Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a rise in a low-lying landscape. An early church was founded by St Cavan (Culleton 1999, 126-7), or Caomhán Santleathan (wide saint?), in the seventh century AD, and it became the parish church of Ardcavan. In one tradition this saint was a brother of St. Athracht of Killaraght, Co. Sligo, and descended from the Dál nAraidhe of NE Ulster. Brother and sister were converted by St. Patrick himself. Another tradition connects him with the Uí Bairrche of north Carlow/Wexford, and St. Finnian of Clonard, Co. Meath, is said to have passed through here heading to and from Wales (Ó Riain 2011, 157). Darinish Caemhain (the oak island of Caomhán) was plundered by the Vikings in 819, together with nearby Begerin (WX038-004001-) (AFM vol. 1, 430-1). The death of abbot Ciaran Mac Maol Dubh of Árd Caomháin is recorded in 890 (AFM vol. 1, 544-5) and that of archdeacon Ua Ruarcain is recorded in 1055 (AFM vol. 2, 868-9). According to a Visitation by Thomas Ram, the Protestant bishop of Ferns, in 1615 this church was impropriate to Henry Wallop and the name of the priest, if any, is not recorded. Nor is the condition of the church building recorded (Hore 1900-11, vol. 6, 268).

A fragment of a wall (Wth 1.05m; L 1.8m N-S; H c. 4m) with a fragmentary wall (Wth 0.55m) extending W from its N end (L 0.55m) is at the W edge of a raised oval graveyard (dims. 53m E- W; 18m N-S at W to 30m at E) defined by masonry walls. A granite cross-slab (Wth 0.61m; H 0.5m plus; T 0.12m) with a narrow (Wth 8-8.5cm) latin cross (Span 0.49m) that has hollow angles within a frame is inside the graveyard at E. The cross is incised on the E face with shallow lines (Wth 1-1.2cm), and it was recorded by Chris Corlett. A fragment of a rectangular font (H 0.26m) with a flat base (dims 0.38m x 0.37m) is also at the church, and St Cavan's Well, at which the pattern was held on 12th June until 1798 (O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 1. 329), is c. 200m to the NNE.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload/revision: 18 January 2013
Amended: 2 Sep. 2013, 10 Oct. 2018

References

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

Culleton, E. 1999 Celtic and Early Christian Wexford. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1999.

AFM - Annála ríoghachta Éireann: Annals of the kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters from the earliest period to the year 1616, ed. and trans. J. O'Donovan (7 vols., Dublin, 1851; reprint Dublin 1990, de Búrca Rare Books.)

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1933 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of County Wexford, collected during progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838. Typescript in 2 vols. Bray.

Hore, P.H. 1900-1911 (Reprint 1979) History of the town and county of Wexford, 6 vols. Dublin. Published by arrangement with W.A. Hennessy Esq.