St Macadaws Church (in ruins) — Glenderry

St Macadaw's (Mhic a’Deághaidh) Church (in ruins), graveyard (KE013-023003-). This church is situated on the S coastline of Kerry Head and is called Kilvicada Church, Cill Mhic Deá, meaning the 'Church of the son of Daigh' i.e. the church of St Erc. This church was constructed of large sandstone blocks and is situated in a graveyard. Extensive burials both within and in the immediate vicinity of the church have resulted in a substantial rise in the ground level. The church is rectangular in plan and measures 13.7m x 5.56m externally. The walls measure 1m thick and rise to a maximum of c 2m high. A modern path leads to the 1m wide door in the S wall. There was also a narrow slit window on this wall, but it has now been blocked up. Both gables are featureless, as is the N wall. About 3m from the E gable there is a square stone mound, 3.2m x 3.2m, and situated on top of this is a sculptured rock which had a cross painted in red on its side. The cross can still be seen. There is an alcove at the top of the sculptured rock to hold the round amulets locally known as 'bauleys'. According to tradition, two round amulets were blessed by St Erc and are believed to be a cure for all evils and ills. One of the bauleys lies in the graveyard, while the other is held in safe-keeping by the local Corridan family, who hold exclusive burial rights to the graveyard. The use and tradition of these amulets is interesting; a quantity of water is taken from the nearby holy well (KE013-026----) and placed in a vessel with the amulet, and the water is then drunk in honour of St Erc. In 1841 the Ordnance Survey recorded the following details'; 'In the Townland of Glendaghalin East is situated an old Church in ruins, called Teampall Daithlionn [KE014-001---], about three hundred yards from the Shannon and about two miles from Kerry Head point. There is a holy well about one hundred yards Eastward of the ruin called in the Name Book Tobar na Súl, the Well of the Eyes [KE014-002----], it’s water, it is said, is dedicated to Saint Daithlionn from whom the Church and Glen in (at) which it is situated were denominated. The festival Day of the Saint is not remembered; the well is frequented on Saturdays by persons troubled with sore eyes. This Saint Daithlionn, it is said, was a sister to Mac-Deaghaidh whose Church has been described above; and the two Churches were distant about two and a half miles from each other and situated on each side of Kerry head. The Church of Saint Mac Deaghaidh [KE013-023001-] stood on the South side, and his sister’s Church on the North side' (OSL). Folklore collected from Glenderry School recorded the following details about The Church of the Son of David; 'A mile from the point of Kerry head there is a height, and on it there is a church called The church of the son of David." No one is buried there but the Corridons. Before a Corridon dies there is a light seen there. There is a stone there outside the church yard and if any one takes it away it would come back again the following day. It is a very ancient church. There is nothing there now but the walls and ruins of it. They say there is a Bishop buried under this stone by the name of Bishop Erc, who lived and died there long ago' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0417C, Pages 02_010-11; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5236104/5232577). Folklore collected from Glenderry School recorded the following tradition about Keelmicada; 'About half a mile from the point of Kerryhead near the cliffs of Ballyheigue, there is a church called Keelmicada. Long ago there was a monastery there and monks and a bishop lived there. But the enemy came and carried away the monks and destroyed the place but the bishop escaped. Soon after that the bishop saw a light across the sea and he followed it and he saw it was Saint Brendan was then born. There is nothing standing there now only the old walls. Bishop Erc is buried there now and there is a mound over him and a long stone standing up, and a round stone on top of it. There is no one buried in this church only the Corridons, and a light is seen or a cry heard when a Corridon is going to die at home or in foreign lands' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0417C, Pages 04_007-008; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5236104/5232681). Folklore collected from Booleenshare School recorded the following details about Cill Mhic Adá; 'In a wild sequestered spot overlooking the bold rugged cliffs of Kerryhead is an old ruin called Cíll Mhic Adá. From the few remains that are still left it appears that the place was of some repute in former times and tradition is also rich in the accounts of the place. Nothing is now left however to indicate of its former glory, save one old crumbling wall formed of immense mountain boulders and surrounding the old tombs which are still the burial place of the Corridon family. The tombs which are three in number are situated within the wall, and outside is one high mound resembling a grave or tomb, supporting on top, a conical slab about 3 ft. high. On a niche on this slab is a smooth circular stone about as large as an orange which is still used as a mascot or a talisman by the Corridon family in times of sickness or disaster of any kind. According to legendary accounts a monastery existed in Keel at a very early age, for it is said that Bishop Erc often visited there. During one of his visits a bright light was seen from Keel across the Bay around the slopes of Mt. Brandon. The Bishop on being consulted told the monks that the light revealed, that a great saint of the Church was born that night. Next day they set out from Cill Mhic Adá found the new born Babe, whom Bishop baptised and who was no other than the great St. Brendan. The ruins of the old monastery are still to be seen a few hundred yards to the east of the old church Keelmacada. Nothing is now left but a pile of stones, surrounding by a grassy mound although until recent years, a stone image of St. Ida was to be seen in what was once the gable of the old monastery. This image or statue is said to have been brought by the Corridons from Clare and presented to the son of St. Ida who was a monk in the monastery at Keelmacada. In a deep glen covered with bracken and ivy to the south of the old ruin is a grassy slope from which issues a stream called St. Macada's well. The Corridon family often go in pilgrimage to this well. It is said that the old church is sometimes seen enveloped in a bright light, which is a sign that death is approaching one of the Corridon family. Many people have seen the light and in every case the truth of the saying is fulfilled for a funeral goes to the old church always after its appearance. A sound of weeping and the Irish "Caoine" is said also to be heard at Keelmacada when the death of a Corridon takes place over the seas' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0417, Pages 377-9;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4678380/4673786). See attached photograph courtesy of Amanda Clarke The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 942. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Caimin O’Brien Date of revised upload: 19 May 2022