Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

On a S-facing slope in pastureland on the NE shore of Galway Bay, commanding panoramic views across the bay to the S and the Burren uplands to the SW. This early ecclesiastical settlement is associated with St Odran, a brother of St Ciarán of Clonmacnoise (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 402).The ecclesiastical enclosure (N-S 200m, E-W 190m), defined by a massive drystone wall (av. H 1.5m; Wth c. 2m), is roughly D-shaped in plan and is very well preserved. Most of the enclosing wall has been raised over the years by the addition of field-clearance rubble on top of it. At E a modern entrance is possibly on the site of the original one. A collapsed triangular-headed sheep-gap was noted to the S of it in 1984 (SMR file). The following features are located within the interior: a round tower (GA094-072004-), a church (GA094-072001-), a separate graveyard (GA094-072003-) within which are an early Christian cross-slab (GA094-072012-), a possible leacht (GA094-072013-), a holed stone (GA094-072007-), two multiple bullauns (GA094-072008- and GA094-072009-) and medieval graveslabs (GA094-072005-, GA094-072006- and GA094-072011-). The bullauns were regarded locally as holy wells (Fahey 1901a, 229) but were marked on OS 6-inch maps as 'Penitential Station'. Numerous architectural fragments (GA094-071014-) are scattered throughout the graveyard, including a number of bowtell mouldings, possibly from a window or doorway, suggesting that there may have been another church located within it. Another early Christian cross-slab GA094-072015-) was recorded by Higgins (1992, 209-12). (Frazer 1896, 162; Athy 1914, 163-4; Harbison 1975, 99)

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: 19 May 2017

References

Frazer, W. 1896 On “holed” and perforated stones in Ireland. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 26, 158-69.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.

Lynch Athy, M. 1914 Notes on the Ordnance Survey Letters relating to the Barony of Dunkellin, Co. Galway: IV - Oranmore Parish. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 8, 129-98.

Harbison, P. 1975 (2nd. ed. 1992 reprint) Guide to the national monuments in the Republic of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan, Dublin.

Higgins, J. 1992 An early Christian cross-slab from Roscam Co. Galway. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 44, 209-12.