Overview
The tau cross on Roughan Hill is a replica. The original – a rare T-shaped cross carved from a single block of Burren limestone, just 0.43 m high and 0.69 m across the arms – had a rough few centuries and now sits indoors in Corofin. Cross Inneenboy (Irish: Cros Iníne Baoith, “cross of the daughter of Baoth”) dates from the 12th century, and small as it is, the carving is the point: each arm ends in a pair of heads facing upwards, with three raised transverse ribs between them and the hands joined below. Tau crosses are among the rarest forms of cross in Ireland.
If you only have time for one, see the replica on the hill rather than the museum piece. It stands on the Burren Way near the old road between Kilnaboy and Leamaneh Castle, free and open to the air, with the limestone pavement all around – which is most of what makes the stop worth it. The original rested here on a large boulder, about 2 km northwest of Kilnaboy, before it was taken away for safekeeping.
History & Significance
Scholars widely agree that the cross was erected during the Romanesque period, most likely serving as an ecclesiastical boundary marker (a termonn) for the parish of Kilnaboy. The parish name itself derives from Cill Iníne Baoith, meaning “Church of Baoth’s daughter”, linking the site to Saint Inneenboy, the patron saint of the Dál gCais territory.
The monument’s exact origins sparked considerable debate among early 20th-century antiquarians. In 1937, Adolf Mahr suggested a stylistic connection to the Celtic double-heads found at Roquepertuse in France, a theory Joseph Raftery supported in 1940. However, Etienne Rynne’s comprehensive 1967 analysis compared the cross with three nearby tau-croziers and firmly placed it in the 12th-century Romanesque tradition, effectively ruling out earlier Iron-Age theories.
The cross also carries symbolic associations with Saint Anthony the Great, reflecting its role in early Christian monastic practice. Local folklore once claimed the stone marked a peace treaty between the O’Brien and O’Quin families, but historians regard this as a later invention. As a designated National Monument, the cross is protected under the National Monuments Acts 1930–2014 and remains in the care of the Office of Public Works.
The cross has had a wandering life. From its boulder on Roughan Hill it was carried off to a house in Galway in the late 19th century, returned to Killinaboy, stolen again in 1967, and finally placed in the Corofin centre, where it has stayed. The replica went up on the hill in the early 1990s.
Visiting the Original & Replica
The Clare Heritage & Genealogy Centre
Housed in a former church in Corofin, the centre displays the original in a secure, well-lit case, where you can get close to detail that’s hard to read outdoors – including the three raised transverse ribs between the carved heads. The centre keeps seasonal hours and runs a genealogy service; check admission and opening times before you travel, as they aren’t always posted online.
Roughan Hill replica
The replica on Roughan Hill is the better visit if you want the monument in its own setting. It stands near the old route between Kilnaboy and Leamaneh Castle, against the Burren’s limestone pavement, unguided and free to reach – just watch your footing on the uneven ground.
Burren Way and walking routes
The Roughan Hill site sits on the Burren Way, the long-distance trail that crosses the karst of North Clare, so the cross makes a natural pause on a longer walk. A shorter outing links it to other early medieval carving nearby: the same tau motif turns up on the Doorty Cross at Kilfenora and on a local grave slab, letting you trace a stretch of the old parish in an afternoon.
Practical Information
- Admission: The replica on Roughan Hill is free and open at all times. Admission to the Clare Heritage & Genealogy Centre in Corofin isn’t published in advance – check directly before you go.
- Opening hours: The centre operates seasonal hours and tends to close over winter. Check the centre’s website or the Heritage Ireland unguided-sites page before travelling.
- Getting there: Corofin sits on the R476 a few kilometres south of Kilnaboy; the heritage centre is signposted in the village. The replica is on Roughan Hill near Kilnaboy, off the road toward Leamaneh Castle. Public transport is limited – buses run between Ennis and Kilnaboy, with a walk or taxi at the end.
- Accessibility: The museum interior is accessible; the ground at the Roughan Hill replica is uneven limestone, so wear sturdy footwear.
- Nearby stops: Corofin has cafés and pubs. The cross fits a broader Burren day that takes in Poulnabrone Dolmen, Dysert O’Dea Castle and the harbour village of Ballyvaughan.
See the replica on the hill any time you pass; save the museum for spring or summer, when the centre is reliably open.