Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on rising ground with commanding views to the W, N and E. Ecclesiastical enclosure of the monastery of Lecain Mide identified by Swan (1988, 9) who recorded that there was evidence of a circular enclosure on S and E side of Lackan graveyard (WM006-037001-). Medieval church (WM006-037----) and graveyard (WM006-037001-) built on site of Early Christian monastery of Lecan-Midhe mentioned in 750 when the Annals of Ulster recorded the death of ‘Fursu, abbot of Lecan Midhe’ (AU, 215). According to O’Donovan the monastery was founded by St. Cruimín whose feastday was celebrated here on June 28th (AFM, 349). According to the Martyrology of Tallaght a second feastday to St. Cruimín (Croimín) fell on the 29th of December (Ó Riain 2011, 237). Early Christian cross-slab (WM006-037003-) used as lintel of church (WM006-037----) doorway.
Low curving scarp in field to the N and W of church and graveyard following natural contour of the sloping ground may represent line of Early Christian enclosure. Unable to locate any trace of a circular enclosure in fields to S and E of graveyard.

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of revised upload: 5 August 2015

References

AU (1983) - The Annals of Ulster to 1311, ed. S. Mac Airt and G. Mac Niocaill (Dublin 1983)

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)

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

Swan, D.L. 1988 The Early Christian ecclesiastical sites of County Westmeath. In J. Bradley (ed.), Settlement and society in Medieval Ireland: studies presented to F.X. Martin O.S.A., 1-31. Kilkenny. Boethius Press.