Ecclesiastical site

The National Monuments Service's description

According to Gwynn and Hadcock (1970, 397), 'St. Erc, bishop of Lilcach (Lullymore) and Slane died 512. The Gall from Lilcach died 730; Cuan, anchorite, died 748.' At the E tip of Lullymore 'island', a sub-circular area (est. diam. c. 2000m) of higher ground in a broad expanse of bog, accessed via modern roads from the E and W, but previously connected to higher ground to the N and S by two toghers (KD012-004001- and KD012-007----). The monument comprises the poorly preserved remains of a large, roughly D-shaped enclosure (KD012-006001-) which contains a second, smaller, irregular-shaped enclosure (KD012-006002-), which itself contains a possible church site (KD012-0006004-) and a graveyard (KD012-006005-), and is abutted along the S by a third, rectangular enclosure (KD012-006003-), to the N of which lies a possible field system (KD012-006006-). There is also a bullaun (KD012-006007-) on the site, together with three cross-inscribed stones (KD012-006009-, KD012-006010- and KD012-006011-). Seven other cross-inscribed stones (KD012-010----, KD012-010001- to KD012-010005- and KD012-010008-) and two small crosses (KD012-010006- and KD012-010007-), originally in the graveyard, are now incorporated into a 1798 memorial c. 600m to the NW in Lullymore West. An eight cross-inscribed stone (KD012-020----), also from the graveyard, is now in the Bog of Allen Nature Centre Museum. An unlocated holy well (KD012-006008-) also appears to have been associated with the site. Visible on several aerial photographs (CUCAP APH 80 (1966), APH 83 (1966), AYM 5 (1969) and BGH 73 (1971)) (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 56). (Ó Drisceoil and Leigh 2017)

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 11/1972).

References

Ó Drisceoil, C. and Leigh, J, 2017 Lilcach: the origins and organization of an early medieval monastery. Archaeology Ireland, Issue 119 (2017), 38-42.

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.