Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Located at the SE end of Cruach na Cara/St Macdara’s Island. This early Christian church (E-W; L 4.47m, Wth 3.43m), a restored National Monument, was founded by St Sinach Mac Dara (Bigger 1896, 102). There is a trabeate doorway in the W wall, a round-headed window in the E wall and a flat-headed one in the S wall. Projecting antae on the E and W walls continue up the gable to the apex of the roof, which is composed of stone flags. The decorated finial is a reproduction of the original found in 1884 (ibid., 108) but now missing (Higgins, 1987, ii, 397-8, no. 117). Beside the E gable is a rectangular area (1.8m by 0.82m), defined by boulders and a slab, said to be the saint's bed (GA076-020020-); no trace survives of the flanking walls, to the N and S, as shown on Bigger's plan (1896, 104) and on the sketch in the OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1927a, Vol. 3, 135-6). A number of associated leachta (GA076-020003-, GA076-020004-, GA076-020006-, GA076-020010-, GA076-020020-), cross-slabs (GA076-020007-, GA076-020008-, GA076-020009-) and clochans (GA076-020011-, GA076-020012-, GA076-020013-) are visible in this part of the island, and a number of crosses (GA076-020016-, GA076-020018-, GA076-020022-, GA076-020024-, GA076-020025-, GA076-020028-) have also been recorded. (Kinahan 1868b 89-90; Leask 1955, 29, 45-6, 51)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Updated by: Olive Alcock

Date of revised upload: 11 June 2018

This monument was taken into Guardianship under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 - National Monument 242.

References

Higgins, J.G. 1987 The Early Christian cross slabs, pillar stones and related monuments of County Galway, Ireland, 2 vols. British Archaeological Reports, International Series 375. Oxford.

Kinahan, G.H. 1868c Proceedings: Church on Illaun-Dara, near Roundstone, Co. Galway. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 10, 89-91.

Leask, H.G. 1955 (Reprint 1977 and 1987) Irish churches and monastic buildings, vol. I. The first phases of the Romanesque. Dundalk. Dundalgan Press.

Bigger, F.J. 1896 Cruach Mac Dara, off the coast of Connamara: with a notice of its church, crosses, and antiquities. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 26, 101-12.

Gosling, P. (compiler) 1993 Archaeological inventory of County Galway, vol. 1: West Galway. Dublin. Stationery Office.