Dromkeen Church (in ruins) — Dromkeen South

Situated on high ground with panoramic views in all directions overlooking Dromkeen House and Castle (LI024-003----) 170m to NNE. The medieval parish church ruins of Dromkeen (Westropp 1904-5, 443) stand immediately S of N wall of graveyard (LI024-001002-) with ruins of 19th century C. of I. church standing 20m to S. Well preserved remains of a rectangular single cell church (ext. dims. 8.65m E-W x 6.85m N-S; Wall T 0.8-0.85m) of which the E gable stands to near full height along with section of N and S walls, only the lower courses of the W wall (H 0.8m) remain upstanding. The W wall of the church has been partially rebuilt and capped with concrete with a medieval cross-slab (LI024-001003-) set into concrete surround on top of the wall. No clear evidence for location of original doorway into church. A single sandstone chamfered jamb (H 0.48m x 0.22m x 0.24m; chamfer Wth 0.1m) of the medieval doorway lies up against the external face of SW angle of the church. A flat headed rectangular window (Wth 1.03m; H 1.97m) in centre of E-wall dates from the post-1700 period and probably replaced an earlier medieval twin-light window the sill-stone (L. 0.74m x 0.29m x 0.2m) of which has been reused as a quoin on the SE angle of the church. The medieval sill-stone (L 0.65m x 0.21m x 0.18m) of a single light chamfered window which may have been located in the S wall has also been reused as a quoin on the SE angle of the church. No window openings or blocked up windows visible in N wall of church. The interior of the church was used from 1693 onwards as the family burial place of the De Burgh family. The interior has a concrete floor that, according to local information, covers a burial vault. The cut-stone surround of a wall memorial dating from the 18th century has been inserted into an earlier flat-headed window embrasure (Wth 1.95m) located at E end of S wall. The plaque has been removed and has not been located. This stone is probably the inscribed plaque that read “The church was repaired in 1717 by the Rev. Rickard Burg, Lord Bishop of Ardagh, being the burial-place of the family from time immemorial. His first son was buried here in 1693” (Fitzgerald & McGregor 1826, 284). Church ruins described in 1840 as following; 'only the east gable and twenty one feet [7m] in length of the side walls now remain, which latter are ten feet [3m] high and two and a half feet [0.76m] thick. The building was raised with regular sized stones cemented with lime and sand mortar. Its breadth is seventeen feet three [5.25m] inches. On the east gable is a quadrangular window having the same form both inside and outside, on both which it is six feet seven inches [2m] high and three feet eight inches [1.1m] broad on the former and three feet four and a half inches [1m] on the latter side. It is built, with the same kind of rude stones as seen in the rest of the structure and has at top a segmental arch made of the same materials with the sides; by this is meant an arch forming a small segment of a circle' (OSL, 114). Westropp (ibid.) recorded the following details on Dromkeen; ‘Dronchyn, near Cathery Bathelach, ante 1250 (B.B.L., p. 105). Drumkeen belonged to Nic. de Interberg, value 80m. (Fitzgerald, ii., p. 397, from Plea R.); suit of Paul de Hynderberge and Jo. Harold about Drumkeyn, taken into the king's hands, 1323 (Plea R. 142 of xiv Ed. IL, m. 27; and 149 of xvii Ed. II). Fabric - It stands on high ground; the east gable, 17 feet 3 inches [5.25m] wide, and 21 feet [6.4m] of side wall, 10 feet [3m] by 2½ feet [0.76m], stand. Rude east window, with flat arch. A tablet records its repair in 1717 by Rev. Richard Burg (1693 to 1717), Lord Bishop of Ardagh, as his burial-place (Fitzgerald, i., p. 284; O.S.L., 8, p. 396); Tobereendoney Well is half a mile from the church. Compiled by: Denis Power Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 18 January 2019