Church

The National Monuments Service's description

In NW quadrant atop highest ground in graveyard (WM035-003001-) are the wall footings of a poorly preserved church (int. dims. 11.7m E-W; 5.4m N-S; wall T 0.9m; wall H 0.4-0.6m) probably dedicated to St. Manchán [anglicised to Menaghan] of Lemanaghan (OF015-004003-) standing inside a possible ecclesiastical enclosure (WM035-003004-). Two holy wells (WM035-003002-; WM035-003003-) dedicated to St. Manchán (Managhan/Menaghan/Moynaghan) of Lemanaghan located 40m and 70m to S respectively. In the parish of Kilcleagh the feastday of St. Manchán was remembered on the 29th of September (Ó Riain 2011, 429). In the second half of the 15th century the vicarage of Kilcleagh was in the hands of the O’Malone/Ua Máeleoin family (Kehnel 1997, 194-5). It is possible that this church was associated with the Malone family of Ballynahown Castle (WM035-011----). In the 15th century the church of Kilcleagh (WM036-009----) was also known as Killeomilenyn, alias Kyllomyleon which was probably derived from Cell Ua Máeleoin [church of the Malone’s] (ibid., 195). The identification of Kilcleagh with 'Kyllomyleon' is problematical and may be incorrect, it is possible that Kyllomyleon may have been located closer to Ballynahown Castle which was the residence of the Malone family. The 1656 Down Survey map of Clonlonan Barony depicts 'Killomoltan' in the vicinty of Ballynahown Castle (WM035-011----) while the Down Survey parish map of Kilcleagh records that the townland of Ballynahown was also known as 'Killemoyllchan' (NLI MS 723-4). It is possible the the church at Killomenaghan may have been the church referred to in the papal letters as 'Kyllomyleon' rather than Kilcleagh church (WM036-009----). The church at 'Kyllomyleon' was a chapel of ease or a daughter chapel to the medieval parish church of Lochluacha [Ballyloughloe now Mount Temple (WM030-045001-)]. In 1452 the large medieval parish of Ballyloughloe [Lochluacha] was subdivided and the chapel of ‘Kyllomyleon’ became the perpetual vicarage of 'Kyllomileon' (Cal. papal letters, 541). In 1478 a papal letter to the abbot of Kilbeggan recorded that the perpetual vicarage of ‘Kyllonucon alias Kyncolman’ was vacant and it was ordered that the vicarage should be united to the vicarage of Ballyloughloe (Cal. papal letters, 66). According to local folklore there was an old pilgrimage route running between the monastery of Clonmacnoise (OF005-027001-) and the old churchyard at Killomenaghan which passed through the townland of Cloncraff or Bloomhill (OF006-001002-) where partial remains of the trackway were excavated in 1987 (Breen, Parkes & Bradshaw 1988, 332-3).
Only the low outline of the church is visible, the W wall is best preserved while there are no surface remains visible of the S wall of the church. Late medieval punch-dressed quoins from the church have been inserted into the surface of the graveyard where they have possibly been used as grave markers. A holy water stoup possibly from the church has been incorporated into the inner face of the graveyard wall immediately N of the graveyard entrance. Several memorials of post medieval date are located inside the church. Two stone statues standing on pedestals dedicated to St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary are located at the E end of the church. The statue dedicated to Mary stands on a pedestal built from dressed stone taken from the medieval church. One of these stones appears to be a punch dressed jambstone while a second stone is decorated with a triquetra knot. On top of a stone pedestal to the S of the church there is the footstone or skew-corbel belonging to the gable coping of the medieval church. The underside of this skew-corbel or skew-putt is decorated with a face carved in relief which is locally believed to be the face of St. Managhan (OS Field Name Book 34).

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 05 August 2014

References

NLI, MS 723-4 - National Library of Ireland, The parish maps of the Down Survey for the County of Westmeath, attested by W. Petty, in 1659. Copied by Daniel O'Brien. A set of 67 maps with accompanying terriers in two volumes, 1786-7. Dublin.

Breen, C.T., Parkes, H. and Bradshaw, R. 1988 Excavation of a roadway at Bloomhill Bog, County Offaly. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 88C, 321-39.

Kehnel, A. 1997 Clonmacnois – the church and lands of St. Ciarán : change and continuity in an Irish monastic foundation. Germany. Lit Verlag.

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

Cal. papal letters - Calendar of entries in the papal registers relating to Great Britain and Ireland: papal letters, 1198-1484 [etc.] (London, 1893-)