Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on a slight rise in a low-lying position within an undulating landscape. According to the Tripartite Life of St Patrick, an unreliable source, the saint failed to convert the people of Eanach Chonglais (Killaney) when he was passing through between Armagh and Meath, and he was looky to escape with his life (Herity 2012, 199; Boylan 1967). It was presumably left to St Ultán of Ardbraccan (ME025-022----), the medieval patron of the parish, to effect conversion, but there is no record of this (Ó Riain 2011, 580-2).
A large enclosure defined by field banks is depicted on the 1834 edition of the OS 6-inch map where it is described in gothic lettering as ‘Ancient Burying Ground.’ It survives as a D-shaped grass-covered area (dims c. 95m NE-SW: c. 75m NW-SE), locally known as ‘Doileana’, which is defined by a low earthen bank (at SSE: Wth 4m; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 0.6m) that is largely an overgrown scarp (H c. 0.8m) NE-E-SW, and by a NE-SW field bank at NW. There is no evidence of, or local knowledge of burials. A crude cross-slab with a ringed cross in relief, together with two bullaun stones were present in 1940 and in 1984 (SMR file). These could not be located in 2016 but are probably present in the overgrown perimeter.

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.

Date of revision: 27 June 2017

References

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

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

Boylan, Rev. A. H. 1967 The parish of Magheracloone. Clogher Record, vol. 6, No. 2, 361-78.

Herity, M. (ed.) 2012 Ordnance Survey Letters: Londonderry, Fermanagh, Armagh-Monaghan, Louth, Cavan-Leitrim. Dublin, Fourmasters Press