Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

On gentle N-facing slope. Trapezoidal enclosure (c. 190m N-S; c. 190m E-W) with rounded corners, visible as shadow site and as differential growth pattern in aerial photograph (J. Monk, January 1982), surrounding Killeenemer graveyard (14593) and church (14433); cut by road from NW to S. Enclosing element evident as low earthen bank (int. H 0.5m; ext. H 0.9m) N->SE and to WNW, with earthen bank incorporated into field boundary system WNW->N. Remains of internal enclosure can be traced concentric to N and E sides of graveyard: E side (L 80m) visible as shadow mark on aerial photograph; N side survives as low rise atop scarp (H 0.5m). Midway along N side, banks turn inwards and extend S to meet N wall of graveyard, forming parallel sides of 'avenue' (Wth c. 7m); internal ground level of graveyard is c. 0.3m above that of avenue. Bullaun stone (13917) c. 450m S of church (14433); several rotary quern fragments, formerly collected around altar in church, now in Ballindangan Community Centre. Killeenemer equated by MacCotter and Nicholls (1996, 182) with Cill Aenamhna, described in the Crichad an Chaoilli as chief church of the tuath Eoghanacht Gleannamnach (Power ibid., 51); presumably also site of ecclesiastical court held at Killeenemer from at least 1275 (MacCotter and Nicholls ibid., 109).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009