Cooley Cross and Skull House

Cooley Cross and Skull House

The Cooley Cross and Skull House is an ancient monastic site which can be found on the hill behind the town of Moville.

There is a sign for the site on the main road just before you leave the town on the way to Derry, follow the road and the high cross is directly beside the road with access to the graveyard and skull house beside it.

The High Cross which stands at the entrance to the graveyard is plain and has no engravings on it. It stands at approximately 10 feet tall

The site was originally used for pagan worship in pre-Christian times, and then a monastery was founded by St. Patrick. At the bottom of the graveyard, there is a small building known as the Skull House it was probably initially an oratory and then tomb for monks, which it is presumed to be the resting place of St. Finian.