Iconic Cross on Ireland’s Highest Peak Has Been Cut Down

Carrountoohil, the central peak of the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks range, stands 1,038 feet high and is Ireland’s tallest mountain peak.  

For almost 40 years, a five-metre (16 foot) steel cross  has been a familiar landmark atop Carrountoohil.  It took more than 100 men to erect the heavy cross, which was brought to the mountaintop in several pieces, then assembled on site.  RTÉ,RTE, Ireland’s national broadcast network, filmed the installation of the cross live in 1976.

Since that time, the Carrountoohil cross has been a familiar landmark to residents in Ireland’s southwestern region.  Climbers have set that as their destination–pausing at the summit to pray and to take photographs.

Apparently within the last day or two, someone has toppled the Carrountoohil cross and shoved it westward across the mountaintop.  It’s believed that an angle grinder was used to make the cut, approximately a foot from its base.

According to The Journal:

This discovery was made today by members of the public climbing Carrountoohill in Co Kerry.

Piaras Kelly from KerryClimbing.ie, who visited the site this afternoon to inspect the damage, told TheJournal.ie that he believes it was carried out in the past 12 to 14 hours.

“It’s very malicious,” he said.  “No matter what anyone’s personal views on having crosses on peaks are, this goes beyond that. It’s an iconic cross on an iconic peak.  It’s not anyone’s place to take things just because they disagree with them.”

At this point, there are no suspects in the vandalism.