Killian Church — Killian

On S slope of a hill in undulating grassland. According to local tradition, this was once the site of a 'monastery'. The visible remains comprise a triangular graveyard (E-W 110m, N-S 60m), bounded by a mortared stone wall, which is skirted along SE and SW sides by the county road. Within the graveyard are two structures: (a GA046-050002-) fragmentary remains of the church marked on OS 6-inch maps, probably a medieval parish church. This consists of a rectangular building (E-W; L >16.7m, Wth >6.8m) of which only the ivy-covered S wall still stands (Wth 1m, H 3.5m). A gap (Wth 1.4m) in the masonry towards its W end probably marks the site of the plain pointed arch doorway illustrated in OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1927, Vol. 1, 107-8). There are also traces of a broken single-light window towards E end of this wall. All that survives of E wall are some wall-footings, while nothing is visible of W or N walls. However, at W end of the building, there is a small overgrown rectangular structure (N-S 6.8m, E-W 4.7m), possibly a grave plot partly overlying the original walls. (b GA046-050003-) Close by to W, is a second, fairly well-preserved by ivy-covered, rectangular building (WNW-ESE; L 9.3m, Wth 5.4m), possibly a 17-18th-C chapel. There is a round-headed doorway in W wall, opposing aumbries in N and S walls, and a small flat-headed window in E wall. The latter is now blocked, partially by a modern concrete altar-like construction beneath it which is surmounted by a cross. This houses a fine coat of arms, possibly that of the Cheevers family of Killian House, some of whom are buried in the interior. A burial vault abuts W end of the external face of N wall of this building. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010