THE MOST IMPORTANT CELTIC CROSS YOU"LL EVER SEE. And, there's not just one - there's 3 - and more!

This site is truly mind-blowing, and you can visit it without wading through crowds of tourists! The Vikings laid siege to this Monastery in 968AD, and the scene has barely changed since.

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This is the Monastic settlement of Moanasterboice in County Louth. It’s a very important site, not just in Ireland, but in Europe and beyond. This settlement was founded in the late 5th Century by Saint Buithe, a disciple of St Patrick, and we know Buithe died around 521. The monestary seemed to be active up until around 1142 at which point a local Cistertian Abbey called Mellifont Abbey was established. So I’m guessing it took over as the significant religious centre from that point.

So the collection of ruins here today is comprised of 2 churches, 3 high crosses (or celtic crosses), and of course an amazing round tower.

It’s thought that both Churches on the site date from the 14th Century, although they could be a bit later. The West Cross, is close to the tower and spectacular in its own right. The carvings are intricate and still survive well today, clearly depicting biblical images. The first thing you have to ask yourself is how was this made. Such a slab of stone that would be needed to carve this cross would have to be massive, as it's mostly carved in one piece. The sandstone that was used we think came from a quarry quite a distance away too, so that presents it’s own problems of transport – particularly in a heavily forested Ireland of the 10th Century when these crosses were constructed. The artwork on them must have been done by an incredible craftsman.

The tower was built, we think, shortly after 968. It’s over 30 meters high, so, being built in stone, that represents an amazing engineering feat, by any centuries standards.

We should try and imagine this place as a working thriving community in its heyday. These monastic settlements were important seats of learning, and not just in Ireland, but had real European significance. Some of the scholarly work that went on in these monastic communities was astounding. You just have to look at the book of Kells, held in Trinity College as an example of the beauty these people created.

It’s interesting that you’ll see newish graves here alongside very old ones. The cemetary here is still being used today for burials.

We then visit the famous Muirdach’s cross, the finest high cross in all of Ireland. It’s also very well preserved. It takes its name from the Abbott who died in 923. The quality of the carving on this cross, even after standing here for over a millennium, is amazing. How the 4 holes in the centre of the cross are made is astounding and the detail of this cross, again of biblical scenes from new and old testament, is simply some of the most beautiful Irish art you’re likely to encounter anywhere.

Now some of you may have seen a replica of this very cross which is in the Ulster Museum in Belfast, I covered it in my video on the Ulster Museum in fact, but to see the real thing, standing in this important and beautiful site, where is has been since the 10th Century is just mind blowing.

Some of you may have seen my film of Glendalough, another monastic site of great beauty and high significance, I think you might be interested in that if this kind of film is your kind of thing. So check that out.

Finally, we visit the last of the high crosses here, the North Cross, and it’s a bit less impressive when taken beside the ones we’ve just seen, we’ve been spoiled you might say, but what’s pretty incredible here is what lies next to the cross. The upright stone beside the cross is actually a sundial.

Unfortunately it looks like there’s been a bit of vandalism here, that’s probably why the fence surrounds this, since as you’ve seen there’s no protection anywhere else. It’s very sad. The beauty of this place is that I’m trusted to walk around. This kind of thing makes me wonder how long that situation will last. Why would someone do something like that – what could the motive be. How can anyone see anything other than utter beauty in this place?