Templemanaghan (Oratory) — An Baile Riabhach

National Monument No. 62. Templemanaghan/Teampall Mhanacháin or Teampall Geal (KE043-140001-) and its associated burial ground lie on the lower E slopes of Lateevemore and command a magnificent view over Dingle Harbour and the Milltown valley. The oratory (KE043-140002-) stands at the E side of the site and a cross-inscribed ogham stone stands on a modern platform in front of it. Cross-inscribed gravemarkers stand to N of the oratory. Two cross-slabs and other miscellaneous carved fragments lie inside the oratory and 4 stones of its inner face bear simple crosses. Another cross-slab noted by Macalister is now missing. Children were still being interred in the burial ground (KE043-140003-) in the 19th century (OSNB) and a turas made on Easter Sunday includes a visit to the oratory, to Poulnasaggart and to Tobermanaghan (KE043-141----) which lies c. 150m to S. Templemanachan Fig. 150: The rectangular drystone oratory, 3.35m N-S x 4.4m E-W internally, now lacks its corbelled roof and sections of the N and E walls have been largely rebuilt. The walls, which vary in thickness up to 1.6m, are built of split stone and rubble with some boulders; the inward curve of the gables is less marked than that of the side walls. The S wall, c. 2m in height, rests externally on a projecting stone plinth, partly revetted by orthostats. The E gable, 1.5m in height, has a central splayed ope with stepped sill; the window now lacks its head and the outer sill stone is inscribed with a triple-barred linear groove, but the whole may be refurbished. There is an L-shaped recess in the N wall. The W gable, preserved to a height of 2.75m, has a central lintelled doorway inclining in elevation; the slightly splayed ingoings have been partly reset in mortar and the threshold is paved. Two broken pivot stones are visible in the interior wall face, above the head of the doorway. An undecorated stone finial, similar in outline to that found at Church Island, near Valencia (O'Kelly 1958, 94-6), has been restored to the W gable. See attached photograph courtesy of Amanda Clarke The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 824. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 8 August 2013