Duagh Church (in ruins) — Islandboy (iveragh By.)

Duagh Church (in ruins), graveyard (KE017-005001-) located in the townland of Islandboy (An tOileán Buí), in the parish of Duagh (Dubháth/black ford), in the medieval diocese of Ardfert and the barony of Clanmaurice (Clann Mhuiris). In 1483 there is a reference to Patrick Fitzmaurice who succeeded Edmund Fitzmaurice as priest of the parish church of Edua (Dubh-áth na Féile) in the diocese of Ardfert (O'Connell and Costello 1958, 30-1). According to an entry in the Cal. papal letters, xii. 582 an arrangement had developed by which the abbot of O'Dorney monastery (Abbeydorney Monastery KE021-053001-) 'farmed' the revenues of Duagh and Cúil-Ó-dTaidhg (Ballynahaglish parish KE028-045----) on behalf of the rector appropriate in Connall abbey (KD023-016----), Co. Kildare who used to receive from the two parishes an annual income of one mark sterling (ibid.). In 1466 a papal letter sent to 'The abbot of the monastery of the Apostles Peter and Paul, Ratuaych [Ratoo KE009-056004-], in the diocese of Ardfert' concerning the petition of Edmund, abbot of the Cistercian monastery of St.Mary, O'Dorney (de Kyrieleyson) regarding the two rectories of Cuylogoich [Cúil-Ó-dTaidhg KE028-045----] and Dubhact [Duagh] which were united to the Augustinian monastery of St. Mary, Connayl, Kildare (Cal. papal letters, 582-3). The petition stated that the tithes 'of which rectories have been wont to be granted by the abbot and convent of Connayl for a farm or yearly pension of one mark sterling, but are at present withdrawn to the said monastery on account of the non-payment of the said pension although they have been detained against the will and consent of the said abbot and convent by Maurice Fizmores [Fitzmaurice], clerk, of the said diocese of Ardfert; and that if the said fruits etc. were leased and assigned for life to the said abbot Edmund for such farm or pension, he would try to recover the said rectories and fruits etc. from the said Maurice, who is powerful, and would pay the said pension yearly to the abbot and convent of Connayl, and that this would be to the manifest advantage of both the said abbots and monasteries. The pope therefore hereby orders the above abbot to summon the said abbot and convent of Connayl and Maurice and others concerned, and if he find the foregoing to be true, to grant the said fruits etc. for life to abbot Edmund for a farm or yearly pension of one mark sterling, to be paid yearly to the abbot and convent of Connayl, removing therefrom any unlawful detainers'. The ruins of the medieval parish church of Duagh stands in the W quadrant of the graveyard, and has been built on a limestone outcrop with steep escarpments to the N, E and S. Very little remains of this church. The N wall and E gable have completely disappeared, and only a small section of the W gable remains along with the S wall, so overall dimensions of the church could not be obtained. The S wall remains are 19.5m long and 0.8m thick. There are two gaps in the wall: one, 3.5m from the W gable, measures 1.4m wide, the other, 11.2m from the W gable, measures 0.7m wide. The wall ranges from 0.5m- 1.4m high. Only a tiny section of the W gable, 10.7m N of the SW corner of the church, survives. It measures 5m long, c 1m high and 1.8m thick. The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 957. 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: 18 May 2022