Church (in Ruins)

An early ecclesiastical site founded by St Finnian of Clonard who left St Grellan there as abbot (Gwynne and Hadcock 1988, 379). The ancestry of Greallán Craoigheach (of Creeve) is not recorded but according to a late 15th century vernacular Life he became a patron of Uí Cheallaigh (O'Kelly) of Uí Máine. His feast was on the 10 November (Ó Riain 2011, 369-71). The parish church of Creeve listed as Cuff in the ecclesiastical taxation of Elphin in 1306 (Cal. doc. Ire., vol. 5, 223). It was described as a Franciscan Third Order possession in 1582 when it was granted to Bryan Mac Dermot (Lewis 1837, 433) but this is not substantiated. Situated at the E end of a low E-W drumlin ridge with the S-N Owenur River c. 200m to the E. The foundations of a rectangular structure (ext. dims 17m E-W; 9.5m N-S) which are visible as a stone spread are at the W end of a rectangular graveyard (RO017-165002-) (dims 57m E-W; 37m N-S) defined by a masonry wall. This is within a subcircular ecclesiastical enclosure (RO017-165004-) (dims c. 125m N-S; c. 110m E-W) defined by a scarp (H 0.3m at NW to 2m at ENE) NW-E-SW, with an outer fosse (Wth of base 5-6m; ext. D 0.3m) ENE-SW. There are traces of an outer bank (Wth 3.25-5m; ext. H 0.4-0.9m) at ESE and S-SW, and a causeway (Wth 10m) across the fosse at E. The site of Tober Patrick well (RO017-166----), is c. 120m to the NNE. Archaeological testing (05E1095) c. 40m W of the graveyard failed to produce any related material (Sweetman 2008a). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21st Janyaury, 2011.

The church at Creeve was founded by St Finnian of Clonard in the 6th century and dedicated to St Grellan, who was left as abbot. It is significant as an early Christian site associated with the spread of monastic learning in Ireland.