Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ecclesiastical site
Church Island, County Mayo, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Church Island
- County
- Mayo
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- SMR number
- MA099-017002-
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
On Church Island in Lough Carra. The island is linked to the mainland by a causeway (MA099-016----). Knox (1904, 306) records a monastic site and church (MA099-017----) on the island. Gwynn and Hadcock (1970, 401) refer to it as follows: ‘Rathen, Co. Mayo. St. Finan built and was ab. Rathensis, and fd. the ch. of Kill-Finain in that reg. of Kera (Cara), t. SS. Cormac and Becan (Mo-Becoc, d. 689: AI): Act 752. St. Fidhmanius of Raitheniae (Act 248) may belong here. This mon. and the ch., on Church Island in Loch Cara: Knox H. T. 306. A 104 gives in Co. Donegal and confuses with Rathanepscop (Rathaspick).’ The Ballinrobe Survey recorded a local tradition that ‘Marban, a hermit poet, made his dwelling here. He was a brother of King Guaire of Gort, who died in 663 AD.’ (Lavelle 1994, no. 586, 79). The exact location on the island of this ecclesiastical site is unknown, but it may have been in the vicinity of the church (MA099-017----).
Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 22 January 2013
References
Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.
Knox, H.T. 1904 Notes on the Early History of the Diosceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry. Hodges Figgis, Dublin.
Lavelle, D. 1994 An Archaeological Survey of Ballinrobe and District including Lough Mask and Lough Carra. Lough Mask and Lough Carra Tourist Development Association.