Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Medieval parish church (WM013-057----) of Killulagh dedicated to St. Lonán whose feast day fell on the 12th of November (Ó Riain 2011, 403). The medieval parish church and graveyard may have been built on the site of an early Christian monastery founded by St. Lonán.
Situated on elevated grassland with good views of the surrounding countryside, poorly drained reclaimed land surrounding the graveyard. Stream located 75m to W, tower house (WM013-059----) 630m to E, motte castle (WM013-058----) 320m to SSW. Possible ecclesiastical enclosure identified by Swan (1988, 12) who recorded that there was evidence of a possible enclosure in the regular oval-shaped enclosure of Killulagh graveyard (WM013-057001-). The slight remains of a wide low bank outside the church-yard wall on the N and NE sides would appear to be part of the ecclesiastical enclosure. There are numerous earthworks in the field surrounding the church and graveyard the majority of which appear to be old drainage channels or natural watercourses and field system of unknown antiquity. A short distance out from the graveyard wall there is a slight rise of ground on the N side which may represent the remains of an enclosing feature which pre-dates the post1700 stone wall that now encloses Killulagh graveyard.

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 20 August 2015

References

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.