Church in Gortaneare (clanmaurice By., Kiltomy Par.)

Kilcaragh Church (Cill Chánthaigh, church of Cánthach) (in ruins). No surface trace of Kilcaragh Church survives; it was completely ploughed out a few years ago. According to O'Donovan (1841, 33), 'The building was about forty-five feet in length and eighteen and one third feet in breadth'. No doorway or window was to be noticed at that stage, and the walls were about 10 feet in height. When the Kerry Field Club visited the site in 1941 (vol 1, 230) they state that only the N wall was standing, and that surrounding the ruins was a neglected graveyard which was not fenced off from the surrounding grazing field. This church is connected to St Carthach, who is said to have come here from Scattery Island. The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 947. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 3 August 2013