Cross or Sundial?
Old Cross Monument
This is the Old Cross, which is actually an old seventeenth-century sundial, located in Old Cross Square, Monaghan Town. Originally, it stood in the Diamond. In the mid-1870s, it was moved to make way for the Rossmore Monument. The Old Cross is one of the oldest monuments in the town of Monaghan.
Old Cross Monument
Old Cross Monument
This is the Old Cross, which is actually an old seventeenth-century sundial, located in Old Cross Square, Monaghan Town. Originally, it stood in the Diamond. In the mid-1870s, it was moved to make way for the Rossmore Monument. The Old Cross is one of the oldest monuments in the town of Monaghan.
The Old Cross, located in Old Cross Square, dates from the seventeenth century. This makes it the longest surviving architectural feature in Monaghan town. Although called the Old Cross, this feature is an old sundial stand. Before clocks and watches became widespread, sundials were used to tell the time.
The Old Cross stood at the centre of The Diamond at the heart of the town until the mid-1870s. As the central point of the town, people attached proclamations to it and used it as a meeting point for trade and hiring.
It was removed to allow for the construction of the Rossmore Monument. The citizens of the town had grown very attached to the Old Corss and did not want it to disappear. As a compromise, it was moved to its current location at Old Cross Square.
More than Bricks and Mortar
From the example of Monaghan, you can see that many old buildings and monuments have interesting stories. If you research your local town or village, you may be surprised also to find out about the historical figures who have passed through its buildings and walked its streets. For example, the patriot Charles Gavan Duffy, leader of the Young Ireland movement and founder of The Nation newspaper, was born near Old Cross Square in Monaghan in 1816.
Next time you are in a big town or city, take a closer look at some of its architecture. You may be surprised how much you can tell about the history of a town and its past inhabitants by examining its buildings.