Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in a low-lying position on the floor of Glenade valley, the graveyard is known as Conwal graveyard. It is identified as the site of a Roman Catholic church in 1790 (Gallogly 1993-4, 433), but it may be on the site of a medieval church as a church called Tempall na Congbála (Conwal?) is on a late 17th century list of churches in north Leitrim (Mooney 1946a, 66). A rectangular platform (dims 16m E-W; 4.8m N-S; H 0.25m) with a wall (L 1.95m; T 0.6m; H 1.45m) at its W end in the SW corner of the rectangular graveyard (dims c. 35m N-S; c. 30m E-W) defined by mortared stone walls may be the church.
A grave-cover or prone headstone (dims c. 1.37m x c. 0.56m) bearing an inscription and the date 1722 in roman numerals in false relief within a border together with the carving of an animal known as the 'Dobhar Chu' (Tohall 1948, 127-8) was recently rediscovered and recorded by Gary Dempsey, although it is now very worn. He has also identified and recorded a second headstone (dims 1.1m x 0.6m), now prone, that has a carving of a horseman and an inscription in false relief with the date 1722 within a border. A cross-inscribed stone (Wth 0.32m; H 0.2m plus; T 2cm) with an inscribed latin cross is also in the graveyard and was recorded by Gary Dempsey.

There is a record of a holy well at an unknown location in the vicinity (Faughnan 1943, file no. 137). Archaeological testing (11E0030) by Mary Henry in the field (max. dims c. 50m N-S; c. 35m E-W) to the NW of the existing graveyard for an extension of the graveyard, produced no related material (Excavations.ie 2011:398).

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Leitrim' compiled by Michael J. Moore (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2003). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of revised upload: 23 Mayl 2016

References

Faughnan, D. 1943 ITA topographical and general survey. Ballinamore Library, Co Leitrim, (file no. 140). Unpublished.

Gallogly, Rev. D. 1993-4 Kilmore churches. Journal of Cumann Seanchas Breifne (Breifne Historical Society) 8 (30), 389-444.

Tohall, P. 1948 The Dobhar-Chu tombstones of Glenade, Co. Leitrim. (Cemeteries of Congbhail and Cill-Ruisc). Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 78, 127-9.

Mooney, C. 1946a Topographical fragments from the Franciscan Library. Celtica 1, 64-85.