Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on raised ground in undulating terrain, in the grounds of St Anne's Convent. The church at Corville (TN012-014001-) known as Corbally Abbey was, according to the Life of St Cronan, founded by this saint but subsequently abandoned when he moved to Roscrea (TN012-010----) (Stout 1984, 102-4). The Augustinian priory founded at Monaincha (TN018-001001-) around 1140 was moved to Corville c. 1485 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 155). In 1568 Monaincha was described as the island of the living consisting of two chapels and near the island there was 'a village called Corbally, in which the prior and convent dwelt, with a church, formerly of the priory and parish' (ibid., 167). Corbally abbey church ruins (TN012-014001-) stand in the NE angle of the graveyard at Corville, forming the NE boundary wall of the graveyard. The graveyard is enclosed by a sandstone wall running W from the NW angle of the abbey church and returns onto the SE angle of the church, enclosing a roughly square-shaped area (int. dims. 23m E-W; 21m N-S) to the W and S of the abbey. The graveyard contains 18th and 19th century memorials. Driveway up to St. Anne's convent runs immediately past the E wall of the abbey church (TN012-014001-) and graveyard.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien.

Date of upload: 22 September 2008

References

Stout, G. 1984 The archaeological survey of the barony of Ikerrin. Roscrea Heritage Society.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.