What is recorded here

Caherquin Church marked a Spanish-built chapel on the sandy edge of Smerwick Harbour during the 1580 siege. Local tradition claims the massacre victims were buried there, while sand erosion still exposes graves and bones that seafaring men may have occupied. A Protestant church erected in 1800 decayed quickly, erasing the visible structure but leaving behind a cross-inscribed stone reused elsewhere.

Caherquin Church/An Teampall Bán: This may be the site of the single cell church which appears on Admiral Winter's contemporary map of the Siege of Smerwick Harbour in 1580 (Public Record Office, London, MPF 75) and which was reputed to have been a small chapel built by the Spaniards (Smith 1756, 187). Local tradition records that the victims of the massacre in 1580 were subsequently buried here (KE042-002001-). A Protestant church erected on the site in 1800 fell into decay shortly afterwards (OSNB Dunurlin, 30) and there are now no visible remains of any structure. Graves and human bones, periodically exposed in the vicinity of the church by sand erosion, are traditionally considered to be the interments of sailors and seafaring men (O'Sullivan 1931, 507; OSNB). A cross-inscribed stone, reused as a door lintel and gap-post in Ballineanig-Castlequarter townland, reputedly came from here (KE042-150----). The site lies on the low-lying sandy ground bordering the S side of Smerwick Harbour. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 991. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

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