Church Island — Church Island (iveragh By., Loughcurrane Ed)

National Monument No. 60. Church Island/Oileán an Teampail described by O'Sullivan and Sheehan (1996, 316-22, no. 974) as follows; 'This large, flat island is located towards the N end of Lough Currane. Measuring a maximum of 140m N-S x 190 E W, it is associated with St Finan Cam who is reputed to have founded a monastery on it in the Sixth century (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 31). It has been erroneously connected with St Malachy of Armagh since O'Hanlon's suggestion that Ibracense, where Malachy founded a monastery c. 1127, was to be identified as Iveragh (1872, 107-9; Lynch 1908, 368-9). The island is referred to as 'Inis Uasail' sub anno 1058 in the Annals of Inisfallen (Mac Airt 1951, 219), and Hickson (1888, 446) suggested that it was to be identified with the Eccia de ....agh' which was included in the Papal Taxation List (1302-06) for the diocese of Ardfert (Cal Docs Ire, V, 297). The rectory of 'Inis Uasail' is mentioned in 1418 in Regestum Supplicationum (Nicholls 1971, 84), and in 1622 'Inishouele' was noted as being the 'one prebend left of the ruined church of Aghadoe' (TCD MS 2158, 48). The remains on the island are extensive. At its E end is a small Romanesque church, a burial ground, ten cross-inscribed slabs, three leacht-type structures and a number of uninscribed pillar stones. A narrow causeway runs from here along the N shore of the island to its W end, where a corbelled structure known as St Finan's Cell is located. Occupying much of the remainder of the island are old field boundaries, among which are located several rectangular house sites. St Finan's Church: This Romanesque church is located within a burial ground that is enclosed by a modern stone wall and railings. The present remains consist of a nave and a chancel, the chancel being an addition. A date late in the twelfth century seems likely for the construction or the nave, based on the style of its doorway, while a date shortly after 1200 is probable for the addition of the chancel and its arch (information: E. Rynne). The church was illustrated by both Windele and Dunraven (RIA MS 12 C 11; 1875, 62) prior to being conserved and partially rebuilt by the OPW during the 1880s. Externally the nave measures 9m E-W x 5.96m N-S. Its side-walls stand to nearly full height, while its W gable is preserved to just below eaves level. The walls are constructed of horizontally coursed split-stone rubble set in lime mortar, with ashlar quoins at W. Along the W gable and the W end of the N side-wall is a .2m wide internal plinth, formed of slabs laid lengthwise. Midway along the external faces of both side-walls is an unusual L-shaped stone, projecting at a height of 2.55m above ground level; of uncertain purpose these stones may have been used to stabilize the roof structure. Internally the nave measures 7.25m x 4.15m. The round-headed W doorway, of reddish-brown sandstone, inclines very slightly in elevation and has jambs of four orders. It is fitted externally with the remains of a projecting hood. Some sections of the columns and a number of the voussoirs are either missing or were positioned incorrectly during the conservation work. The hood-mould was fitted with carved anthropomorphic heads as stops, only the S example of which is preserved in situ; this, however, is not depicted in Wakeman's sketch of the doorway contained in RIA MS 12 T 16. Its chamfered arris features pyramidal boss decoration. The hood-moulding, in fact, seems out of place and may be derived from the chancel arch (information: E. Rynne). The two outer orders are wrought at the angles into plain three-quarter columns with scalloped capitals. "The capitals are weathered, as is the pellet ornament on the moulded bases. A portion of the arch ring of the second order is intact and has alternating broad and narrow fillets on its face, while narrow fillet chevrons occur on its soffit. The third order has columns with weathered spiral roll-mouldings and barely traceable lines of beading; the left jamb is intact to almost full height and its carved base features a foliate motif. The opposing jamb is surmounted by a capital with a pair of opposed ornithomorphs, possibly swans, carved on both faces. A portion of the third arch ring survives with chevron ornament carved in low relief on its face, and with a single chevron fillet on its soffit. The doorway has jambs of rectangular section which are internally rebated: some diagonal axe-tooling is apparent here. Two flagstones form the threshold. The doorway stands 2.02m high and measures 0.82m wide at base. The nave was lit by a round-headed window in the S wall. It has splayed rubble ingoings, axe-dressed scontions and a deeply plunging sill. The light, 0.39m high and 0.17m wide, is set externally in a recess with a worn, apparently chamfered, sill. Traces of plaster survive on the internal walls of the nave, particularly at S. Close to the chancel arch on the N wall, at a height of .5m, is a cross-inscribed stone (11). The chancel measures 5.75m E-W x 5m N-S externally. Its side-walls have been capped to almost full height and the gable, which inclines markedly outwards, Is supported by two buttresses. It was lit by round-headed windows at E and S. The light of the former window is 0.68m high and 0.15m wide. Its embrasure has splayed rubble ingoings with dressed scontions and a recently modified sill, which plunges deeply to a chamfered edge. The rear arch was raised on wooden centring that was supported in two small nib-holes occurring just above its springing line. Externally, the window is set in a chamfered recess with a hood-mould, above which is a projecting carved stone, possibly an inverted stylized animal-head. Only the lower portion and the W jamb of the S window survive. Its light is 0.15m wide and the embrasure had splayed rubble ingoings and dressed scontions, few of which are preserved. The former existence of a round-headed rear arch to this window is indicated by the presence of an infilled nib-hole. Set against the E gable, directly beneath the window, is a stone-built altar which measures 1.6m x 0.84m and stands 0.8m high. The corners are of dressed sandstone and niche, possibly a relic cavity, measuring 0.46m x 0.26m and 0.34m deep, occurs near its base at S. A number of human hones are contained in the niche. The upper surface of the altar has been reflagged in modern times. A small moulded stone, known locally as St Finan's altar stone (Lynch 1908, 371), was cemented onto the altar until its recent disappearance. Adjacent to the S window of the chancel is an aumbry; constructed of slate flags, it measures 0.64m x 0.32m and 0.62m deep. All that remains in situ of the chancel arch is its S jamb. This rests on a demi-hexagonal base, which bears a hollow fillet surmounting a convex one. It consists of a half column set against jambs of square section with chamfered arrises. A bowtell moulding divides the half column, and a portion of a squat moulded capital remains on top. Three carved stones have been cemented onto the top of the capital of the chancel arch: (1) A small stone cross measuring 0.3m x 0.18m; (2) A fully carved anthropomorphic head, now somewhat damaged; (3) A rectangular block of reddish sandstone, on which a figure playing a stringed instrument with a bow is carved in relief. Locally known as the 'Fiddle Stone', its decorated face measures .38m x .25m, and remnants of a moulded border at top and bottom indicate that this stone may derive from a decorative frieze. Several other architectural fragments lie in the chancel. These include three sections of columns and four voussoirs. The latter are probably derived from the arch ring of the second order of the W doorway. On the N Side of the altar is a stone with a shallow hollow and half of a mill-stone.' The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances th