Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Medieval church of Kilnananima, in the parish of Ballincuslane, in the diocese of Ardfert, barony of Trughanacmy was listed as 'Kilmanna' in the 1302-07 papal taxation of the Deanery of Hac [nye], diocese of Ardfert, where the church was valued at 10s. per annum with the tithe valued at 12d. (cal. doc. Ire. 5, 296). In 1837 Kilnananima graveyard was described as, 'at Ardnagrath are the ruins of Desmond's chapel, with a burial ground attached, now called Kilnananima, here were interred the remains of "the Great" Earl of Desmond who was slain in 1583' (Lewis 1837, 107). Kilnananima Church described in 1841 as follows; 'an old church in ruins, which gave name to the townland. It is placed on an eminence within a burial ground [KE040-106001-] which is surrounded by a stone wall. The east gable is reduced to the side walls, and having a breach in the middle to near the ground, remains with a portion of north wall attached to it. A bit of the south wall stands eighteen feet [5.5m] from the east gable. The length of the building inside was forty six feet eight inches [14.2m], the breadth was fifteen feet nine inches [4.8m]. The length of the north wall remaining is thirteen and a half feet [4m], the height is nine feet [2.7m], the thickness two feet nine inches [0.83m]. The building was of limestone, lime and sand mortar' (O'Donovan 1983, 86).
Church and graveyard surveyed by Headland Archaeology Ltd. in 2011 and described as follows; 'The graveyard is located on the crest of a hillock and is sheltered from the main prevailing winds by the surrounding higher ground. Its position on the crest of a hillock affords the graveyard extensive views to the west. The hillock also overlooks the village of Cordal as well as a tributary of the Cordal Stream to the south. The church ruins survive in poor condition, being extensively overgrown and having been impacted upon by the construction of tombs. Within the central area of the graveyard are the ruins of a church. The ruin is in poor condition and only low portions of the walls survive at the south, east and north. The walls are built from roughly dressed rubblestone. In the interior of the church there are five burials, but access is restricted by overgrowth. The eastern and western ends of the church ruin are the most impacted on by overgrowth and trees' (Hanbidge 2011, 9).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 22 April 2022

References

O'Donovan, J. 1983 The antiquities of the county of Kerry. Cork. Royal Carbery Books.

Lewis, S. 1837 A topographical dictionary of Ireland, 2 vols. London. Lewis and Co.

Cal. doc. Ire. - Calendar of documents relating to Ireland 1171-1307, ed. H.S. Sweetman (5 vols., London, 1875-86).

Hanbidge, R. 2011 Archaeological Survey of Kilnanima, Cordal, County Kerry. Unpublished report by Headland Archaeology Ltd. for Kerry County Council.