Grave Yard — Kilshannig

Kilshannig Church and Graveyard/Cill Seanaigh: This site lies near the shoreline on the E side of Scraggane Bay, at the tip of the Magharees Peninsula. It is traditionally associated with St. Senach, as is the early church site on nearby Illauntannig (KE019-002001-), and the present irregularly-shaped graveyard may enclose the site of an Early Christian foundation. However, the cross-slab that stands within the church is the only visible remnant of the latter. About 350m along the seashore to N, there is a large boulder, Cloch an Turais, which was formerly a place of pilgrimage on Good Fridays (An Seabhac 1939, 267). In 2012 a graveyard survey carried out by Laurence Dunne recorded the following details: 'Kilshannig graveyard [KE027-002002-] is situated on the shoreline near Rough Point on the east side of Scraggane Bay that juts out at the end of a tombola on the N side of the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry. The medieval church of Kilshannig, Cill Senach is associated with the 7th century saint, Senach who is also associated with the nearby monastic site [KE019-002001-] of Illauntannig. The existing rectangular parish church dates to the high medieval period but the association of the site with the early St. Senach as well as the presence of an early chi-rho cross-slab (KE027-002003-) within the church demonstrate that the sites origins date from around the 7th century. The triangular shaped graveyard is enclosed by rubblestone walls along all of its boundaries varying in internal height from as low as 0.20 in sections around the curving S shoreline to almost 3m along the E boundary. The walls are in general good condition however the low S shoreline boundary wall area suffers from the ingress of blown sand that reduces the effectiveness of the already low wall where the ‘soldier’ capping is all that is visible in places. Entrance is through a modern galvanised gate pivoting between two solid square rubblestone piers with forward ribbon pointing and rounded gravel cement capping. An unused step-stile is provided abutting the N pier however visitors generally use an ad hoc sidestep around the S pier on the shore side. There are eighteen tombs in Kilshannig graveyard and church mainly of the strong-box variety. There is a single gabled house type also, (Goodwin, TB 1). The majority of them are constructed of local rubble limestone and rendered white. A total of fifty-one, (51) modern named headstones (HN) were recorded in Kilshannig graveyard. A total of seventy-five (75) unnamed unhewn gravemarkers were recorded dispersed throughout the north and eastern limits of the graveyard. There are four exposed lintelled graves one of which is situated immediately inside the main breach in the S elevation of the church while the three others are situated immediately outside the E gable' (Dunne 2012, 1-7). See attached plan and photographs courtesy of Laurence Dunne. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 858. 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: 6 July 2022