Local council plans restoration of Kells Cross to town centre

Kells Town Council has taken the first steps towards restoring the town"s historic monastic cross to its original location in Cross Street. Councillors have asked officials to investigate the issue of funding such a move and the best way to preserve the monument. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Kells, Cllr Brian Collins, is to approach individuals in New York who had offered to sponsor a new roof for the cross in its current location outside the local heritage centre, to see if they would be willing to make a donation instead to the preservation of the cross in the centre of Kells. The Market Cross is a 9th century high cross that was originally located at the gate of the Kells Monastery in the centre of the town. It was removed from the centre of the town in the mid-1990s following a traffic accident and is now located outside Kells Heritage Centre. At Monday night"s town council meeting, members discussed a letter from the Save Our Cross Committee, which pointed out that the obvious long-term solution for the welfare of the cross was that it be treated and housed in a thermostatically controlled purpose-built secure glass case. The letter, from the secretary, Gerard O"Rorke, pointed out that the cross could be reinstated in Cross Street by 2012 and he urged that the council to investigate the cost and funding of protecting and re-instating it in its original location. Mr O"Rorke pointed out in his letter that The National Heritage Council had suggested that the council apply to them for a 50 per cent grant towards the treatment of the cross. 'That sum, together with the New York sponsorship and the balance from the town council, should make the reinstatement financially possible, despite the recession,' he said. 'Bearing in mind that the year 2014 is the 1,200th anniversary of the completion of the monastic foundation, no doubt the council will wish to celebrate this truly historic date in the life of our heritage town,' he said. 'What better testament could there be than to have the monastery"s vital 'termon" or entrance cross in situ for this momentous occasion? If this worthy aim is achieved, apart from the renewed civic pride it will give the town, the tourist trade should flourish again,' he predicted. The mayor said he was quite happy to go back to the family in New York to talk about using their funds in this way and he asked the officials to investigate the proper way of preserving the cross and the funding of such a move. Cllr Brian Curran recalled that the council had made a commitment a few years ago to restore the cross to Cross Street when the M3 opened. 'We are in a good position now that we have people who are willing to make a donation,' he said.