Church (in Ruins), Grave Yd. — Kilbride (ballycowan By.)

Located on high ground with good extensive views in all directions with a natural well known as St. Brigids well to the S. Rectangular church (int. dims. 16m E-W; 7.5m N-S; wall T 1m) constructed of roughly coursed limestone rocks of varying size with W and E gables surviving to full height with only sections of the N and S walls intact. Narrow slit round headed window in the centre of the W gable with twin light ogee headed window on the E gable with external hood moulding and horizontal terminals. Partial evidence for two windows on the S wall with no evidence of any windows on the N wall which has recently collapsed. Stone fragments of a possible tracery window which belonged to the central window on the S wall can be seen lying on top of a nearby table-top tomb. Evidence of a possible doorway on the W end of the S wall. The enclosing graveyard (OF016-021001-) contains many headstones of 18th/19th-century date. Possible late medieval graveslab (OF016-021002-) broken in two pieces inside church. The decoration consists of a long thin latin cross carved in relief with a border surrounding the slab which is slightly tapered. No inscription visible. Testing was carried out under licence no. 02E0291 at Kilbride, Co. Offaly, before the construction of a one-storey dwelling, garage and associated services. The site is c. 100m south-west of a church and graveyard. The church is medieval, and the graveyard contains several 18th- and 19th-century headstones (O'Brien and Sweetman 1997, 99). Although the site is now primarily agricultural land, an examination of the first-edition OS 6-inch map showed that a building existed on the western part of the site at the time of survey. This was on the eastern side of, and adjacent to, a north-south-oriented field boundary that is also visible on the first-edition map, dividing the present site in two. Five trenches were opened. Three were completely sterile, and the other two contained a thin layer of burnt clay, of post-medieval origin. Áine Richardson, Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Unit 2F, Dungarvan Business Park, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 23 May 2011