Kilraghtis Church

Situated on a slight rise in a low-lying landscape, within a graveyard (CL026-051002-). This is the parish church of Kilraughtish, listed as Kilrathusa in the Papal Taxation of the diocese of Killaloe, and called Cill Reachtais in 1601 (Westropp 1900-02, 147). It is named ‘Kilraghtis Church (in ruins)’ on the 1920 OS 6-inch map. A rectangular structure (int. dims. 18.75m E-W; 5.55m N-S) with almost completely ivy-covered walls (H 3-3.5m; T 0.85m) constructed of undressed, roughly coursed limestone. The doorway (Wth 1.05m; H 1.65m) towards the W end of the S wall is probably inserted, as are the windows at the centre and at the E end of the S wall. There is an ivy-covered twin-light window in the E gable which also has a pointed aumbry and a blocked doorway (Wth 1.15m; H 1.8m) N of the window. There is a rectangular window in the W gable. Curry, in the OS Letters of 1839 (Comber 1997, 175), described the doorway and central window in the S wall as ‘semicircular’ (round-headed), and the E window in the S wall and the twin-light window in the E gable as ‘arrow headed’ (pointed). (Westropp 1900-02, 147)   Compiled by: Michael Moore and Mary Tunney   Date of upload: 17 November 2025

Kilraghtis Church in Ballymaconna is dedicated to St. Ratha or Re, with its name derived from "Cill Re" meaning "church of Re." The church dates to the early medieval period, likely 9th to 12th century, and served as the parish church for the area, reflecting the spread of Christianity in the region during that time.