Graveyard in Coolbanagher

The early Christian monastery of Coolbanagher is associated with Saint Lughach son of Lughaidh whose feastday occurred on the 6th of October (Ó Riain 2011, 407-8). This saint is also associated with Banagher Church, Co. Fermanagh, Rattoo, Co. Kerry and Toomour, Co. Sligo (Ibid., 407). The twelfth century preface to the Martyrology of Tallaght allegedly records that in the ninth century Saint Aonghas of Tallaght went to Coolbanagher where he began the writing of the Martyrology which he completed in the monastery of Tallaght, Co. Dublin (Ibid., 79). Coolbanagher graveyard was described in 1903 as the ‘ancient burial-ground of Coolbanagher. A considerable portion of the church-ruins (LA008-014001-), which consisted of nave and chancel, still exist; but they are featureless, and heavily clad with ivy. The surrounding burial-ground contains but few headstones, and no slabs of any age or interest are visible. Though an occasional interment still takes place here, the churchyard is in a disgraceful state of neglect, being over-run with rabbits and choked with shrubs and bushes. The surrounding fence, too, is ditch in bad repair’ (Fitzgerald 1904, 310-11). Present remains consist of a small Romanesque church (LA008-014001-) in centre of a rectangular graveyard (int. dims. 27m N-S; 56m E-W) enclosed by a stone wall containing post 1700 AD memorials. Church located in centre of graveyard. (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 221) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 26 February 2014