Donagh Church

The Carndonagh complex (National Monument number 271) is the site of one of the main early ecclesiastical centres in Donegal. It consists of a modern graveyard (DG011-035007-) surrounding the 18th century Church of Ireland church. The W entrance of the church consists of a reused 15th-century door with pointed head (DG011-035002-). The jambs are stop-chamfered with a central right-angled groove, suggestive of two orders. Each of the tapering stops of the chamfered hood-mould terminates in a small moulded band, now defaced, from which a double vine leaf and single vine bunch enrichment springs. The door has been heightened by the insertion, in the jambs, of two dressed blocks below the hood-mould stops, and two others below the chamfer stops. To the S of this doorway and lying against the church wall is a small carved stone (DG011-035003-) 1.22m long × 0.24m high and 0.25m thick. On the face of this is a central wheeled cross, three or four figures on the left and interlacing on the right. It is, presumably, a lintel from an earlier church. In the SE area of the graveyard is a cross-slab, the well-known 'Marigold Stone' (DG011-035004-). At the NE corner of the graveyard, but outside it on the roadside, is a group of carved stones consisting of a high cross (DG011-035009-) flanked on each side by a stele or stone sculpture (DG011-035010; DG011-035011-), one to the N and the other to the S. This group originally stood c. 20m NE on the opposite side of the road (See DG011-035005-; DG011-035007-; DG011-035008-). About 200m SE of the churchyard the OS 6-inch map records the site of 'Labby Patrick' (DG011-061----). It is not clear what exactly the nature of this site was. It may have been a megalithic tomb. John Colgan writing in the 17th century Triadis Thaumaturgae described it as the 'Penitential bed of St. Patrick surrounded by polished stones'. A patch of bare soil is still respected as a source of cures. The complex of monuments is situated on the E slope of Crocknakilladerry Hill in relatively good land sloping E to the Glentogher river on the edge of Carndonagh town. (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 380; Henry 1965, 128-30) The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of revised upload: 18 November 2020