Church in Killunagher

According to local tradition, this is the site of a church which gave Killunagher townland its name. Gwynn & Hadcock (1970, 395) identify Killunagher as the early medieval foundation of ‘Kill-Lunechair -under the patronage of St. Lunecharia.’ The remains consist of a roughly square platform (12.6m NE–SW; 12m NW–SE) defined by a sod-covered stone bank/scarp with a low internal rim (Wth 2.4 at SE, 1.5m at NW; int. H 0.2m). The SE side has a well-defined external scarp (H 0.6m) from which much stone protrudes, probably the remnants of stone facing or a wall. At NW and NE the scarp is low and less clearly defined. A linear sod-covered bank (H 0.4-0.7m) projecting from the E corner of the square platform, extending 15.6m to ESE. It forms an elongated triangular shape in plan, widest (4.2m) at its junction with the square platform, and narrowing and sloping gently downwards towards its E end (Wth 2m). The N side is defined by vertical stone-facing consisting of a single course of large contiguous boulders (H 0.5-0.7m). The entire earthwork therefore forms an irregular L-shape. These enigmatic remains are difficult to interpret; they incorporate the remains of a church. According to local information, it contains a Man-made underground passage (MA093-083002-) and was used as a children’s burial ground (MA093-083003-). In the NE corner of the same field, c. 50m from the earthwork, an earthen field bank (Wth 2m; H 0.5m) extends from the E boundary of the field for 19m to WSW, parallel to and a few meters S of the existing N boundary of the field. A number of hawthorn trees grow on its WSW end, and according to local tradition, a priest was hung at this spot. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 30 June 2022

The church in Killunagher was likely founded in the early medieval period and is thought to have been dedicated to St. Lunechair. Its name and local tradition suggest it was an important religious site, though specific builders and exact dates remain unrecorded.