Papal Cross In Phoenix Park - Dublin
The Papal Cross is a simple large white cross that was erected near the edge of the Fifteen Acres for the Papal visit of Pope John Paul II on the 29th September 1979. On this day, before travelling to Drogheda, Co. Louth, Pope John Paul II delivered an open-air sermon to more than 1.25 million people.
The Papal Cross was designed by the Irish firm of Scott, Tallon Walker Architects and constructed by John Sisk & Sons. It stands 116 feet high and is made of steel girders. After several attempts to erect the cross, it was eventually put in place on the 14th September, which is also the feast day of the Exaltation of the Cross.
Tully Church and the Crosses situated in Laughanstown (on Lehaunstown road )
Tully church and the crosses situated in Laughanstown (on Lehaunstown road ) have had an association with St Bridget who died in 523 AD.
The names are a bit confusing and I don't know if there are in fact two separate locations Laughanstown and Lehaunstown or if there is one location with one name but different spellings (the sign at the Luas station is "Laughanstown"). Also the country lane is referred to as Lehaunstown Lane in some documents or Lehaunstown Road on some maps.
Located in the field across the road from the church is a tall slender cross believed to be of the 12th/13th century. The east face of the cross bears an ecclesiastic figure that looks like a bishop but some claim that it may be a female figure and believe it to be of St Bridget, but due to weathering it is impossible to tell. One face bears a head/mask which is badly weathered. Access is over a wooden stile across from the church and there is no signs indicating that it is there and I only discovered because I saw a woman with five or six dogs entering the field (she was a professional dog-walker).
The date of construction of the church at Tully is not known, but it may be from the ninth century or earlier and is thought to be of Viking origin. The unusually larger chancel was added to the nave during the early 13th century and has a rounded arch and two rounded headed east windows.
At the side of the road, just before the church, there is the small plain ringed cross. This cross was saved from destruction by James Grehan in the later part of the nineteenth century. The road next to the cross was being lowered and James Grehan had a small wall built and the cross placed upon it at it's original height.