Two of four High Crosses in a graveyard at this ruin of monastic remains, dating from 9th century. The East Cross in the foreground from the east side has no decoration and is unique in Ireland with its tall thin shaft and short stumpy arms. The South Cross to the left shows the Celtic ringed head with intricate carving. Most of the carvings at Kilkieran are abstract spirals but the east panel of the West cross has an illustration of 8 horsemen carved on its east face of the base. The high cross is famous for its distictive shape with a circle or ring, often richly ornamented with elaborate decoration. They are almost exclusively found on the sites of early Irish monasteries and erected by the church authorites. From surviving legible inscriptions, it is known that there was also a political dimension to them whereby certain kings of Ireland had a hand in commissioning them which provides evidence of cooperation between the church and king in the creation of these great monuments. The Irish High Crosses had several functions or uses. These include boundary markers, but their main function was for religeous purposes as gathering places for prayers and sermons outside a church. Also, as a means of educating the mainly illiterate public about the bible stories relating to events in both the Old and New Testements, using scenes depicted on the interlinked panels.
