What is recorded here

Grave Yard in County Offaly marks Teach Sáráin, the seventh-century House of Saran founded by Sárán, son of Brógán of the Dál gCais of Thomond. Medieval church ruins stand beside eighteenth and nineteenth-century headstones within a post-1700 stone wall, while a seventeenth-century chest-tomb and an early Christian cross-slab preserve older layers of devotion. The buried monastery may have guided local worship long before the present church emerged, making the graveyard a continuous witness to faith in that landscape.

Early Christian monastery known as Teach Sáráin [Tisaran/House of Saran] founded by Sárán, son of Brógán of the Dál gCais of Thomond in the seventh century (Ó Riain 2011, 547-8; ITA Survey 1942). Medieval church ruins (OF022-004----) stands in SE quadrant of square-shaped graveyard (approx. dims. 50m N-S x 51m E-W) that is enclosed by a post-1700 stone wall with entrance gate at NW corner. Graveyard contains 18th/19th-century headstones. 17th century chest-tomb (OF022-004002-) in graveyard to W of church ruins. Early Christian cross-slab (OF022-004003-) recorded by Crawford (1913, 262-5) is now located inside High St. RC church near Belmont village. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 28 February 2019

Early Christian monastery and medieval church site, 7th century to later medieval period. Significance lies in its association with Sárán, son of Brógán, and its historical connection to the Dál gCais of Thomond.

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