Church

The National Monuments Service's description

An Seabhac (1939, 222) noted the ruins of a possible church KE026-022001- in Gort an Bhráthar, a field on the NW side of a low hillock c. 200m from the W shore of Brandon Bay. The discovery of section of the head of a round-headed doorway, now in the field fence bounding the SW side of the adjacent field to W, confirms the existence of a church-site in this general area but its precise location has not been identified. In 1953, the Co. Kerry Field Club noted that the NW corner of a building was incorporated in a field fence and that the N and S walls of the building were visible as low mounds; this they interpreted as a church. An irregular area of stone collapse, apparently the ruins of a stonewalled structure, lie about 12m S of Gort an Bhráthar and may be the remains of the church. A shell midden was previously discovered in the adjacent S corner of Gort an Bhráthar and a decorated bronze object (NMI 1931:103) has also been found in the vicinity. The section of the chamfered head of a round-headed doorway is carved from sandstone and exhibits punch dressing. Two other dressed stones were unearthed with this (CKFC) but are now missing.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 990. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 9 August 2013