Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On a low ENE-WSW running ridge in undulating pastureland, in the centre of an associated graveyard (CL008-063002-). Indicated and named ‘Killilagh Church (in ruins)’ on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Mentioned as Killadlagh (Cill Eidlach) in the Papal Taxation List of 1302 and in the Calendar of Papal Letters in the early 15th century (Westropp 1900-1902, 135; Cunningham 1980, 88). The church in its current form has been dated to the late 15th or early 16th century (Westropp 1900-1902, 135; 1905, 358; Cunningham 1980, 88; Swinfen 1992, 52). Its foundation has been attributed to Saint Falie/Falia (Comber 1997, 102) and Saint Lonan (Westropp 1900-1902, 135), among other possibilities (e.g., Spellissy 1983, 10).

The now roofless church comprises a rectangular nave (19.4m ENE-WSW; 7.95m NNW-SSE) with a square transept (5.2m NNW-SSE; 5.47m ENE-WSW) built against the E end of the S wall. It is constructed of random-coursed mortared limestone masonry with a rubble core and stressed quoinstones (wall Wth 0.9-1.07m). All of the walls stand to their original heights, except the E gable which has almost entirely collapsed. The N wall (H 3.55m) has an offset in the exterior, 10.6m from the NW corner. This corresponds roughly to either of two vertical lines in the S wall, and may possibly be an indication of the original length of the nave before the transept was built (c. AD 1500). There is a partly blocked opening (H 1.33m; Wth 0.75m) 4.75m from the E end of the N wall. Only the exterior part of this opening was blocked, resulting in a shallow niche-like recess in the inner wall-face of the nave. A drainage course runs along the top of this wall. Only the ivy-clad N end (L c. 2m) of the E wall survives. This wall collapsed in a storm in 1903 (Westropp 1905, 358). However, it was described in the OS Letters of 1839 (Comber 1997, 102) as having a high round-headed window (H c. 3.05-3.66m; Wth 0.2-1.68m; 1.52m above ext. ground level) (see also Frost 1893). Limited excavation in 2013 revealed the location of the altar at this gable (Hull 2013:380, www.excavations.ie). The S wall (H 3.55m) of the nave incorporates a doorway (Wth 1.18m; H 2.15m) near its SW corner, with intact lintel. One of the surviving jambstones is a re-used stoup featuring a shallow circular depression (diam. c. 0.1m) on its surface. To the E of the doorway is a plain single-light loop (H 0.85-1.1m; Wth 0.2-0.7m; 1.15m above int. ground level). To the E of this loop there are two vertical joints in the wall, running from the ground to the top. These joints (also visible on the inner wall-face within the nave) may be due to repair-work, or alternatively they may mark the original corner of the nave. Near the E end of the S wall is a wide round arch (Wth 2.22m; H 1.83m) separating the nave from the transept, with finely chiselled and pecked patterns on the voussoirs. As on the N wall, a drainage course runs along the top of the S wall. The W wall (H 7m) has a single plain loop at upper floor level, and a partly broken square-headed bellcote/belfry over the apex.

The transept has a window in the centre of each of its three exterior walls, all with finely decorated spandrels. The E window is a simple ogee-headed loop (H 1.03-1.4m; Wth 0.21-0.86m), as is the W window (H 0.92-1.25m; Wth 0.17-0.75m). Both have fine carvings on the jambs, and there is a spudstone on the W window. The S wall has a twin-light double ogee-headed ope (H 1.33-1.9m; 0.5-1.37m) with external hood-moulding and a missing mullion.

Large (2011) noted a fragment of a basal quern stone with partial perforation and an inscribed stone with vine leaf and a lion in false relief, both built into the church wall. The church interior is largely overgrown and rubble-strewn, with many loose cut-stone pieces visible, including a door jambstone just inside the doorway and the base of a font (CL008-063005-) at the W end of the nave. There is a burial vault (AD 1784) of the Thynne family in the NW corner (Swinfen 1992, 53).

The following images have been uploaded:
CL008-063001-_01.jpg W gable
CL008-063001-_02.jpg W window of transept
CL008-063001-_03.jpg Partly blocked opening in N wall and later burial vault from SW
CL008-063001-_04.jpg S wall of transept 
CL008-063001-_05.jpg E window of transept from SE
CL008-063001-_06.jpg E window of transept interior
CL008-063001-_07.jpg Doorway interior from NW
CL008-063001-_08.jpg S wall of nave and W wall of transept, from SW
CL008-063001-_09.jpg Nave interior from SW
CL008-063001-_10.jpg Arch between nave and transept from NW
CL008-063001-_11.jpg Stoup re-used as jambstone
CL008-063001-_12.jpg Decorative stone in church wall
CL008-063001-_13.jpg Basal quernstone fragment re-used in church wall

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 10 January 2023

Spellissy, S. 1983 A Doolin walk: from Tuath Clae Church to Doonagore Castle. The Other Clare 7, 8-13.

References

Comber, M. (ed.) 1997 The antiquities of County Clare: John O’Donovan and Eugene Curry: Ordnance Survey Letters 1839. Clasp Press. Ennis. Cunningham, G. 1980 Burren journey West. Shannonside Mid-Western Regional Tourism Organisation. 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. Frost, J. 1893 The history and topography of the County of Clare, from the earliest times to the 18th century. Dublin. Sealy, Bryers and Walker. Westropp, T. J. 1905 Prehistoric remains (Forts and Dolmens) along the borders of Burren, in the county of Clare. Part 2 - west Corcomroe. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 35, 342-61.