Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on a W-facing slope in an isolated place known locally as McGuinness’ Rocks. A small rectangular structure (dims c. 15m E-W; c. 10m N-S) with a return (dims c. 5m N-S; c. 5m E-W) at the W end of the N wall is depicted on the 1834 edition of the OS 6-inch map. There is a local tradition (IFS Schools Mss (939) 236) that it was a church and a school, for which see this web-page accessed on 29/05/2018: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes It is thought to have been in use until St Mary’s Roman Catholic church which is c. 700m to the ESE was built in 1823. The foundations (Wth 0.75m; H 0.1-1.2m) of a rectangular structure (int. dims 12m E-W; 6m N-S) with a return (int. dims 4.3m E-W; c. 3m N-S) at N survive in interrupted sections against a rock outcrop cliff at W.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Monaghan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Revised by: Michael Moore

Date of revision: 19 June 2018