Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Kilcumlaghta/Cill Cumnachta: This site lies on fairly level ground about 100m from the SE bank of the Meennascarty river, at the entrance to Gleann Locha. It consists of an oval stone-walled enclosure within which are the foundations of a church and also numerous gravemarkers which relate to the use of the site as a calluragh burial ground (KE036-027001-). A bullaun stone now lies directly outside the enclosure, a probable porthole-slab from a souterrain lies loose within the site and a fragment of a rotary quernstone was noted at the site in 1945 (CKFC).
The enclosure measures 44m N-S x 37m E-W internally and the enclosing wall, of rough drystone construction, stands to a maximum height of 1.2m and averages .78m in thickness. The entire surface of the interior is strewn with loose stones, with a particularly dense concentration towards the centre, and the site is further confused by the large number of trees that grow within and around it. The calluragh graves are marked by numerous low upright stones which range from a couple of cms to .6m in height and which are generally aligned N-S. The Co. Kerry Field Club noted that many of the graves were square box-like structures covered by mounds of stones but only 1 possible box-like arrangement of stones is now discernible.
No souterrain (KE036-027005-) has been discovered at the site but the presence of a probable porthole slab suggests that one existed. The stone is a thin rectangular slab out of one side of which a rectangular hole, .33m wide and .18m high, has been cut.
The bullaun (KE036-027004-) consists of a sandstone boulder measuring .54m x .44m x . 15m deep, in whose upper surface a circular depression, .28m in diameter and .07m deep, has been carved. A small part of the bullaun has broken away and is now missing.
Church (KE036-027003-): In the N sector of the interior are the foundations of a rubble-built rectangular church, 3.15m x at least 10.8m internally. The N, S and E walls, defaced externally, are preserved to a maximum height of .46m, but the W wall does not survive. A slab set on edge across the width of the wall, c. midway along the N side, may mark the location of an entrance. The head of a round-headed window, .46m wide, was discovered to the N of the church.
A local tradition, associating the site with the Dominicans, was recorded by An Seabhac (1939, 278) who suggested that the 13th century church of Baliederscolle (987) may have been located here. This latter is included in the Papal Taxation list (1302-7) for the Deanery of Offerba (Cal Docs Ire, V, 295) but its exact location is not now known.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 834. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 8 August 2013