Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ecclesiastical enclosure
Aighan, County Donegal, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Aighan
- County
- Donegal
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- NULL
- Latest-edition OS map
- NULL
- Coordinates
- 54.64484, -8.38699
- SMR number
- DG098-001001-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public LibraryDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1702 "A chart of the NORTH-WEST coast of IRELAND from LOUGH SWILLY to SLYNE HEAD" (Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
A site known as the 'Relig' consists of an oblong area 31.8m NE-SW by 21m NW-SE enclosed by a wall 1.65m in width. A laneway bounds the site on the SE, and the NW side runs along the top of a small rock cliff. At the NE end of the interior are 7 small cairns. One cairn (DG098-001002-), subcircular in plan, is 4.35m NE-SW × 3.2m NW-SE and 1.13m in height. On top of the cairn are: (1) A slab .75m × 0.22m × 0.16m with a U-shaped notch 7cms × 8cms cut in the top (DG098-001003-). (2) A slab .51m × 0.17m × 0.13m. This also had a notch on top but one side is broken off. The notch was 6cms × 4.5cms. Patterson (1870-71) claims that a dumbbell shaped 'healing stone' was left in one of these notches when not in use. Also on top of the cairn is a cross-inscribed slab (DG098-001004-) .59m × 0.35m × 0.07m. This is decorated on both faces. Face A: A Greek bar cross with a thin line forming a second cross inside the first. There is a circle at the centre of the bar cross. There is an × design in each of the quarters formed by the bar cross. Face B: A thin line Greek cross with a circle at the centre rests oil a raised area. Along the rock cliff face at the NW side of the site a D-shaped dressed piece of rock juts out, forming a seat-like feature (DG098-001005-). It is known as St. Conall's bed. Patterson records that a 'bullaun or primitive font' (DG098-001007-) was taken from the site in the last century. Nearby is St. Conall's holy well (DG098-002001-) which is surrounded by a penitential cairn (DG098-002002-). In the cairn is a roughly triangular stone with a U-notch on one side. The site is located on undulating pasture land with rock outcrop. The site was used in the last century as a burial ground for unbaptised children (DG098-001008). This site is also known as 'Bruckless'.
The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated.
Date of upload: 22 September 2008
Nearby in the register
- Structureunder 1 mi
- Cairn - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Graveslabunder 1 mi
- Cross-slabunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.