Out of sight: Kells Cross covered up ahead of work on canopy

Kells's historic Market Cross is likely to remain out of public view for much of the summer months as work on the glass covering is to start shortly. While concern has been expressed locally that the cross, a major tourist attraction, is currently covered up, the town council has stressed it is imperative that all appropriate procedures to ensure the safety of the cross are undertaken. Town clerk Jarlath Flanagan said it was necessary to replace some of the existing glass panels within the canopy covering the cross and council members had provided funds towards these works in the 2010 budget. He explained that when scaffolding was erected to replace the panels, closer examination of the stainless steel canopy revealed other structural issues that required attention. He said this required specialised works and consultation and advice from a specialist contractor. "These meeting have taken place, a plan of work is now in place and it is envisaged works will commence shortly," he said. Mr Flanagan said the council regretted that the cross was not currently available for public viewing but it was essential that work to protect it was undertaken. The Kells Town Council cathaoirleach, Cllr Brian Curran, said he was disappointed that, in the second busiest month of the season, the cross was unavailable for public viewing. "A number of coaches have arrived in the town over the past few days and the visitors cannot see the cross and we have no indication when it will be visible again," he said. Cllr Curran said that visitors from the US, Austria, Canada and France had arrived in the town in the last few days but they weren't able to see the cross. Cllr Brian Collins, who when visiting New York as cathaoirleach in 2009 secured funding from the Breslin family, originally from Kells, to repair the glass covering, said it was worrying that there were structural problems in the covering. "The worry is that, in a storm, the covering could come crashing down. It is so important to protect it and while it isn't great to have it closed for so long, it has to be made safe," he said 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 town centre in the mid-1990s following a traffic accident.