Site of Templemichael — Templemichael

Temple Michael Church located to the east of Caherconlish was described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 92) as following; 'The site of this church is marked on the O.S. map to the east of the village but nothing survives there except a grassy knoll c.22m east-west by 20m north-south and c.2m high with wall footings in no coherent pattern. It is said that some of Ginkel’s soldiers were buried here and a stone decorated with an animal is recorded from the site (Lynch 1896, 350)'. In 1840 the Ordnance Survey Name Books recorded the following; 'The ruins of this church are in a green field, planted with fir trees. it is about 60 [20m] by 30 [10m] feet, is level with the ground, and is covered with grass. It is said to have been an old Friary. The inhabitants also say that is was once surrounded by a spacious graveyard, and this seems confirmed by the discovery of great antiquities of human bones and the remains of coffins in 1819, while the field was being cultivated' (OSNB). Westropp (1904-5, 441) recorded the following details about Templemichael; 'Temple Mighill, in Clanwilliam, granted to John Friend, Oct., 1666 (Act Sett.). Site - Foundations, 60 feet by 30 feet ; in a burial-ground'. Situated immediately NE of a road, an area of rough grass SE of the front garden of a newly-built house, on a gentle NW-facing slope with good views to W, N and E. Indicated on the 1923 OS 6-inch map as a sub-oval area (c. 30m E-W; 15m N-S) immediately N of a road. The monument is heavily obscured by grassy vegetation but is evident as a sub-oval area (17m E-W) defined by a scarped edge (Wth 5.5m; H 1.3m). Referred to in the Ordnance Survey Letters as the site of an old church called Teampall Mhíchíl; 'the inhabitants of the place say there was a grave yard here formerly; human bones and old coffins were found in 1819 whilst the ground was dug up when the field was under cultivation' (OSL vol. 2, p. 412). Archaeological monitoring under licence No. 02E1588 by Brian Hodkinson of the groundworks for a private house development in the vicinity of a church and enclosure at Templemichael, Caherconlish, revealed no features or deposits of archaeological significance. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 31 October 2018