Clooney Church (in ruins)

Near the top of a prominent rise in hilly marshy pasture and to the N of the Ennistimon to Corrofin road. Named ‘Clooney Church (in ruins)’ on the 1840 ed. of the OS 6-inch map but not indicated. On the 1916 ed., only the E gable and adjoining short sections of the N and S side-walls are shown. Swinfen (1992, 13) noted that in 1615 the church was recorded as being ‘ruyned’ and ‘all downe’. It was believed to have been founded by St Lohan, to whom the nearby holy well (CL016-0-105003-) is dedicated. It is centrally located within a graveyard (CL016-105002-). When visited by O’Donovan, in 1839, the E gable survived intact but only short lengths of the side-walls remained. A semicircular-headed window in the E gable was built of ‘finely cut stone’. There was also a smaller semicircular-headed window in the S wall, near the E gable, but O’Donovan thought that it was not of great antiquity and noted that the S wall did not appear to be as old as the N wall or the E gable, which he suggested dated to the 9th or 10th century (Comber 1997, 100). The E gable (ext. L 8m; H 2m; wall T 0.8m) is now much-reduced in height and no trace of the window survives. However, its position in the wall is still evident (Large 2010). Likewise, no trace of the S window survives. Both side-walls (L 6.1m; H 1.4m; wall T 0.8m) and the gable are overgrown with ivy. No trace of the W gable survives and this area of the church is now occupied by graves. The church was constructed of dressed rubble and was built on a plinth, which is one course high. The walls have been partly rebuilt and repointed. A number of architectural fragments have been reused in the graveyard. Just to the NW of the church, two curving cut-stone fragments, possibly from a pointed or round-headed arched doorway, are set upright on a grave (Large ibid.) and, nearby, a grave-marker consists of a dressed stone that was possibly part of a door jamb. These fragments hint at a late medieval date. A possible ecclesiastical enclosure (CL016-105004-) is also associated. The following images have been uploaded: CL016-105001-_01.jpg View of church from SE CL016-105001-_02.jpg Fragments of doorway reused on grave (Large 2010) CL016-105001-_03.jpg Architectural fragment reused as grave-marker Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Lynda McCormack Date of upload: 24 June 2022