Church (in Ruins)

In undulating rocky pasture, in the immediate vicinity of the partially deserted settlement cluster of Kilnamonagh. According to McParlan (1802, 108) this is the site of an 'ancient abbey' founded by St Fechin and also a 'parish church'; Gwynn and Hadcock (1970, 183) state that 'a small cell' of the Augustinian monastery of Ballysadare (SL020-108----) was founded here shortly after AD 1140 but it does not appear to have survived into the 15th century. According to local tradition, there was an associated graveyard (SL026-016001-). Test trenching, c. 110m NE of the church site, uncovered a pit containing metal slag but no evidence of a monastic enclosure (M. A. Timoney 2001a, 303). St Fechin's well (SL026-015----) is c. 350m to SW. A rectangular enclosure (SL026-017----) lies c. 130m to NE. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008