Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

On top of a flat-topped hill on the E side of the Dinin river valley, in rolling pasture. There are commanding views in all directions. Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 458-9) records the tradition that a church (KK014-015001-) , 'Thomple-Vweahal or parish church of Mothell, stood within Mothell rath [KK014-015003-], a great fort near the present graveyard; that it [the church] was destroyed by the Danes in one of their hostile incursions into this part of the country; and that its foundations, still remaining beneath the floor of the rath, can be traced, during very dry summers, by means of the withered grass'. According to O'Kelly (1985, 44) the church was dedicated to St Nicholas and was used for Protestant worship until 1800 when it was abandoned. O'Kelly (ibid.) also mentions a graveyard within the ringfort. The interior of the ringfort is overgrown with scrub and partially planted with conifers. In 1972 some irregular features, including several circular, curvilinear and straight depressions and slight banks, were noted mainly E of centre in the interior but no structure could be discerned (OPW correspondence, 24 February 1972). There is no visible trace of either the church or graveyard at ground level.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 13 May 2020

References

O'Kelly, O. 1969 (Reissue 1985) The place-names of County Kilkenny. Kilkenny.

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.