Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

On a low E-W ridge in pasture overlooking a shallow valley to the S. Drawn and labelled ‘Graveyard’ on the first edition (1842) of the OS 6-inch map and the OS 25-inch plan 1897.This polygonal graveyard (50m N-S; 36m E-W) is defined by a stone wall (Fisher 1990, 32; Large 2011), with a gate at the W side from which steps lead down to the public road. Graves date from the medieval period into modern times (Swinfen 1992, 76), with markers ranging from uninscribed rough headstones to flat graveslabs, chest tombs and vaults. The highest concentrations of graves are on the S and E sides of the medieval church (CL017-020001-) which is situated to S centre. There is a possible 13th/14th-century graveslab (CL017-020005-) in the SW corner and an architectural fragment (CL017-020006-), possibly 12th/13th century in date, is reused in the graveyard’s E inner wall-face. Graves within the church date back to at least 1644 (Swinfern, op. cit.). There is a round tower (CL017-020003-) at the N end of the graveyard. A mound (CL017-02007-) lies c. 40m to the W of the graveyard, a barrow (CL017-020008-) c. 67m to the N, the site of a tower house (CL017-020004-) c. 70m to the ENE, and a bullaun stone (CL017-020013-) c. 109m to the S.

Reference:
Fisher, I. 1990 A 13th-century architectural fragment at Killinaboy, Co. Clare. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 32, 32-34.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 23 August 2023

References

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

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