What is recorded here

Donadea Castle overlookes a walled graveyard on a gentle south-facing slope where Aylmer ancestors and possibly Early Christian believers still lie beneath sparse headstones. The chamber holds an early-17th-century church, a 19th-century Church of Ireland building, an octagonal font and a fine Aylmer effigial tomb, while another font waits outside the wall. People may have walked this green place for centuries, carrying grief, pride and prayer past stones that no longer need naming to be remembered.

On a very gentle S-facing slope in the former Aylmer family demesne, now Donadea Forest Park, and c. 100m N of Donadea Castle (KD009-015----). A rectangular area (dims. L c. 70m N-S; Wth c. 40m E-W) is enclosed by a high, well built masonry wall with an entrance gate near the NE corner. Possibly occupying the site of an Early Christian church (KD009-014002-), the graveyard also contains an early-17th century church (KD009-014001-), a 19th century Church of Ireland church which houses a fine, 17th century Aylmer effigial tomb (KD009-014003-) and an octagonal font (KD009-014005-), while a second font (KD009-014006-) lies nearby outside. Sparsely distributed burials marked by headstones and a few flat slabs are concentrated around the church ruins. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.