Grave Yard

This graveyard encompassing a natural S-facing terrace, 250m N of the rocky shoreline, roughly midway along the S side of Clare Island. It consists of a rectilinear area (54m E-W; 31.5m N-S) enclosed by a mortared stone wall, and is bordered on the W side by a Roman Catholic church, which was built in 1861. Dominating the centre of the graveyard is the medieval abbey (MA085-013001-) consisting of a nave and chancel church with a domestic N wing. Grave plots surround the abbey buildings, with a notably lower density on the N side of the church. The inscribed headstones and graveslabs range in date from late 18th to the 20th century, with the majority being 19th-century in date. A tall, cross-inscribed pillar stone (MA085-013005-) stands in the E half of the graveyard. A holy well (MA085-), named ‘Toberfelamurry’, is located 125m to NW. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 1 August 2018