What is recorded here

Moss and marble blur along the buried church wall, marking a quiet graveyard where people once gathered before Ballymore took their prayers in 1752. The stone chamber no longer rings with worship, but it still holds the shape of lives led beside Clondahorky. To walk its overgrown edge is to touch the moment a whole community stopped returning.

This church (DG026-027), incorrectly identified by Bigger (1909, 180-1) as the site of the Third Order Regular foundation of Ballymacswiney, was probably a chapel of ease to Clondahorky. The site was probably abandoned soon after the present church was built at Ballymore in 1752 (Fagan Bk. 2, 1-3; Rowan 1979, 123). The graveyard wall overlies the remaining stretch of N wall and supersedes it at the NE corner. A memorial (DG026-027002-) dated 1679 recorded by Fagan as adjoining the inner face of the S wall would indicate that the church was in use at that period; the plan and window forms confirm a 17th century date for the building. An overgrown graveyard adjoins the church. The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.