Church

The National Monuments Service's description

This location has been identified as the site of the early ecclesiastical monastery of Cluain Cremha by John O’Donovan (O’Flanagan 1931, vol. 2, 12-3) which is associated with Beinéan of Kilbennan, Co. Galway (GA029-017004-). There are references from AD 748 when Osbran, an anchorite and bishop, died (AFM vol. 1, 207), but it is more likely that these refer to Kilbennan as there is no physical evidence of an early church at Clooncraff. In 810 the church of Cluain Cremha was plundered by the men of Breifne and Sil Cathail (AFM vol. 1, 423) and its coarb is mentioned in 1488 (AFM vol. 4, 1157). This location became the parish church of Clooncraff, listed as Clonorenma in the ecclesiastical taxation of Elphin in 1306 (Cal. doc. Ire., vol. 5, 223),
Situated towards the bottom of a fairly steep E-facing slope of a drumlin. Subrectangular graveyard (RO017-142002-) (dims 36.2m E-W; 29.1m E-W) defined by earthen banks (Wth 2.3m at S to 2.85m at W; int. H 0.8m at W to 1.2m at E; ext. H 0.7m at E to 1.2m at S) with a masonry wall against the outer faces. It contains burials of 18th to 20th century date with some rows of grave-markers at E. There is no visible evidence of a church (RO017-142001-) building, but there is local knowledge of the discovery of what may have been a prehistoric urn burial (Mc Evoy 1992).

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revised upload: 16 April 2018

References

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1931 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Roscommon collected during the progress of the
Ordnance Survey in 1837. Bray.

AFM - Annals of the kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters from the earliest period to the year 1616, ed. and trans. John O'Donovan (7 vols., Dublin, 1851; reprint New York, 1966)

Cal. doc. Ire. - Calendar of documents relating to Ireland 1171-1307, ed. H.S. Sweetman (5 vols., London, 1875-86).

Mc Evoy, K. 1992 Clooncraffe graveyard. Journal of the Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Socity, vol. 4, 83.