Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On flat ground c. 420m SE of the foreshore, with good views to the N. Overlooked and sheltered by a steep ridge c. 500m to the S. Indicated and named ‘Killonaghan Church (in ruins)’ on the 1842 and 1915 eds. of the OS 6-inch maps. The church was reputedly founded by St Onchon (Onchu), probably son of Blathmac (Westropp 1900, 110), who is buried with Finian in Clonmacnoise (ibid.) and whose feast day was on the 9th of July (Swinfen 1992, 57).
A poorly preserved E–W orientated medieval church (15.6m E–W; 6.5m N–S) built of large limestone masonry set on a plinth. The corners all have quoined construction in side-alternate fashion. A straight edge (H 2.4m) W of centre in the N wall marks the likely location of a doorway. There is a noticeable batter (H 2.4m) on the outside of the N wall, W of that edge. The well-preserved E wall has a tall round-headed window set in a semicircular-arched inwardly splayed embrasure. Although now mostly robbed out, well-defined stops at the lower end of the embrasure indicate that the base sloped upwards. Much of the S wall has been rebuilt in recent times and the E side of a window survives near its E end. Three headstones stand in the W half and three flat grave slabs lie in the E half. The earliest legible inscriptions in the graveyard date to the 1890s.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin

Date of upload: 22 February 2021

References

Swinfen, A. 1992 Forgotten stones: Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. Lilliput Press.

Westropp, T.J. 1900-02 The churches of Co. Clare and the origin of the ecclesiastical divisions in that county. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Series 3, vol. 6, 100-180.

Large, S. 2011 A church and graveyard survey in County Clare. Database and photographic record. Clare County Council. Clare Heritage Forum. The Heritage Council.