Church

The National Monuments Service's description

In woodland formerly part of Kilcornan Demesne. Described by Redington (1912, 182-3) as ‘a rectangular building in which, according to tradition, Mass was secretly said during penal times. The walls were '2ft. [0.6m] thick' and it measured ‘12ft. [4.3m] by 14ft. [3.6m]' internally and there was a narrow doorway in the E wall and a crude altar against the W wall. Beyond the doorway were the 'foundations of a larger enclosure' (GA095-060003-). All that survives are heavily overgrown sections of the W (L 4m), N (L 0.8m) and S (L 0.8m) walls, which survive to a maximum height of 0.6m, and the altar. Redington (ibid.) also noted two stone troughs (GA095-060002-) to the NW of the church, 'one at 10 yards [c. 3m] and the other at about 40 yards [c. 12m] from it'; these were not located. (McCaffrey 1952, 134-5, no. 40)

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 21 February 2020

References

Redington, M. 1911-12 Notes on the Ordnance Survey Letters relating to the barony of Dunkellin; ii Stradbally parish. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 7, 171-183.

McCaffrey, P. 1952 A contribution to the archaeology of the barony of Dunkellin, Co. Galway. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.