Ecclesiastical site in Cruagh

This record was listed in the Dublin RMP as 'ecclesiastical remains' and this classification has been changed to ecclesiastical site. According to O'Hanlon (1875, 268) St. Dalua of Dun-Tighe-Bretan, a disciple of St Patrick, whose feastday is celebrated on the 7th of January, may have founded a 6th-century church at Cruagh/An Chraobhach/Creevagh cemetery. The Martyrology of Donegal recorded that the 'original name of the place was Craobhach, afterwards corrupted into Cruagh. "Dalua of Craoibech" was of St. Patrick's household (Vita Tripartita), and is also called "Molua, a pilgrim of the Bretons" and commemorated on January 7 as "Dalua Tigh Bretan" (Martyrol. Tallaght; Martyrol. Donegal). Craoibech and Tigh Bretan (Tibradden) hills are near each other. A cairn [DU025-023001-] stands on Tighbretan, and the celebrated cromlech [DU025-002----], called Mount Venus, stands at Craoibech which in an inquisition of 1620 was called "Creevaghnetemple" and "Crevaghneclog", alias Newtown' (Ronan 1941, 31). Ní Mharcaigh (1997, 255) suggested the presence of an ecclesiastical enclosure at Cruagh and recorded that; 'the graveyard [DU025-003005-] at Cruagh contains a granite font [DU025-003002-] and there is some slight evidence of an enclosure'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 21 February 2023

St. Dalua of Dun-Tighe-Bretan, a disciple of St. Patrick, is associated with the ecclesiastical site in Cruagh, which was likely founded in the 6th or 7th century. The site reflects early Christian monastic traditions in Ireland and may have been dedicated to St. Dalua, though specific architectural style or surviving structures are not detailed.