Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight rise in rough grazing land. On inspection in March 1983 this poorly preserved subcircular ecclesiastical enclosure (c. 77m E-W; c. 72m N-S) was defined by an overgrown collapsed bank of earth and stone. A gap at NE appeared to be modern. The interior was also heavily overgrown but the remains of a church (GA103-137002-) lay in the SE quadrant and a children's burial ground (GA103-137003-) was also associated. No visible surface trace was noted of what appeared to McCaffrey (1952, 82, 197,no. 41) to be the 'remains of hut sites near the church' or the 'field walls' - internal divisions radiating from its walls. On re-inspection in June 2013 it was noted that some clearance had occurred, particularly in the S half of the enclosure resulting in damage to its inner face as well to the church. Recorded by Gwynn and Hadcock (1970, 392) as a 'small early monastery site.' (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 317)

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 2 September 2019

References

Killanin, M.M. and Duignan, M.V. 1967 (2nd ed.) The Shell guide to Ireland. London. The Ebury Press.

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

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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.