Hugh Mac Bricks Church (in Ruins) — An Baile Mór

Hugh MacBrick's Church (National Monument No. 139 (1)): Situated at the edge of a narrow ridge of Slieve League. The land rises on the S and SW to the cliff and falls away steeply to Lough Agh on the N. On the E the ridge is level and the land falls away again on the SE. The ruins are in a parlous condition and the whole is littered with collapse which obscures the outline of the drystone-built remains. Only the interior wall face of the church c. 6.5m by 3m internally, survive to any extent, c. 1.5m in height; some courses of the exterior face of the S and N walls survive. The interior E corner of a doorway in the S wall is in situ but the upper courses are inclined inwards. The church is bounded on the E and SE by a sub-right-angled section of wall, c. 2m thick; it is collapsed at the NE end. There are the remains of a structure on the N but its outline is obscured by fallen rubble. Some 3m SW of the church are the collapsed remains of a beehive structure or clochan (DG090-004002-), partly built into the slope of the mountain; the entrance is on the E. Three 'Holy Wells' (DG090-004003-; DG090-004005-; DG090-004006-) are noted on the OS 6-inch map near the church. Approximately 20m N of the church is a cross-inscribed pillar stone (DG090-004004-) and possible cross (DG090-004007-) rising from the top of a low drystone platform or leacht (DG090-004008-), known locally as 'The Shrine', which stands beside one of the holy wells (DG090-004006-). A second holy well (DG090-004005-) is 25m to the E and a third holy well (DG090-004003-) is 34m to the SE. Approximately 26 cairns (penitential stations), three of which may be the remains of hut sites, are strung along both edges of the narrow ridge of Slieve League. These hut sites (DG090-004009-/DG090-004010-/DG090-004011-) and penitential cairns (DG090-004012-) are located c. 60m W of the 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. Date of upload/ revision: 5 December 2017