Tuam's High Cross: Will it be allowed to Rot?

The Connacht Tribune, Saturday, March 18, 1989.

Introduction

Officials from the Office of Public Works have been asked to come to Tuam at their "earliest convenience" to discuss the future sitting of the Town Cross with all the interested parties.

The invitation was issued by Tuam Town Commissioners after their monthly meeting last week, during which they listened to deputations from the Old Tuam Society and the Tuam Town Cross Preservation Committee.

Michael McGrath, chairman of the Community Council, speaking for the Tuam Town Cross Preservation Committee, said that their brief was ,"if at all possible to insure that the Cross isn't moved."

We feel that the decision to move the Cross was taken in haste. We are requesting the Town Commissioners to rescind their decision for at least 12 months until our committee gets all the expert advice available. If that advice says that the Cross has to be moved we will agree to it being moved.

The Commissioners' Chairman, Jimmy O'Mara assured Mr. McGrath that the points he had made would be discussed in full.

Tony Claffey, local historian and member of the Old Tuam Society, told the Commissioners that the Society has for many years been expressing their anxiety about the deterioration of the Cross due to erosion and the danger from passing traffic.

Joe Burke said that on the basis of information given to the Commissioners by the O.P.W. and the Old Tuam Society it was a good decision to decide to move the Cross. Referring to the request from the Tuam Town Cross Preservation Committee to grant a 12 month stay of execution he commented that 12 months was too long and that a decision should be made within six months.

Johnny Flaherty fully agreed with the Old Tuam Society, saying he believed it was essential to remove the Cross while it was still standing and that three months would be a sufficient period of time to decide its future.

Gay Browne said that both deputations had made positive and constructive points. "Dr. Claffey made a very convincing speech but he did mention one thing about the division in the town over the Cross. I can assure him that the Commissioners are not responsible for any division. Maybe it was the Old Tuam Society who caused it by taking the decision themselves."

Frank Biggins said that the Representative Body of the Church of Ireland owned the Cross and he read a letter sent by the O.P.W. to Tuam Town Commissioners on March 5th, 1960 which said that the Representative Body of the Church of Ireland were agreeable to the O.P.W. taking responsibility for the Cross provided that it was placed in St. Mary's Cathedral if it ever had to be moved.

Midie O'Grady said that the Cross is a focus point for the, Community and without it or a replica the Square would be little more, than a "crossroads" and continued that "before it is removed we should get a guarantee that a replica will be put there instead."

"Accepted decision"

Miko Kelly said he fully accepted the last decision of the Commissioners and commented that it "was a pity that the arguments being made now weren't thrashed out a few years ago." Referring to any possible controversy that there may be over the relocation of the Cross and whether it should go to St. Mary's or the Cathedral of the Assumption, he said it didn't make any difference and that there was enough of that sort of trouble going on in another part of the country.

John Hewlett, Assistant County Manager, said that the cost of erecting a replica would be approximately £30,000 and that neither the O.P.W. nor the County Council had that kind of money available.

Joe Burke proposed that the O.P.W. be asked to make a certain contribution, saying that the Community "would endeavour to make good the balance."

P. M. Stapleton claimed that £30,000 was "only chicken feed" while Miko Kelly remarked that Tuam seemed to be getting an awful lot of "Nos" when it came to getting anything worthwhile done.

The discussion concluded when the Commissioners agreed to invite officials from the O.P.W. to come to Tuam to discuss the matter and they also agreed unanimously that the future of the Cross should be decided within six months.

These illustrations show clearly how the High Cross of Tuam has deteriorated in the past 130 years or so.

When the drawings were, made in 1854 the Cross had not yet been erected at The Square. The beautiful carving on all sides was clearly visible, and the features of the crucified figure were easily distinguishable. The authenticity of the drawings can be gauged from the illustration of the base (below headline) which shows where the pattern has been damaged

Ray Ryan's photograph shows the Cross as it is today, with the main features still visible but badly eroded.

How long the carving will be distinguishable at all, if the cross remains in its present position, is hard to say. But if it took 700 years for it to reach its 1854 state, and only 135 years to reach its present state, the future prospects do not look good.

There are several precedents for crosses being removed to places of safe keeping and being replaced by a replica. The Tua Cross at Kilnaboy, Co. Clare, is one, and the High Cross of Cashel is now safely in the restored Choir on the Rock, while a replica stands in its place.

Illustrations courtesy of Tom Kenny, Kenny's Art Gallery, Galway.

This 1854 illustration shows that some erosion had occurred even then on the base of the Cross.