Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight S-facing slope. Dedicated to St Eilbha (Mac Coluim 1929; Gormley 1989b, 61) and listed in the Register of Clonmacnoise (O'Donovan 1856-7, 451), but there is no evidence of a medieval church, apart from a stone with a chamfer and a pyramidal stop which is re-used as a quoin. This is a rectangular structure (ext. dims 8.65m NE-SW; 5.85m NW-SE) defined by the bases of the walls (T 0.6m; H 1.2-1.4m), apart from the W wall which is complete with a doorway (Wth 1.14m; H 1.5m) and a recess (Wth 0.44m-0.48m; H 1.05m) overhead for a limestone slab (RO027-029004-) (dims 1.05m x 0.5m; T 0.15-0.2m) which has fallen out. The slab has a raised inscription commemorating James and Mary Plunkett of Castleplunkett (RO027-028001-), who built the church as a mortuary chapel in 1723 (Gormley 1989, 79). There is also a doorway (Wth 1.15m) in the S wall, and the E end of the church is occupied by cairn material. Also within the church is a fragment of a crucifixion plaque (RO027-029005-) (dims 0.95m; 0.85m; T 0.15m) depicting Christ and two figures in relief, although the bottom of the stone is missing. The church is within a small D-shaped graveyard (RO027-029002-) (dims c. 50m NE-SW; c. 47m NW-SE) defined by a masonry wall. Tober Elva, a rectangular well (RO027-029003-) (dims 1.45m x 1.2m) surrounded by a masonry wall with a gate at W is c. 30m to the W. The church and well were conserved in the 1990s.

See the attached view from the S

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

Gormley, M. (compiler) 1989 Tulsk parish in historic Maigh Aí. Aspects of its history and folklore. Author

O'Donovan, J. 1856-7 The Registry of Clonmacnoise: with notes and introductory remarks. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 4, 444-60.

Mac Coluim, F. 1929 Sceal faoi Thobar, Oilbhe, Co. Roscomán. Bealoideas 2 (1), 56-7.

Gormley, M. (compiler) 1989b Tulsk parish in historic Maigh Ai. Aspects of its history and folklore. Journal of the Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society 2, 61-2.