Church (in ruins)

This medieval parish church is situated at the highest point of a circular walled graveyard surrounded by farmland. There is a bank against the inside of the wall. This is probably an ecclesiastical enclosure(DU021-003003-).The church of Kilmactalway was dedicated to St. Magnenn (Mason 1820, 51, Ronan 1941, 28). In 1366 it was annexed to St. Patrick's Cathedral. In 1615 and 1630 the nave and chancel were returned as in good repair. It was rebuilt (Ball 1906, 66-67). Today the church survives to the eaves, except for the N wall and is built of roughly coursed limestone with hammer dressing on the NE and SE quoins. There is a pronounced base batter on the E wall. The church (int. dims L 16.3m, Wth 5.10m) is entered through a narrow pointed doorway in the E end of the S wall. There is a step down to the interior. It is lit by an ogee headed window in the W gable which has a double bellcote and by a two-centred arched window with granite jambs containing bar holes in the S wall. At loft level is a large splayed embrasure for a rectangular window. The most easterly window on the S wall is a rectangular double-light window formed of limestone, probably inserted. The E window is a small round-headed lancet in a deep embrasure with an internal ledge formed of granite and limestone. S of this is a simple square-headed ope. According to D'Alton (1838, 684) there was a baptismal font (DU021-003004-) in the graveyard (DU021-003002-), which is no longer in existence (Ní Mharcaigh 1997, 269-270). Compiled by Geraldine Stout