October 28, 2016
An ancient Christian symbol has appeared in the Irish countryside outside the village of Killea in County Donegal.
Recently passengers flying into City of Derry Airport began to notice and photograph a massive Celtic cross that is clearly visible from above in a wooded section of the vast green landscape, reports ITV News.
The discovery of this marvel, reminiscent of crop circles, raised questions of its mystifying origin, although, in the end, the answer is not so mysterious, but no less wondrous.
The cross, made up of thousands of trees, at least a hundred meters long and seventy meters wide, was in fact planted years earlier by forester Liam Emmery, using two types of trees. County Donegal’s recent autumn weather has helped the cross to appear more noticeably than in years past.
Emmery’s wife, Norma, explained that his family even largely forgot about the plantation after he suffered brain damage in an accident and died after a protracted illness at the young age of 51. “If he was here, we’d all have heard about it, because he would have been so proud,” she said.
The wooded cross is sure to become a new landmark in an area filled with tradition and legend, and to inspire and astound passers-overhead for decades to come, keeping Emmery’s memory alive. Recalling her husband, Norma Emmery stated, “He just loved things to be perfect, and I think the Celtic cross is perfect for him.”