Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Aglish church (KE054-032001-) and graveyard (KE054-032002-): The parish church of Minard is mentioned in the Papal Taxation List (1302-1307) for the diocese of Ardfert (Cal Docs Ire, V, 297) and in 1633 was under the patronage of the Earl of Orrery (TCD Ms 2158, 37). The foundations of a church were formerly visible in the rectangular graveyard at Aglish but local tradition maintains that this church was of mid-17th century date and had previously been located elsewhere (Windele 1848, 465-6). It is possible that Kilmurry (KE054-061----) was the original parish church and that it was removed to Aglish subsequent to the destruction of nearby Minard castle (KE054-063----) in 1650. However, Hickson (1888, 446) suggests the opposite, that the 13th century parish church stood at Aglish and that Kilmurry was erected after 1307 'when Aglish had fallen to decay, or became too small for the district'. No visible trace of the church at Aglish now survives. A cross-inscribed ogham stone, now in the NMI, was removed from the site in the mid-19th century and a 2nd ogham stone remains standing beside one of the tombs.
(1) (KE054-032003-) One face of this stone bears a Maltese cross within a circle, beneath which is a spear-or arrow-like motif flanked on either side by a swastika. Two very faint circular marks were noted by Macalister (1945, 137) below the stem of the arrow but these are not now evident. The ogham inscription, inverted with respect to the cross, occupies both angles of the same face. Part of the inscription is now missing and the remainder was read by Macalister as:
MAQI MAQ(I....O)GGODIKA
(2) (KE054-032004-) This stone measures .9m in height x .25m in width. The ogham inscription which occupies the NW angle was read by Macalister (1945, 138) as: CELI AVI VU... The first 2 letters are unclear. Macalister also noted some ogham scores on the NE angle but these are no longer discernible.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 810. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

In 2010 a graveyard survey carried out by Laurence Dunne recorded the following details: 'Aglish-eaglais-church is a small grass covered graveyard situated on sharply sloping south facing hillside at 100mOD near Minard, 8km west of Anascaul and 11.5km east of Dingle on a minor third class road off the N86. Aglish on its south facing sloping site has spectacular views of Dingle Bay and the Iveragh Peninsula although somewhat restricted by mature sycamore trees along its southern and eastern limits. Aglish graveyard is a protected site, recorded in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) and classified as: Ecclesiastical Remains KE054-032; Church KE054-032001; graveyard KE054-032002 and ogham stone KE054-032003. No vestige of the church survives above ground today and it is not denoted on the 1st or 2nd Edition of the Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, sheet 54 of 1841 and 1896' (Dunne 2010, 1-3).

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Laurence Dunne

Date of revised upload: 1 July 2022

References

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

Cuppage, J. 1986 Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne.

Macalister, R.A.S. 1945 Corpus inscriptionum insularum celticarum. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Windele, J. 1848 Excursions in Kerry. Royal Irish Academy MS 12 C 11.

Hickson, M.A. 1888 Notes on Kerry topography, ancient and modern. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 18, 442-8.

Dunne, L. 2010 Archaeological Survey, Aglish Graveyard, Minard, Co. Kerry. Unpublished report for The Heritage Office, Kerry County Council (SMR file).