Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Within a possible ecclesiastical enclosure (LF013-045001-), in the SE part of a graveyard (LF013-045009-). Known as 'Cluain Deochra', this is traditionally regarded as the site of a monastery founded by St Ernan (McNamee 1942a, 16-20). A church is depicted in the townland of 'Clonoghery' on an early 17th-century map of Moydow barony (BL, Cotton MS Augustus I.ii.28). A report in 1975 (SMR file) noted that only the N wall and part of the S wall of this medieval church survived. A possible doorway was evident at the W end of the N wall. A number of tombstones were visible in the interior and a modern tomb occupied the E end of the church. An ogival window head and a possible font had been placed within the canopy niche of the tomb and five cross-slabs (LF013-045004-, LF013-045010-, LF013-045011-, LF013-045012-, LF013-045013-) were cemented to the wall of the niche. A bullaun stone (LF013-045006-) was set in the ground outside the NW corner of the church.
On inspection in 2008 only the foundations of parts of the N wall (L 10m; wall T 0.9m; H 1.2m) and the E gable (L 8m) survived. A drystone wall (H 1.2m; T c. 1m) built on top of the foundations relates to a graveyard clean-up scheme that was carried out in the 1990s. Several architectural fragments from the church can be seen in its fabric. A modern display feature has been erected on the site of the E gable and the five cross-slabs and the window head are now cemented into its W face. The bullaun stone was still visible at NW. A rockery had been built at the E end of the N wall and a second bullaun stone (LF013-045005-), possibly the font noted above, has been placed on it. A hospital (LF013-045014-) is also associated.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 4 June 2013

References

McNamee, J.J. 1942 Identification of certain places. Journal of the Ardagh and Clonmacnoise Archaeological Society 2, 3-27.

British Library, Cotton Manuscripts, Augustus I. Charts of the baronies of Granard, Rathcline, Longford, Ardagh, Shrule and Moydow, County Longford. London. (microfilm, NLI p. 1364)

SMR file - Sites and monuments record files in the National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.