This extraordinary 5.5m high cross stands inside the ruins of Ray Church. It was found broken in the graveyard, then rebuilt and erected inside the church walls for protection. Because the cross has no decorations or carvings, it’s not possible to date it but it is very similar to the late 8th century St John’s Cross on Iona. A number of abbots of Iona in the 7th century came from this area of Donegal.
Ray Church was rebuilt or repaired some time after 1622 and the graveyard contains gravestones dating back to the 18th century.
There is a local legendary story which explains how this cross came to be at Ray:-
The stone for the Ray cross was cut out from Muckish Mountain, the flat-topped mountain that dominates the landscape behind Ray. Colmcille had travelled from the mainland to Tory Island with his two companions Saints Fionán and Begley. Once they arrived on the island, Colmcille realised that he had left his prayer book on the mainland. He asked his companions if one of them would return to find the prayer book. Whoever returned would be given anything he desired. St Fionán went back to the mainland and found an eagle sheltering the prayer book from the rain with his wing. Fionán took the prayer book back to Tory and asked for the Ray cross in return. Colmcille is said to have been displeased but kept his promise by granting Fionán his wish.
Seasann an chros ard iontach seo 5.5 méadar ar airde i bhfothrach Eaglais Ráithe. Thángthas uirthi sa reilig taobh amuigh den eaglais agus í briste. Rinneadh í a atógáil agus cuireadh isteach san eaglais í lena cosaint. Toisc nach bhfuil aon mhaisiúchán ar an chros ní féidir dáta a lua léi ach tá sí an-chosúil ina himlíne le Cros Naomh Eoin ar Oileán Í ón 8ú haois dhéanach. B’as an chuid seo de Thír Chonaill roinnt ab de chuid Oileán Í sa 7ú haois.
Rinneadh Eaglais Ráithe a atógáil nó a athchóiriú am éigin i ndiaidh 1622 agus tá leaca uaighe sa reilig ón 18ú haois.
Deir an bhéaloideas:
Bhí Colmcille i ndiaidh dul anonn ón mhórthír go hOileán Thoraí lena bheirt chomrádaithe – Naomh Fionán agus Naomh Beaglaoch. Ar theacht i dtír ar an oileán dóibh, tuigeadh do Cholmcille gur fhág sé a leabhar urnaí ar an mhórthír. D’fhiafraigh sé dá chomrádaithe an rachadh duine acu ar ais leis an leabhar urnaí a fháil. An té a rachadh ar ais is amhlaidh a gheobhadh sé a rogha mian. Naomh Fionán a d’fhill ar an mhórthír agus cad é a bhí roimhe ach iolar agus é ag tabhairt dídine ón fhearthainn don leabhar faoina sciathán. Thug Fionán an leabhar urnaí ar ais go Toraigh gur iarr Cros Ráithe mar chúiteamh. Deirtear nach mó ná sásta a bhí Colmcille.