What is recorded here

Grave Yd is a living trapezoid of rocky soil above Ballyvourney where new headstones still join ancient ruins. The eastern church remains and the western penitential station preserve the Pilgrimage of St Gobnait, while the northern neo-Gothic church marks a later Christian layer. People have kept returning to this exact ground because death, memory and devotion still move through it.

In uneven, rocky ground, overlooking Ballyvourney village to N; well-kept, roughly trapezoidal graveyard (c. 100m E-W; c. 50m N-S). Still in use, with many 19th- and 20th-century headstones; near E end ruins of ancient parish church of Ballyvourney (CO058-034007-), near W end penitential station (CO058-034004-); both are stations in the Pilgrimage of St Gobnait (Harbison 1991a, 133-6). At N side former C of I parish church (CO058-034006-): small rectangular neo-Gothic church, with embattled tower attached at W end; built in 1824 (Brady 1863, vol. 2, 53). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 3: Mid Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). 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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