What is recorded here

Enclosure in Cruach Na Cara is a granite-walled burial ground on St Macdara’s Island, County Galway, holding cross-slabs, cursing stones and protruding grave markers beside the church. People may have walked through the western gap to visit dead relatives or leave warnings on the stones, trusting the walls to keep the sacred area separate from the living island.

At the E end of Cruach na Cara/St Macdara’s Island, c. 25m to the NE of the church (GA076-020001-). This well-built subrectangular enclosure (20m E-W; 16m N-S) is constructed of large slabs of granite set on edge. The walls (max. H 1m; Wth 1m) are double faced with a rubble core and intermittent facing is visible along the N, E and S sides. A gap (Wth 2m) in the W wall may mark an entrance. Within the interior numerous boulders protruding from the ground appear to be grave-markers and it is likely that this is the burial ground (GA076-020002-) named, but not indicated, to the W of the church on the 1838 edition and 1899 resurvey of the OS 6-inch maps. Also in the S half of the enclosure there is a leacht (GA076-020010-), an associated cross-slab (GA076-020009-), ‘cursing stones’ (GA076-020026-), the socket of a cross (GA076-020016-) and the shaft of a possible cross (GA076-020028-). Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 6 June 2018

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.