Church in Dinneens,killeacle

In 1939 Captain D.B. O’Connell of Killarney recorded the following details about a stone head and a door-jamb recovered from the field wall running across the S face of Ardconnell Hill; ‘About 500 yds [457m] W, by S from the prominent landmark, the gallauns [KE020-020001-] on the summit of Ardconnell Hill is a small standing stone. These two stones mark off an area which, at one time, was fairly thickly populated. The large Fort marked as “Caherferta” [KE020-037----] has been levelled by a former owner of the land but, besides this there are extensive remains of habitation-sites of some kind. Along the S face of the rising ground (shown by the contour-line) attempts at quarrying have been made into the out-crop which forms the hill and the top of the hill shows numerous foundation sites and old field-fences now demolished. The only stone walls now standing is the long one (Marked C.W.) which turns S with the townland boundary, continues S until it turns E below the brow of the hill and so back to the road. I wish to draw attention to “finds” made amongst the stones of this wall where it runs N and South. The most interesting was a block of limestone 14 ins [0.35m] long by 9 ins [0.22m] high by 7 ins [0.17m] thick. This is “dressed” and squared on five sides. On the right-hand side of the major face is a crudely-cut, much weathered but perfectly recognisable human head in high relief and about 9 ins [0.22m] high by 6 ins [0.15m] broad. The eye-brows, nose and mouth are clear though the nose is worn and flattened. The shape of the head and face is markedly pear-shaped as if a pointed beard was being suggested. The general appearance gives me the impression that it is early work. This stone has been placed (for ease of recovery) at the base of the standing stone. A rather hurried search of the wall-stones nearby led to the finding of a second stone this, being rather complicated, is given in section. It was evidently part of a door-jamb [KE020-073002-] and is skilfully and accurately dressed. One surface was decorated with small but regular “pocking”. A curious feature of this stone is the deep square groove or channel cut across the face “A”. If, as I suggest, the stone was a door-jamb, the direction and position of this channel would allow it to be used in connection with a door-bar. I have not had time to find out whether Killeacle ever was the site of a Church. Certainly, the name suggest this. Joyce gives “Church of the Tooth”. The map in Smith’s Kerry (1756 ed.) shows a church there’ (SMR File). The above fragments may have come from a church site and burial ground at Killeacle described by Lynch (1892, 80-3) as follows; 'The townland around the gallaun [KE020-020001-] is known as Ardconnel (the height of Conal), and I have no doubt that this Ardconnel is the very ancient Ardconail mentioned in the "Book of Rights " as the site of one of the Portaibh or Royal seats of the Kings of Cashel. This pillar stone, which is a very remarkable one, visible from every point of the compass for many miles, consists of a block of whinstone, 8 feet [2.4m] high over the present surface, about 3 feet [0.9m] broad, and 15 inches [0.4m] thick, must have been brought from the cliffs near Kerry Head, about 9 miles distant, where stones of that kind are found in large quantities. This may have been the monumental stone of the illustrious chief Conal, whose name is thus preserved by the townland designation, but of whose name and fame history and legend are silent. The gallaun is surrounded by a shallow trench and embankment forming a circle [KE020-020002-] about 40 yards in diameter. Within about 13 perches [65m] west of the gallaun on the same ridge are the remains of what must have been a large and strong Cashel or Cahir, called Cahirfert [KE020-037----], and farther west again on the tableland forming the top or back of the ridge there are remains of an ancient burial ground where probably the early church of Kileacle which gives name to the adjoining townland had been, but of any buildings there are no vestiges at present'. Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 13 June 2022