Historic Celtic High Crosses in County Tipperary are deteriorating so badly from weathering that South Tipperary county council now wants the Office of Public Works to investigate and come up with a conservation plan. The Council is concerned that the eighth century Ahenny High Crosses near Carrick-on-Suir are properly preserved for future generations.
The Crosses are some of the finest examples of early Christian stone art and are a popular tourist attraction.
Local labour councillor Denis Landy brought to the council’s attention the serious erosion of the intricate carvings on the sandstone crosses and the Council has now raised its concerns with the OPW.
Mr Landy had been contacted by student teacher Ashley Cooke of Mary Immaculate College in Limerick who visited the Ahenny Crosses as part of her research for her degree.
Ms Cooke said that she had visited the Ahenny Crosses three years ago and when she returned to examine them for her research project “definitely noticed a difference in them."
The most serious erosion is to be found, she added, at the base on the crosses, where there are carvings of Biblical scenes including one of David bringing Goliath to Jerusalem.
South Tipperary County Council's Heritage Officer, Ms Labhaoise McKenna, said while the County Council owned and was responsible for Ahenny graveyard, where the crosses are located, the crosses themselves are managed by the OPW.
She said the OPW has already carried out a report on the decay of the stone and "depending on its budget" this year, proposes to carry out a conservation report on them and the other similar crosses in the area this year.
Ms McKenna said the report would outline a plan for conservation and any work it calls for would also be dependent on the availability of funding.
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