Derryvella Church (in Ruins)

In grassland on top of a natural rise of ground surrounded on three sides by Derryvella Bog with good views in all directions. According to Gwynn and Hadcock (1988, 33) this was the site of the Early Christian monastery of Daire Mór which was associated with Bishop Colman, however, recent research has identified the church at Longfordpass North (TN042-025----) in North Tipperary with Daire Mór and not Derryvella as once speculated (Manning 1997). O'Donovan associated the monastery with Doire Meille founded by St Tigernach whose feast day was on the 4th of November and was regarded as the second oldest churchyard in Ireland and one which the pope is obliged to mention once a year (O'Flanagan 1930, vol.1, 159). Church is enclosed by an ecclesiastical enclosure (TS048-035003-). All that remains of the church are some grass-covered stones barely protruding above the surface of the ground, no visible remains of any grave markers or headstones inside enclosure. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011