Cathedral

The National Monuments Service's description

Part of the monastic complex at Kilmacduagh. This National Monument is the site of a 6th/7th-C monastery attributed to St Colman Mac Duach, on land granted to him by Guaire, King of Uí Fiachrach Aidne. Though the church was not chosen as an episcopal see at the Synod of Rathbeasail, the bishopric of Kilmacduagh asserted its right to independent status in 1152. Following a series of attacks it was in ruins by the early 13th century (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 39, 50, 87, 183). The present remains comprise a multiperiod nave (E-W; L 20m; Wth 6m) and chancel (L 7.5m; Wth 6m) church. The W gable with its blocked-up trabeate doorway is the earliest part, possibly of 11th-12th-century date, while the rest of the nave dates mainly to c. 1200. Transepts opening to the N and S were added in 15th century at which time the chancel was rebuilt along with the adjoining sacristy (Harbison 1975, 95; Fahey 1904, 225-6). The main architectural features include a plain chancel arch, another blocked-up doorway at the E end of the N wall of the nave, a pointed arch doorway with the head of a bishop above it in the S wall of nave, high pointed arches to the N and S transepts, a round-headed doorway in the sacristy, three-light tracery windows in the E gable of the chancel and the S wall of the S transept, a flat-headed three-light window in W gable of the nave, a twin-light window in the E wall of the N transept and an ogee-headed window, beneath which is an altar, in the N wall of the N transept.

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 24 October 2016

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 3/2009).
The monument was taken into Ownership under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 - National Monument 51.

References

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

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

Fahey, J. 1904 Kilmacduagh and its ecclesiastical monuments. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 34, 220-33.