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Lot 663
AN 18TH CENTURY IRISH PENAL CROSS CARVED IN YEWOOD AND DATED 1725, including the iconography of a cooking pot, a bird, a skull and crossbones, a ladder and a hammer etc.,Encased in a protective silver gilt surround, the work of the Dublin Silversmith Erika Marks (1980). 34 x 10.5cm Provenance: The estate of Tony Sweeney Provenance: Sold at auction by Tormey Brothers, Dublin 1 to Sean O'Criadáin, Dublin 4 from whom it was acquired by Tony Sweeney. Although "penal cross" is the name traditionally applied to them, modern research has solved the mystery of why amongst all the pieces of Irish woodwork, these alone are always dated. In reality they were souvenirs bought by those making a pilgrimage to St Patrick's Purgatory on Lough Derg. As the 18th century went on, these will be found in even smaller sizes. The earliest surviving example, dated 1702, is to be found in the Franciscan Monastery in Donegal. The most interesting piece of Passion symbolism is a design to be found at the bottom of the shaft. On close examination it depicts what looks like a cooking pot and above it a crudely drawn bird. One of the more dramatic side stories in the Passion centres on the cock that crowed three times after Peter had on three occasions denied any association with Jesus. A uniquely Irish legend relates that this cock was brought home by the wife of Judas Iscariot. She put it to boil on the day after the death of Christ. As the cooking was taking place Judas returned home in the blackest of depressions as the full enormity of his action in betraying the Saviour took hold. In search of a shred of comfort, he asked his wife did she think that he might be forgiven as Jesus had promised that he would rise again on the third day? His wife ridiculed his credulity telling him, this Jesus of yours has as much chance of rising from the grave as this cock has of escaping from the pot. At that moment the lid flew off and the cock rose up with the chant "Mac na hOighe slán! Mac na hOighe slán!", which translates as the Virgin's son is safe.
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