ST. COLMCILLE CROSS AND CHURCH RUINS, RAY, FALCARRAGH
 Ray Church, Falcarragh
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Just outside the village of Falcarragh there are church ruins which house a large St. Colmcille's Cross. The cross stands around 18' high and is made of stone. It is said to be the largest early Medieval cross in Ireland.
In 1650 Cromwellian soldiers descended on the church during Mass and slaughtered the entire congregation for practicing their religion. This became known as 'Marfach Raithe' or 'The Massacre of Ray'. They then went on to destroy the church too. In the cemetery surrounding the church ruins there are graves dating from around the 18th century. |
Local folklore tells us:
"The stone for the Ray cross was cut out from Muckish Mountain, the flat-topped mountain that dominates the landscape behind Ray. Colmcille had travelled from the mainland to Tory Island with his two companions Saints Fionán and Begley. Once they arrived on the island, Colmcille realised that he had left his prayer book on the mainland. He asked his companions if one of them would return to find the prayer book. Whoever returned would be given anything he desired. St Fionán went back to the mainland and found an eagle sheltering the prayer book from the rain with his wing. Fionán took the prayer book back to Tory and asked for the Ray cross in return. Colmcille is said to have been displeased but kept his promise by granting Fionán his wish."
From 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal' (Lacy, 1983):
"Raymunterdoney Old Church: Repaired or rebuilt post 1622 (See Royal Commission, 218) this parish church conintued in use until the new church of St. Paul's was built in 1805 (Fagan Bk. 3 1-2, Leslie1940, 120). The remains are vested in the Office of Public Works as a national monument."
And ...
"Cross: This is a large ringed cross recently re-erected and placed just inside the N wall of Ray Church. It is set in a modern concrete support .6m high. Above this the cross measures 5.56m in height, .55m at the top. The arms are c. 3.7m above the top of the concrete support measure 2.3m in overall width. ... A drawing by Getty (1853, 143) shows a hole at the base of the shaft to aid its erection. This is now concealed."
From The Audit of Columban Heritage by Donegal County Council:
"This post-medieval church, (also known as Raymunterdoney Old Church), is thought to stand on the site of an early medieval monastery associated with Saint Fionán, a contemporary of Colmcille. According to legend, the cross was originally intended to be erected on Tory Island, but Colmcille gifted it to Fionán after he retrieved Colmcille’s lost gospel. The church that we see today is thought to date to after 1622. The church itself is rather plain, with four large round- headed windows and a pointed doorway. Inside the church is a remarkable high cross. The head of the cross is surrounded by a ring, and the cross bears a strong resemblance to Saint John’s Cross on Iona, possibly a refection of the links between the church and Colmcille’s foundation there. It has been argued that this cross may be one of the earliest ringed-stone crosses in Ireland (Lacey 2016). Ray Church also has a darker story, of a bloody massacre known as Marfach Ráithe, when Cromwellian soldiers slaughtered the entire congregation who were attending Mass in the church."
Click on any of the photos below to enlarge
"The stone for the Ray cross was cut out from Muckish Mountain, the flat-topped mountain that dominates the landscape behind Ray. Colmcille had travelled from the mainland to Tory Island with his two companions Saints Fionán and Begley. Once they arrived on the island, Colmcille realised that he had left his prayer book on the mainland. He asked his companions if one of them would return to find the prayer book. Whoever returned would be given anything he desired. St Fionán went back to the mainland and found an eagle sheltering the prayer book from the rain with his wing. Fionán took the prayer book back to Tory and asked for the Ray cross in return. Colmcille is said to have been displeased but kept his promise by granting Fionán his wish."
From 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal' (Lacy, 1983):
"Raymunterdoney Old Church: Repaired or rebuilt post 1622 (See Royal Commission, 218) this parish church conintued in use until the new church of St. Paul's was built in 1805 (Fagan Bk. 3 1-2, Leslie1940, 120). The remains are vested in the Office of Public Works as a national monument."
And ...
"Cross: This is a large ringed cross recently re-erected and placed just inside the N wall of Ray Church. It is set in a modern concrete support .6m high. Above this the cross measures 5.56m in height, .55m at the top. The arms are c. 3.7m above the top of the concrete support measure 2.3m in overall width. ... A drawing by Getty (1853, 143) shows a hole at the base of the shaft to aid its erection. This is now concealed."
From The Audit of Columban Heritage by Donegal County Council:
"This post-medieval church, (also known as Raymunterdoney Old Church), is thought to stand on the site of an early medieval monastery associated with Saint Fionán, a contemporary of Colmcille. According to legend, the cross was originally intended to be erected on Tory Island, but Colmcille gifted it to Fionán after he retrieved Colmcille’s lost gospel. The church that we see today is thought to date to after 1622. The church itself is rather plain, with four large round- headed windows and a pointed doorway. Inside the church is a remarkable high cross. The head of the cross is surrounded by a ring, and the cross bears a strong resemblance to Saint John’s Cross on Iona, possibly a refection of the links between the church and Colmcille’s foundation there. It has been argued that this cross may be one of the earliest ringed-stone crosses in Ireland (Lacey 2016). Ray Church also has a darker story, of a bloody massacre known as Marfach Ráithe, when Cromwellian soldiers slaughtered the entire congregation who were attending Mass in the church."
Click on any of the photos below to enlarge
