At 4.6 metres in height but only 0.95 metres by 0.3 metres at the base of the shaft, it rises with a narrowness that feels almost precarious. A high cross, for those unfamiliar with the form, is a free-standing carved stone cross, ringed at the head, that was a characteristic feature of early medieval Irish monasticism. Most surviving examples are robust, planted things. This one has a different character.

Kilfenora was once home to six such crosses, all limestone, and the West Cross is the only one still standing outdoors in something close to its original position. The other four surviving crosses have been moved inside the cathedral to protect them from weathering, and a sixth was taken to Killaloe in 1821, where it now stands in the cathedral there. The West Cross was described in detail by Peter Harbison in 1992, and the carving repays close attention. The east face is dominated by a figure of the crucified Christ dressed in a long robe, with rope moulding and false relief interlace filling the shaft below, and a plain triangle at the base. The west face is quite different in approach: a circular fretwork panel sits at the head surrounded by rope moulding, and the upper shaft is filled with interlocking pelta-shapes, a curved shield-like decorative motif drawn from earlier Celtic ornament, interlaced to form four circular and four square devices. A downward-pointing triangle of knotwork sits at the base. The roll moulding that runs along the edges of the cross is replaced by rope moulding around the arms on the west face, a small but deliberate distinction. The north and south sides are largely plain, with only two sets of four-pointed interlace knots at the end of the north arm breaking the unadorned stone.

The cross stands in an open field and is visible from the path near the cathedral. Because it remains exposed to the elements, the carving has worn considerably over the centuries, and the detail is easier to read in low, raking light, particularly on an overcast day when shadows settle into the relief without the flattening effect of direct sun. The west face, with its geometric complexity, rewards the most time.