. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. andtheir witnesses. Be these opinions correct or not, the carvings are ofa very ancient date, and deserve the close attention of archasologists. The shaft consists of one whole stone, 4 feet 11 inches high, and 16^inches of the lower end of another stone, of which the head of the cross isformed. It measures at the bottom 2 feet H inches north and south, by14^ inches east and west, tapering to 17 inches by 11 inches respectivelyat the top. On the east face, entirely on the lower stone, is the figureof St Tola, in very high relief, in ful
. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. andtheir witnesses. Be these opinions correct or not, the carvings are ofa very ancient date, and deserve the close attention of archasologists. The shaft consists of one whole stone, 4 feet 11 inches high, and 16^inches of the lower end of another stone, of which the head of the cross isformed. It measures at the bottom 2 feet H inches north and south, by14^ inches east and west, tapering to 17 inches by 11 inches respectivelyat the top. On the east face, entirely on the lower stone, is the figureof St Tola, in very high relief, in full episcopal canonicals, mitie onhead, and the left hand holding a pastoral staff, with a scroll head notat all like the Dysert crosier in the Royal Irish Academys front peak of the mitre is worn off, which gives it a resemblance toa cap ; but I think tliere can be no doubt whatever it was intendedfor a mitre. The right hand was formed out of a separate stone, fixed bya tenon into the body of the figure, but is now wanting. As is usual in. North sidb of Base. Now the lake of Eath, one luile north-M^est of the cross. Vide OCurrysM. & C, vol. iii., p. 322, for this legend of the badger-monster. 2 Vide Journal , vol. iv., Part 4, p. 339. 3 /^j^_^ p.^.^ 2, p. 155. 250 ROYAL SOCIlilT OF ANTIQUARIES OF IRELAND. similar carvings of a bishop, and as can be inferred from the direction of the now empty mortice, the hand was hehl forth at right angles to the body, as in the act of giving the episcopal blessing. The north, south, and west faces of the shaft are each divided into four panels of nearly equal length, except the lower two on the west face, the one nearest the base on that side being 2i feet high,while that immediately aboveit is only 9 inclies. On thenorth side the top panel showsa zigzag fret pattern, the threelower ones are formed of dif-ferent varieties of beast-knots,the lowest being finislied atthe bottom with a fret-border4 inches high. On the wests
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