Abbey (in ruins)

On a W-facing slope in undulating terrain with a stream at the base of the slope to W. ‘Loughill Monastery’, according to Carrigan (1905, vol. 2, 115-7), ‘stood about 150 yards to the south or south-east of the church, in the same field, to the west of Warren’s old house. Not a vestige of it now remains, except some hillocks and mounds. Archdall in his Monasticaon refers to it as follows: “Leamchuill on the borders of Leix and Hyduach. St. Fintan Corach was Abbot here towards the close of the 6th century; by some writers he is said to have been interred here, and from others we learn that Cluain-ednach or Clonfert-Brendan was the place of his sepulture. St. Mochonna was Abbot or Bishop here, but at what time is unknown”. On the 1st (1839) and 2nd (1899-1902) ed. OS 6-inch map a small roofless building (dims. c. 5m N-S; c. 4m E-W) is indicated as ‘Abbey (in Ruins), it is c. 60m W of the former Loughill House and c. 14m N of its former formal garden. There is no visible trace of this structure at ground level. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 30 May 2016