Celtic Cross Pendants

Some of these 'Celtic' crosses bear inscriptions in runes. There are surviving free-standing crosses in Cornwall (famously St Piran's cross at Perranporth) and Wales, on the island of Iona and in the Hebrides, as well as the many in Ireland. Other stone crosses are found in the former Northumbria and Scotland, and further south in England, where the merge with the similar Anglo-Saxon cross making tradition, in the Ruthwell Cross for exampled. The most famous standing crosses are the Cross of Kells, County Meath, Ireland, Ardboe Auld Cross, Ardboe, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, the crosses at Monasterboice, County Louth, Ireland, and the Cross of the Scriptures, Clonmacnoise, Ireland. This representation is often related to the numerous representation of crosses combined with a circle before Christianity. Often called "sun cross", they can be found in Bronze Age Europe (Nordic Bronze Age, Urnfield culture). But there is a constant difference: only the Christian cross shows arms outside the circle, while the sun cross is totally surrounded by its circle. Moreover, the sun crosses are sometimes made with more than 4 arms.

The archaic English word for cross as an instrument of torture is rood (literally "pole", cognate with rod). The word cross in English derives only indirectly from Latin crux via Old Irish and possibly Old Norse, introduced in the 10th century.

Irish Myth

In Ireland, it is a popular myth that the Celtic cross was introduced to the island by Saint Patrick or possibly Saint Declan during his time converting the pagan Irish. It is believed that he combined the symbol of Christianity, a cross, with the symbol of the sun, to give pagan followers an idea of the importance of the cross by linking it with the idea of the life-giving properties of the sun.

Political symbol

Variations resembling the Celtic cross, and the sun cross from which it is derived, have been adopted by some white nationalist and neo-fascist groups. These supporters usually use a very simplified geometric variation of the design which is made up of simple lines, without any of the ornamental complexity of traditional Celtic crosses.

Gianni Alemanno wore a celtic cross during his successful election campaign to become mayor of Rome in April 2008. Currently a member of the National Alliance, he was formerly a member of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement.

Sporting

The Celtic cross is worn by the Northern Ireland national football team as it's emblem, and it is the logo of the Gaelic Athletic Association.