Leacht

The National Monuments Service's description

Associated with the ecclesiastical remains at the SE end of Cruach na Cara/St Macdara’s Island. This leacht (2.7m E-W), one of five recorded on the island (see also GA076-020003-, GA076-020004-, GA076-020006- and GA076-020020-), is located within the S half of an enclosure (GA076-020014-) that lies c. 20m to the NE of the church (GA076-020001-). It is roughly rectangular in plan and is in a much-collapsed state. Only two set stones are visible on its W side and one on its S side. The interior is strewn with rubble. When photographed by Bigger (1896, 109, Fig. 7), the leacht was three to four courses high and a cross-slab (GA076-002009-), and ‘several spherical praying or "cursing" stones’ (GA076-020026-) were visible on top of it. Two of these stones are visible on its W side, one of limestone and one of granite. The cross-slab is now set in the ground c. 3m to the NNW of the leacht. A small spherical granite boulder on the ground to its W may also be one of the cursing stones. Another cross (see GA076-020022-) may be associated with this leacht. (Gosling 1993, 172, no. 977 c)

Compiled by: Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 6 June 2018

References

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.