Site of Insula Vitae Abbey — Kilcolman

Depicted on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map as a rectangular building annotated as 'Site of Insula Vitae Abbey' and shown standing in E quadrant of graveyard (OF038-007004-). On the 1910 ed. OS 25-inch map this church building is annotated as 'Insula Vitae Abbey (in Ruins)' with site of church (OF038-007001-) 30m to SSW. St. Colman's holy well site (OF038-007002-) and bullaun stone (OF038-007005-) 55m to SSW. The Ordnance Survey Letters of 1838 recorded that the 'tradition in the place is that St. Colman [of Doire Mór] founded a monastery here, from whom the Parochial name Kilcolman (ecclesia S. Colmani) is formed' (O' Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 31). However this tradition appears to be incorrect as the church of Doire/Daire Mór is located in the townland of Longfordpass North (TN042-025----), Co. Tipperary (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 389; Manning 1997, 359; Ó Riain 2011, 196). In 1503 there is a reference to 'sancti Colimani Nigri' which translates as 'Saint Colman the dark or black' after whom Kilcolman may have been called (Gleeson and Costello 1943, 90). Described in the Civil Survey of 1654-56 as 'the church of Killcolman' (Simington 1961, 32). Church depicted standing close to the stream on the 1654-7 Down Survey maps of Clonlisk Barony and Kilcolman Parish (NLI MS 716 (32, 33)). At W end of natural hillock overlooking partially reclaimed wet land from S through W to N, with higher dry ground to E. Overlooking stream 90m to W. Ruins of a rectangular church (dims. 8.4m N-S x 16.7m E-W; wall T 0.8m) standing in E quadrant of graveyard, built with intermittently coursed limestone rubble with some large boulders at base of wall clearly visible on S face. N, S and W walls survive to full height (H 3.5m) with line of E gable which has been partially rebuilt. Evidence of modern repairs carried out on N wall of church and possibly to the W window which has been inserted back to front and does not belong to this window embrasure originally. Church entered through a broken out pointed doorway (Wth 1.35m) located off centre to W in S wall. Drawbar slot (dims. 0.15m x 0.15m; L 2m) visible in E side of broken out doorway gap. Elongated carved head projecting out from face of wall directly above doorway now covered in ivy. The single light W window in the centre of the W gable has been repaired or rebuilt at some stage and a late medieval twin-light round headed window head was inserted back to front into this window embrasure. The soffit of the window head has a glazing groove and iron bar hole visible. There is good evidence of lime based render which is still attached to the internal faces of the W and S walls of the church. Traces of whitewashed plaster still adheres to the inner faces of the window embrasure. A broken out window embrasure can be seen located off centre to E in the S wall of the church. No window openings or any broken out gaps in the upstandign N wall of the church. The Ordnance Survey Letters of 1838 suggested that these church ruins may have been built in the 17th century by Colonel Oxburgh of Boveen Castle (O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 31). It is possible that this church building was incorrectly identified as part of the abbey by the Ordnance Survey in 1838. The Ordnance Survey Letters state that 'the old Abbey founded by this saint stood near Mr. Dillon's cottage in Kilcolman Townland, where a road runs by it, and that some of the stones of the building remain on the original site, now comprising partly of the fence along the roadside. The spot is known to Mr. Dillon, who calls his own cottage by the name of 'Insula Vitae', which was, he says, the name given by St. Colman to the place when first he fixed his establishment in it' (O'Flanagan 1933, vol 2, 31). 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. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revision: 16 September 2014