ′ 8.2 "  N , 7 ° 50 ′ 42.3"  W.