Skull Ho. — Cooly

The early ecclesiastical site here consists of a sub-rectangular shaped graveyard inside of which are a number of earlier features. The site is located on excellent land sloping to Lough Foyle to the E and is traditionally claimed to have been founded by St. Patrick (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 399; Lacy et. al. 1983, 261). To the W outside the entrance to the graveyard (DG021-008001-) is a tall, plain, ringed high-cross (DG021-008005-). Inside the graveyard are the remains of two churches (DG021-008002-/003-) and a mortuary house or tomb shrine (DG021-008004-). One of the churches served as a medieval parish church (Leslie 1937, 265). Mortuary House or tomb shrine known locally as the 'Skull House' (DG021-008004-): NE of the South Church (DG021-008002-) is a small gabled structure with a stone roof, built of rubble masonry 2.6m × 1.8m externally. The gable is 2m high. It contains a single chamber with a corbelled roof rising to a central capstone. The E wall has a small light 0.38m × 0.12m with slightly splayed ingoings. There is a small lintelled door 0.37m square in the W gable (Waterman 1960, 82-8). E of the Mortuary House is a small basin stone or possible bullaun stone (DG021-008007-) and to the NW a small cross-inscribed stone (DG021-008006-). A fragment of a cross-slab (DG021-008018-) with a wheeled-cross was found lying in the interior of the South Church. The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload/revision: 24 February 2015