Grave Yard — Baile An Teampaill

A subcircular, flat-topped mound, up to 3m in height and 45m N-S by 38m E-W, in use as a graveyard (DG025-042001-). A flat slab, almost obscured by vegetation lies beside the steps leading to the elevated top of the graveyard. The 'altars' (DG025-042002-) marked on the 2nd and 3rd editions of the OS 6-inch maps are not visible now. Tullaghobegly Church (DG025-042) : In 1622 this parish church was in ruins (Royal Commission, 218). Built on a prominent rise in the graveyard only a section of the N wall and attached half of the E gable survive, 2.4m high; the former 7.65m long internally, is featureless. Built of rubble, part of the exterior face of the N wall has fallen away. The E gable preserves the N ingoings of a two-period window. The earlier, on the N, had a wide splay and round-headed, narrow ope, c. 1.15m high, the broken lintel for which is still in situ. Part of the rear-arch survives and the soffit preserves sections of a plaster coat. The rear-arch is composed of thin slabs. Only the lower courses of the secondary ingoing survive, .3m high, is roughly parallel to, and blocks the earlier ingoing. The site is overlooked by rising ground to the E and is located in grazing and tillage land. (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 408.) 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. Date of upload: 22 September 2008 Excavaton licence number 92E029: This excavation took place as part of a clean-up of Tullaghobegley church and graveyard between February and November 1992. The site is located less than one mile south south-east of Falcarragh, Co. Donegal with a panoramic view of the entire area from the Atlantic in the north-west to Errigal, Muckish and Aghla Mór to the south. The graveyard is situated on a mound which measures 45m north-south, 38m east-west and c. 4m high. It is enclosed by a rubble-built stone wall and contains over 200 marked burials dating from 1735 to 1983. The church, which is aligned north-east/south-west, is located in the centre and at the highest point of the graveyard. The first known reference to the church is from a Royal Commission report of 1622 when it is referred to as being ‘in ruins’, while the Civil Survey of 1654-56 (Simington, R. 1937) also refers to Tullaghobegley as ‘an old Ruined Church’. Prior to excavation the remains consisted of an 8.63m long section of the north wall (measuring 0.85m wide and 2.6m high) with an attached section of the east gable, measuring 3.35m long, 0.9m wide and 3.0m high. Both were in a poor state of repair. One feature survived; the northern embrasure of a two-headed window in the east gable. To the south-west of the upstanding remains was a large mound of stones, overgrown with grass and moss. At the south-west end of the surviving section of the north wall was another substantial mound of stones. The purpose of the excavation was to locate the full extent or ground plan of the church. All excavations were carried out by hand. The first trial trench, which measured 2.5m long, 1.5m wide and 1.0m deep was excavated c. 4.0m south-east of the north wall and c. 0.7m south-west of the line of the east gable, in an unsuccessful attempt to find the south wall. A second trench was then opened c. 3.75m south-west of the first trench, which measured 2.5m north-west/south-east and 1.5m wide. At 0.3m below the surface a section of wall, which measured 2.8-3.1m north-east/south-west and 0.8m wide, was revealed. It was then decided to continue to excavate along the line of the wall. Some 2.5m south-west of the first section another section of wall was revealed. It measured 1.17-1.22m long and 0.82m wide. Between the two sections of wall a number of burials and disarticulated bones were revealed. These two sections were all that remained of the south wall, while investigation along the line of the east gable revealed two more burials but no further evidence of the wall and the north wall was found to extend for 1.0m. The removal of the large mound of stones to the south-west revealed a further series of foundations which enclosed an almost square area measuring 4.2m north-west/south-east and 4.56m north-east/south-west. The walls were wider that those of the church at 1.15-1.25m. The enclosed area contained a number of burials and was much disturbed. The excavation of the church and clean-up of the graveyard produced 267 clay pipes, dating from the period 1870-1910; 110 bottles of 19th/20th century date; five coins, including a 1783 counterfeit halfpenny; three coffin attachments; five metal shoe tips; pottery sherds from the modern period and one example from the 18th century; two modern hone stones; two pieces of modern shoe leather; two modern chisels; a .303 bullet shell dating to c. 1939-45; a modern counterweight and an unidentified metal piece of possible medieval date. The church appeared to date to the 13th century with the excavations revealing the remains of a square tower, probably added to the south-west end of the church in the 15th century. The wider walls would certainly have borne the weight of such a structure. The excavation is published in the Donegal Annual No. 45, 1993. Richard Crumlish, 4 Lecka Grove, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. Excavation licence number 02E0909: Testing was carried out on 24 June 2002 in compliance with a condition of planning permission for the construction of eight houses. The site lies partly within the constraint area of SMR 25:40, an unlocated holy well, and close to SMR 25:39, a ringfort. Another ringfort (SMR 25:43), the ruined Tullaghobegley Church (SMR 25:42) and the site of a removed court tomb (SMR 25:41) are nearby. Before testing, a well-preserved limekiln was observed in the southern part of the site, but this will not be affected by the proposed development. Seventeen trenches were opened, all revealing a similar stratigraphy. Topsoil and sod consistently overlay blue/grey boulder clay, which in turn overlay an iron-rich, yellow/brown clay with fragments of schist bedrock. Nothing of archaeological significance was recorded in any of the trenches. (Excavations Bulletin 2002) Tom Rogers, Moore Ltd, Unit 6, Riveroaks, Claregalway, Co. Galway. Additional information uploaded: 26 November 2014