Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Located in the N half of a graveyard (MA117-009002-), on the W shores of Lough Mask. There are scant remains of the church: A rectangular area (c. 6m N−S; c. 8m E−W) is defined on the N, E and S by a low, mortared stone wall (Wth 0.8m; H 0.3-0.4m), capped with concrete, which appears to be a 20th-century rebuild, possibly incorporating original foundations. There is a 20th-century rectangular grave plot, bordered by a concrete surround, at the W end of the S wall, and a similar grave plot at the W end of the N wall. The W wall of the church is missing. Several low, uninscribed irregular-shaped stone gravemarkers protrude from the level, sod-covered interior. A bullaun stone (MA117-009003-) is cemented on to the top of the E wall. A possible spud stone consisting of rectangular block of stone (L 0.4m; Wth 0.18m; T 0.08m) with a shallow circular depression (diam. 0.08m; D 0.03m) on one flat surface, is located on the ground at the E end of the church.
The church is shown as a rectangular building, marked ‘Church in Ruins’ on the 1838 OS 6-inch map; it is named ‘Teampull na Macaire (in Ruins)’ on the 1929 edition, with only the E and W walls indicated. A 19th-century account records the church as follows: ‘The church is a rectangular building, measuring externally forty-two feet in length [12.8m] by twenty-two feet eight inches in width [6.7m], and the walls are two feet six inches thick [0.75m]. Most of the eastern gable is standing; it is about twenty-four feet high [7.3m]. Of the rest of the church little remains but some twelve or fifteen feet of the western gable, and about the same height for a few feet of the south wall. The foundations of the rest can be traced. The doorway was probably in the southern wall. The only interesting feature in the church is the window in the east wall, which serves to fix the date to about the middle of the fourteenth century. Externally it measures thirty-eight inches [0.9m] in height by nine inches [0.23m] in width at the sill, lessening to eight inches [0.2m] at the top. There are three holes at each side, probably intended to hold horizontal bars. The semicircular head is, as usual, cut out of a single stone, and those which form the jambs are fitted with the utmost exactness. The window splays internally to a height of five feet three inches [1.6m], and a width of two feet six inches [0.7m].’’ (‘Proceedings’, in Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquarian of Ireland 1870-71, 11, 349-50). It was recorded in the early 1990’s by Lavelle (1994, 85, no. 609) as follows: ‘On E-facing slope in centre of graveyard, 200m from shore of Lough Mask. Modern, low stone wall marks outline of church site. Bullaun (MA117-009003-) rests on wall. No architectural features. Gables stood to a height of 7m in 1930s (Local information).’

Image: MA117-009001_01.JPG Site of church viewed from W

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of revised upload: 24 July 2017

References

Lavelle, D. 1994 An Archaeological Survey of Ballinrobe and District including Lough Mask and Lough Carra. Lough Mask and Lough Carra Tourist Development Association.