Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Hermitage
Keelhilla, County Clare, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Keelhilla
- County
- Clare
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- St Mac Duaghs Bed
- Latest-edition OS map
- Mac Duaghs Bed (1916)
- Coordinates
- 53.08468, -9.00272
- SMR number
- CL006-023004-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Under hazel forest at the foot of an E-facing cliff, c. 15m SW of ‘St Mac Duagh’s Church’ (CL006-023001-). Indicated and named ‘St Mac Duagh’s Bed’ on the 1842 and 1915 eds. of the OS 6-inch maps. Listed as ‘Megalithic structure’ in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). A natural cave shelter (Wth 1.4m; H 1.7m; D c. 3.5m) formed of large boulders and scree collapsed from the cliff face. The cave comprises part of the early medieval hermitage of St. Colman. According to tradition the saint spent seven years as a hermit praying and fasting in the cave. A large natural rock c. 10m to the N is recorded as a bullaun stone (CL006-023006-).
The following image has been uploaded:
CL006-023004-_01.jpg View from the interior of the cave.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin
Date of upload: 13 May 2021
Nearby in the register
- Bullaun stoneunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
- Penitential stationunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.