Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Recorded as a Dominican cell in 1586 (Nicholls 1972-3, 38). Fr. Augustine Plunkett built a refuge and hospice here after the dispersal of an Augustinian house at Ballyhaunis in the 1700s, which would undoubtedly have served as a Roman Catholic church. Situated on a low hillock in an undulating landscape. Rectangular structure (ext. dims 16.8m E-W; 7.8m N-S) with restored and conserved walls (T 0.9m; H 1.8-2m). There is a doorway (Wth 1.2m) towards the W end of the S wall, and the head of a cusped ogee-headed window (RO021-064004-) is built into the outer face of the N wall. A mortuary chapel to the W was built in 1865 for the Irwins of Rathmoyle, and conserved in the 1990s (Mannion 1998). They are within a rectangular graveyard (RO021-064002-) (dims c. 70m E-W; c. 60m N-S) defined by masonry walls. Enclosure (RO021-063005-) and barrow (RO021-063006-) are c. 70m and 140m to the NE and enclosure (RO012-063003-) is c. 150m to the NW.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

Mannion, L. 1998 The restoration of Rathmoyle ancient cemetery. Journal of the Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society 7, 143-5.

Nicholls, K. 1972-3 A list of the monasteries in Connacht. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 33, 28-43.