Killalee Church (in Ruins)

In pasture, on a gentle S-facing slope to the N of the Killarney-Killorgan road. The overgrown ruin of a rectangular structure (17.5m E-W; 8.45m N-S) built of random rubble sandstone and limestone. It is entered through a door ope (Wth 1.8m), with the remains of a drawbar-socket on its E side, at the W end of the S wall. There is a lintelled window embrasure at the E end of the S wall with splayed ingoings and a rectangular light (Wth 0.25m; H 0.8m). The inner wall-face has collapsed at the E end of the S wall indicating the position of an ogee-headed quatrefoil piscina (Wth 0.44m; H 0.43m; D 0.35m) (KE066-021----) which was removed in 1921 to the N transept of St Lelia's Catholic Church (KE066-122----), c. 110m to the E in Fossa. There is a heavily overgrown E window with a pointed arched window embrasure and a round-headed light (Wth 0.45m). There is a wall-press on the N side of the window. Narrow breaches in the W, E and the middle of the N walls may have been caused by the N wall falling inwards. This is a late medieval church of St Lelia. Recent test trenching to the S and E of the church revealed the presence of a graveyard (KE066-008001-) and two cremation pits (KE066-008002-, KE066-008003-) (Dennehy 2002a, 145-6). Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011

A local church or high cross; wider significance not recorded.