Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a fairly level landscape, with a small SSE-NNW stream that flows into the Kinnegad River flowing through it. This is an early church site called Templeavy by Cogan (1862-70, 2, 396) and it is still known locally as Timpeall La Eeva. For local names see this web-page accessed on 27 March 2015: http://www.meathfieldnames.com/ The name is derived from Liadhain, a daughter of Eacha, who was descended from Laoighre, a son of the mythical Niall Nóighialach (of the nine hostages) (Ó Rian 2011, 396). However, there are no historical references that can be connected with the church and it does not feature in the medieval lists of churches.

The remains of a rectangular building (int. dims 12m E-W plus; 5.3m N-S) is covered with dense growth, and only the E wall with evidence of a small window and an external base-batter survives together with portions of the long walls towards the W end. There are some 19th century headstones near the church and a broken millstone (diam. 1m; H 0.2m) is just E of it, but no perimeter for a graveyard is present.
The church is within an oval ecclesiastical enclosure (dims c. 145m N-S; c. 110m E-W) defined by a fosse that is best preserved S-W-N (at W: Wth of top 7-8m; int. D 1.4m; ext. D 0.8m) but is still traceable throughout its extent. A S-N field bank and hedge with an accompanying drain, which forms the townland boundary with Cappaboggan to the E, divides the enclosure unequally with the greater part in Baltigeer, and this boundary bifurcates to ENE and SW towards the S edge of the enclosure.
Just W of the enclosure three relict field banks and drains radiate from its perimeter and this field system (ME046-002----) covers a surviving area of 4 acres (c. 1.6ha). There is a possible bullaun stone on one of these banks, which is a piece of rock outcrop (dims c. 1m x c. 1m; H 0.8m) with one hollow (diam. c. 0.3m; D 0.3m) at one edge of the stone, but this could be a solution-hole.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revision: 8 April, 2015

References

Cogan, Rev. A. 1862-70 Ecclesiastical history of the diocese of Meath: ancient and modern. (3 vols) Dublin: John Fowler, Joseph Dollard

Ó Riain, P. 2011 A dictionary of Irish Saints. Dublin. Four Courts Press.