Templemore (in Ruins), Deartheach (in Ruins) — Inchcleraun

National Monument No. 91. The largest building also known as the 'abbey church' (Hills 1860, 335) stands in the ESE quadrant of the ecclesiastical enclosure or monastic cashel (LF021-048001-) of Inchcleraun. One of a group of six churches, four of which are located inside the monastic enclosure/cashel. Templedermot (LF021-48002-) is 4m to the S, Templemurry (LF021-048006-) 18m to the N and the Church of the Dead 40m to the NW. Lady Church or Temple Muire (LF021-048007-) located outside the monastic enclosure is 95m to the SW and the Belfry Church (LF021-046----) 400m to the NW. These ruins marked on the OS 6-inch maps as 'Templemore' are the remains of a 13th century Augustinian priory, perhaps Arrouasian, that was dedicated to St. Mary. The monastery adopted the rule of St. Augustine some time after 1140 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 178). In 1442, Hilarius O'Ferral, an Augustinian Canon of Cloontuskert, Co. Roscommon replaced Nemias MacGrayn as prior of the Augustinian priory of St. Mary, Inis Clochlayn (Cal. papal letters 1909, 269). The priory was suppressed c. 1541 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 178). In 1570, Thomas Philipps was granted a 21 year lease of 'Insheloghrene [Inchcleraun] with four messuages and the stone walls of a monastery' (Nicholls 1994, 198). The Tudor Fiants records that the townland of 'Insheloghrene' was also known as 'Inchemore' and places the monastery in County Roscommon, however this entry may have been a reference to Inchcleraun. In 1590 the lease of the island of 'Incheloughrene, containing certain stone walls of a monastery' were granted to Richard Power (Nicholls 1994, 127). In 1908-09 the OPW carried out repair works on several churches at Inchcleraun which included 'several churches extensive pointing. Stiles erected to prevent the entrance of cattle into the larger church (77th Rep. public works, Ire. 1908-9, 53). In 1932-33 the OPW carried out further repair works which included the clearing of ivy from all the churches (101st Rep. public works, Ire. 1932-3). The present remains comprise of a rectangular single cell multi-period church (ext. dims. 16.1m E-W, 8m N-S, int. dims. E-W, N-S , wall T 0.8m) which is orientated on an E-W axis, with a range of claustral buildings including a pointed stone-vaulted sacristy, chapter house, with possible refectory (dining hall) at first floor level and the remains of a cloister garth (garden) and ambulatory (walled passageway), all of which was added to the N side of the church in the 15th century (Stalley 1991, 78). The masonry at the W end of the N wall and of the original W gable of the priory church is similar to that of the earliest church in the complex, 'Templedermot' (LF021-048002-), which is located 6m to the S. This similar masonry style suggests that that the priory church was built with stone from the same geological source or quarry or alternatively that this section of wall is contemporary with the construction of Templedermot. If the latter is correct it would suggest that this section of wall and the W gable predates the construction of the remaining walls of the priory church (Hills 1860, 335). There are possibly four building phases visible in the fabric of the priory church, a pre-12th century phase visible in the masonry style of the W end of the N wall, the semicircular-arched ashlar window embrasure in the S wall suggests a 12th century phase, a 13th century phase indicated by the pointed windows and a 15th century phase consisting of the ogee-headed window and traceried window of the E range of cloister buildings to the N of the church. There are several loose architectural fragments decorated with Romanesque carvings of 12th century date lying on the surface of the ground inside the stone-vaulted sacristy off the E end of the N wall of the church. There are several other chevron decorated fragments of 12th century date lying on the floor of the sacristy. There is no evidence today for the original doorway of the priory church but it was probably located in the centre of the W wall. A painting of the church by Daniel Grose in the late 18th / early 19th century shows a large gap in the centre of the W wall which may have been the remains of a broken out doorway (Stalley 1991, 78). In 1860 it was suggested that the E end of the priory church had been rebuilt some time after the monastery was attacked in 1193 by Gilbert de Nangle (Hills 1860, 335). Today the priory church is lit by two single light lancet windows of 13th century date (Leask 1960, vol. 2, 72) that were reset into pointed window embrasures of 15th century date in the centre of the E gable. Externally the two 13th century pointed windows of different styles have been inserted into the E gable probably during the 15th century rebuild. The window to the N is a narrow lancet with pointed head constructed with dressed jambstones with a roll and keel moulding. The window to the S has dressed jambstones with an external rebate. Originally these windows may have been located elsewhere within the church and during the rebuilding phase in the 15th century they were removed and inserted as a pair of lights into the E gable of the priory church. The insertion of these two windows into the E gable of the church cut across an earlier aumbry which had a double opening located on the S side of the gable close to the SE angle. During this rebuilding phase a new flat headed aumbry with chamfered surround was inserted into an earlier double piscina of 12th century date that was separated by a central octagonal column, the base of which survives intact. A destroyed medieval altar at the E end of the priory church was described in 1860 as 'the altar, thrown down by some malicious person in recent years, was of the same date as the east windows. Fragments of its angle stones, well moulded, testify to this point' (Hills 1860, 335). There are two single light windows in the E half of the S wall of the priory church. That furthest to the E is a small, narrow round-headed window of 12th century date which is set into a round arched embrasure constructed with ashlar masonry. The second window which is set higher up in the wall is a 15th century twin-light, mullioned window of which only the basal portions survive. A broken out doorway in the centre of the N wall of the church gave access to the ambulatory of the cloister to the N of the church. A second doorway at the E end of the N wall of the priory church gave access to a small stone-vaulted sacristy. A second adjoining chamber (int. dims. 10.75m N-S, 2.4m E-W), possibly the chapter house or dormitory to the N forms the E range of claustral buildings. The first floor above these two chambers runs the full length of the E side of the cloister and may have been the refectory of the priory. The N splay of a broken out doorway at first floor level can still be seen in the E wall of the refectory. This doorway gave access to a possible angle tower or garderobe or to an external stairs on the NE angle of the precinct wall of the priory. The sacristy is lit by a 15th-century single-light ogee-headed window with hollowed spandrels and hood moulding above located in the E wall. A small aumbry is located at the S end of the W wall near the SW angle of the room. There is no doorway or any architectural feature in the N wall of the sacristy which is the partition wall between the sacristy and the adjoining chapter house or dormitory. This latter chamber is accessed off the ambulatory of the cloister through a destroyed doorway in the N end of the W wall. This chamber has a wooden ceiling above and is lit by two single light windows located in the E wall. A small aumbry is located at the E end of the N wall. The important first floor chamber of this claustral building runs the entire length of the E range, possibly serving as the refectory or dining hall of the priory (Bigger 1900, 78). It is spacious and well lit with two splayed windows located at the S end of the E wall. In the