The beautifully decorated Straid Cross Pillar is stage two on the fifteen stage Turas Glencolmcille, Ireland’s oldest pilgrimage route dating to the 6th century. It is located near the small village of Glencolmcille on the Slieve League peninsula in County Donegal. The cross pillar holds a conspicuous position on a prominent rock outcrop around 100 metres west of the old Church of Ireland structure. The pillar is around 1.85 metres in height and its south east face is decorated with three connected, squared geometric designs, this side is still quite visible as it is more protected from the Atlantic elements than the North West side. This other side appears to have more rounded motifs either side of a central band. Beneath the pillar are the remains of a ‘leacht’, a type of primitive stone altar. Pilgrims who visit the site are meant to circle the rock clockwise three times, and then climb to the stone, kneel and repeat five Our Fathers, five Hail Marys, five Glorias and the Creed. The Turas is still followed every year on St Colm Cille’s Day, the 9th of June, and covers an area of around five and a half kilometres, with some pilgrims doing this barefoot!
GPS: 54.7108, -8.72483