It is said that above the vilage of Slane St. Patrick lit the first Easter Fire in 433AD to symbolize the arrival of Christianity to Ireland. A monastery was built on the Hill of Slane in the 6th Century, but little is known about it. The ruins atop the hill today are all that remain of a Franciscan friary and college, having been ravaged in turn by Vikings, Normans, and Cromwell's troops.
This cross design was developed and inspired by a cross at the present-day ruins. The shamrocks, of course, are a symbol of Ireland and seem to represent "everything Irish". The heart and rays streaming from it represent Christ, the Light of the World. The small bosses of spirals represent spiritual growth. Along the sides of the shaft is added a well-known Irish blessing: "May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks.".