Church

The National Monuments Service's description

To the E of the centre of a graveyard (CL017-119003-) located in the E sector of a large ecclesiastical enclosure (CL017-119001-). Drawn as a rectangular structure and named ‘Kilvoydan Church (in ruins)’ on the first edition (1842) of the OS 6-inch map. Marked by a cross and named ‘Kilvoydan Church (Site of)’ on the later OS 25-inch plan (1897) and Cassini edition (1920) of the OS 6-inch map. No visible surface trace survives. The patron saint, Baighdean, is not mentioned in historical or ecclesiastical sources but several religious sites in Clare are dedicated to him/her (Macnamara 1900, 30; Swinfen 1992, 90). Macnamara (1900, 29) found no structural remains of this ‘old church’ but considered it ‘of much architectural and archaeological interest’ based on its stones which he found scattered at the site and reused as grave-markers. In or before the early 19th century, a 15th-century stone sculpture (CL017-119006-) was found in the graveyard (ibid., 29-30). In the 1960s or early 1970s a Romanesque corner corbel (H 0.56m; Wth 0.23m) carved with a man’s head (H 0.2m) was accidentally dug up in the graveyard (Harbison 1972, 5-6; Swinfen 1992, 90). Another architectural fragment (CL017-119005-) in the graveyard was identified as a window jambstone in 1999; it was subsequently moved to beside the cross (CL017-119004-) in the field to the E (Large 2011).

 

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott

 

Date of upload: 16-10-2025

References

MacNamara, G. 1900 The ancient stone crosses of Ui Fearmaic, Co. Clare. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 30, 22-33. Swinfen, A. 1992 Forgotten stones: Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. Lilliput Press. Large, S. 2011 A church and graveyard survey in County Clare. Database and photographic record. Clare County Council. Clare Heritage Forum. The Heritage Council.