Gartan Ráth Cnó Old Church

The early ecclesiastical site at Gartan is the reputed birthplace of Colmcille, the greatest of the Donegal saints (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 385)*. It presently consists of a complex of sites in and around a graveyard (DG044-017008-) enclosed by a modern stone wall. Within the graveyard are a number of grave markers and the remains of a structure known as the 'Abbey' (DG044-017001-). This is c. 11.8m E-W and c. 5.2m N-S externally. The walls are .7m wide and survive for the most part .3m in height occasionally reaching .6m. The surviving walls have been much interfered with and in places are obscured. An ashlar quoin occurs in the SW corner. The walls are composed of mortared outer blocks with a core of smaller stones. There are a number of gaps in the S wall. There are two modern graves in the interior. 20m NW of the graveyard on a mound of rock, is the badly preserved remains of a cross (DG044-017002-). This now survives 1.22m in height and is c. .4m in width. The arms are barely perceptible. The remains of a second badly-preserved cross (DG044-017003-) stands about 20m S of the graveyard. This is 1.4m in height and 0.55m wide. The arms of this cross are also only barely perceptible. A heap of loose stones lie against the S base of the cross. The stones are connected with a turas or pilgrimage performed at the site. To the SE of this cross is a holy well (DG044-017004-) (Ó Muirgheasa No. 61) surrounded by a modern concrete wall. Just SW of the graveyard is St. Columbkilles Chapel (DG044-017005-). This is probably the chapel described in 1622 as being in repair and having a thatched roof (Royal Commission, 217). Apparently in use in 1810 (Rowan 1979, 303) the E gable and upper part of the E window fell during a storm at the end of the century (Baillie 1898, 275). It was subsequently repaired; the missing jamb fragments of the W door and window in the S wall were replaced with modern concrete. The ruin is a simple, rubble-built rectangular church with ashlar quoins, 6m by 3.95m internally; the walls are c. 2.5m high. The round-headed single-light E window has moulded jambs with splayed ingoings and round-headed rear-arch; the jambs retain sinkings for one vertical and four transverse iron bars. There is a similar window in the S wall; its head and W jamb are modern. Beside it on the E is a wall-press. The door in the S wall and that in the W gable have chamfered jambs and pointed head; the pointed rear-arch of the former is modern. The punch dressing on the doors and windows is of 16th century character and the church is undoubtedly of that date. There is an altar set against the interior of the E gable and it is flanked by two shelf-like slabs projecting from the wall face. Abutting the N wall of the chapel but not bonded into it are the remains of a structure for the most part represented only by the grass-covered lower wall courses. In the interior is a small cairn of stones against which a flagstone with a shallow depression has been placed (DG044-017007-). The stone is semi-circular, 1.1m × 0.57m and is .16m thick. The circular depression close to the straight edge is .12m in diameter and 0.03m in depth. The complex of sites is located on pasture land sloping towards Lough Akibbon c. 800m to the E. *See Lacknacoo (DG044-021) 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