What is recorded here

Inishkenny is a large subcircular enclosure in County Cork pasture, holding St. John's church and graveyard in its southeast quadrant. Earthen banks, a low arc, a stone wall, a levelled fence and a natural scarp still trace its hundred-metre edge on the north-facing slope. The name may preserve an older desert church, while people have walked past its boundary for centuries, remembering more than they know.

In pasture, on N-facing slope. Aerial photograph (Dr. D.D.C. Pochin Mould) shows large subcircular enclosure (diam. c. 100m) with St. John's church and graveyard (CO085-04101-; CO085-04102-) in SE quadrant. Enclosure defined by earthen bank of townland boundary (int. H 1.25m) N->E; arc of low bank (H 0.3m) E->SE; stone wall of graveyard SE->SW; levelled field fence W->NW and natural scarp NW->N. The decretal letter of 1199 appears to identify Inishkenny as 'Dissertanaeda' (Bolster 1972, 88); 'disert' is a name associated with pre-Norman church sites (Hurley 1979, 74). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

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