Church (in ruins) — Relagh Beg

Located in a fold towards the top of a S-facing slope. This is an early monastic church, and it became the site of the medieval parish church of Moybologue in Kilmore diocese. However, noting is known of its history except that there was a hospital or hospice associated with it (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 354). The featureless N wall (L 11m; T 0.8m; H 3.2m) of the nave survives together with the S transept (ext. dims 7.2m N-S; 6.25m E-W; int. dims 6.75m N-S; 4.5m E-W) which is featureless apart from a cupboard at the S end of the E wall and a window embrasure (Wth 1.2m; H 1.6m) in the S wall. Features on the first floor could be inserted and the floor was supported by a corbel in the W wall, now removed, and a rebate on the S wall. It had a fireplace towards the N end of the E wall, and the rough corbels that supported the mantel are projecting out from the wall. There is a window in the S wall at the first floor with a re-used square hood moulding that is too large for the opening. The upper parts of the walls could be rebuilt and, with a fireplace, it did serve as a dwelling. The nave wall is extended E (L 7.4m) by a drystone wall, and N of the church there is an L-shaped structure (ext. dims 9.05m N-S; 8.9m E-W) defined by drystone walls (Wth c. 0.7m; H 0.5-1m) creating some mortuary enclosures. The church is within a circular graveyard (diam. c. 70m E-W; c. 68m N-S) defined by a drystone wall (at N: Wth 1m; H 1.4m), with a masonry wall (Wth 0.6m; int. H 0.9m; ext. H 1.8m) at the roadside SE-SW. An illegible inscription on the W pier of the entrance gate has the date 181(?)3, which might indicate when the graveyard wall was constructed. Within the graveyard there are two cross-slabs, one with an early inscription, a font, three churchyard crosses and two fragments of crosses. The two graveslabs are both probably seventeenth century in date. There is also a fragment of an inscription which remains indecipherable, a holed stone that is part of a millwheel, and a stone with a single cup-mark. The curving wall of the graveyard at S with the road curving about the graveyard E-S-W, a field bank W-N enclosing the motte and bailey (CV034-045----) and a field bank NE-E could be interpreted as a large oval ecclesiastical enclosure (CV034-046008-). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1995). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 21 April 2017 Amended: 19 March 2020