Oughtdarra Church (in Ruins) — Oughtdarra

In a sheltered hollow overlooked by higher ground on all sides. Indicated and named ‘Oughtdarra Church (in ruins)’ with associated graveyard (CL004-057002-) on the 1842 and 1915 OS 6-inch maps. Described by O’Donovan (1839) as ‘another small Church in the Townland of Oghtdara’ (Comber 1997, 103). Described by Westropp (1900, 135) as poorly preserved with ‘a few feet of the walls’ remaining ‘in a graveyard’ and with the founder unknown ‘Possibly the "Wafferig," of 1302, and the Owghtory, of 1584’. Later described by Westropp (1905, 343) as a ‘little ruined oratory’ attributed to ‘Sionnach macDara’ (int. dims. L 11.1m; Wth 5.6m; H 2.5m) with masonry of a ‘late type’ and a S door with ‘a bold chamfer’. Referred to by Cunningham (1980, 17) as a ruined church (Wth 6m; L 12m) ‘sited in a seven acre walled enclosure, part of which is now locally called the Orchard. Cunningham also notes that ‘As bones were constantly turning up, the owners of the land, the Kellehers, ceased tilling’ (ibid.). Described by Swinfen (1992, 127-8) with a shed in one corner constructed from reused stone and dedicated to ‘St Sionach Mac Dara, who lived in the sixth century’. Swinfen also notes that ‘the derivation of Oughtdara from St MacDara is thought to be doubtful’ (ibid.). The overgrown church (L 12m; Wth 5.1-6.5m) is orientated E-W with walls (T 0.73m) of roughly coursed and dressed rubble. The N wall is best preserved (L 5m; H 2.3m) but nothing of the E wall remains. A section of the S wall (L 2m; int. H 2.75m; ext. H 2.65m) remains where it forms a corner with the W wall (L 2m; H 1.4m). A large stoup (L 0.47m; Wth 0.33m; H 0.25m) is located on the low remains of the S wall and the basin in the centre is semicircular (L 0.25m; Wth 0.2m; D 0.1m). This would originally have projected from the church wall and was mistakenly referred to as a bullaun (Swinfen 1992). A holy well (CL004-057003-) mentioned by Westropp was not in evidence on inspection in 1998 nor was a souterrain (CL004-057004-) apparently located c. 30m to the SSW. Portion of the graveyard became a children's burial ground (CL004-057006-). The following image has been uploaded: CL004-057001-_01.jpg View of stoup (from Swinfen 1992) Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Lynda McCormack Date of upload: 5 October 2022