Pallas Church (in Ruins) — Pallas More

Situated on high ground in an upland area with a children's burial ground (TN020-022002-) located inside the walled graveyard which encloses the medieval church. The overgrown church and graveyard overlooks Newtown River located 230m to the E. The site of Pallas Castle also known as Shesheraghnacaslane (TN020-024001-) is 590m to the SW and Knocknacrohy Hill is 640m to the W. In 1840 the OS letters recorded that this hill was called, ‘Cnoc na Croiche, that is “Gallows Hill”, from the circumstance of a gallows having been erected there formerly for hanging culprits thereon. The spot whereon the gallows stood is till shewn, is of a circular form and remains untilled and covered. The gallows, according to local information, consisted of two sticks both of which were fixed in the extremity of the circular spot; and another stick placed across the top (O’Flanagan 1923, vol. 3, 16). Pallas church is not indicated on the 1654-56 Down Survey map of Youghal parish which depicts Pallas Castle in the area indicated on the current edition of the OS 6-inch map. Gleeson recorded the name of this church as ‘Teampuillin’ (Gleeson 1951, 97). In 1840, Thomas O’Conor wrote in the OS letters that the patron saint of this parish is, ‘Saint Cunlan, whose well (TN014-044001-) is situated in Youghal Village. His festival, as well as can be learned from the people, fell on 25th or 29th July. Some say it took place eleven days before the 1st August; if so, is should fall on the 20th or probably the 19th of July. His Crozier, or Bachall Chunnlain, was kept in the possession of a family of the Hogans. It was in the hands of the grandfather and father of Denis Hogan, who is a tailor, and lives in the townland of Creggane, about one mile south-south-east from Youghal Village, and in Youghal Parish. It is said that Dennis himself is in possession of this relic at present. It is described as being made of wood with a brass image on it’ (O’Flanagan 1923, vol. 3, 17). The present poorly preserved remains consist of only the E half of a small rectangular chapel (ext. dims. 6.95m N-S; 5m E-W; wall T 1.02m) possibly of early medieval date constructed with intermittently coursed rubble stone. A punch dressed limestone sill and single chamfered jambstone are all that remains of a single-light window visible in the E wall. A small spud stone visible on the inner face of the window sill supported an internal wooden shutter for this unglazed window. A large gap in the entre of the N wall of the church may be the remains of a broken out window. Internally there is a small aumbry at the E end of the S wall and at the S end of the E wall. Only a short section of the NW angle of the chapel walls remain upstanding with low wall footings marking the outline of the W wall of the church with no remains visible of the destroyed S wall of the chapel. Small low ivy-covered orthostats to the S and E of the church may indicate a possible burial area. The church and the overgrown graveyard (TN020-022003-) now covered with dense vegetation is enclosed by a low earth and stone bank on top of which there is a poorly preserved 19th century stone wall with evidence of a stile giving access to the graveyard on the E side of the wall. Gleeson recorded that ‘The first few courses of masonry near the ground suggest a building of 12th century but there is no identifiable feature of that period. There is a 15th cent. E. window with an aumbry and piscina’ (Gleeson 1951, 97). According to Gleeson this church ‘may have been a ‘disert’ reconstructed in the 15th century as an oratory or domestic chapel of the Mac Ui Briains, one of whose seats was at ‘The Pallas’ (Gleeson 1951, 97). In 1840 the OS letters described the condition of the church whe it recorded that the , ‘ruins are situated on a round hillock like an earthen moat of considerable extent. The Church was an oblong building and was constructed of grit stone and lime and sand mortar. On the interior part of the wall that remain some of the stones are quadrangular shaped and long; and others, but the fewer in number, are shapeless or polygonal and small. The exterior of the part of south side wall that now remains exhibits a structure of long and quadrangular shaped stones all with very little exception. The exterior of the west gable presents a structure partly of the same kind of stones as to shape and size; but for the most part of stones of smaller size. Some are long and thin, some small and some are shapeless or polygonal. The south east corner outside is destroyed, and part of the east gable at the ground at north east corner. The small portion of the north wall remaining joined to east gable exhibits on exterior a structure similar to that of exterior of east gable just noticed. The ruin now consists of the east gable reduced in height in the highest part to the original height of south side wall as seen at present. Some parts of the gable are lower than the height of the side wall just mentioned. Of the south side wall attached to east gable, partly retaining its original height just now remarked. Of a small bit of north side wall attached to east gable. The remainder of the side walls and the whole of west gable are demolished to the foundation, with the exception of two small bits of the west gable and north side wall, one of each forming the northwest angle, and about three feet [0.9m] in height on the exterior of the whole length of west gable (at the foundation). The portion of gable at north side wall remarked above as forming with it the north west angle is about five feet [1.5m] high on exterior. The structure here appears of comparatively large stones. The foundations of all the walls that fell are, however, perfectly traceable, so as to determine in connection with the walls above remarked as remaining, the original length and breadth of the building. The length of the edifice was thirty one feet [9.4m]. The breadth was eighteen feet [5.47m]. Height of the part of south side wall now remaining, is on the interior eight feet at highest part to west. Thickness of it is three feet two inches [0.95m]. Length of the part of south wall now remaining is sixteen feet [4.85m]. Height of bits of walls in north west angle is four feet [1.2m] on interior. The west bit measures near six feet [1.8m] in length on the interior; north bit measures five feet [1.5m] in length on same side. Length of north wall attached to east gable is on the interior near four feet [1.2m] below. Height of it is seven feet [2.1m] on interior. Thickness of it is three feet [0.9m]. On the exterior the structure of north wall runs to near middle of the building. The part of it jointed to and continued from the portion just above remarked as attached to east gable, is no more than three feet [0.9m] in height, which height it gradually loses till it terminates in length at the middle of the building as above remarked. On east gable was a window all destroyed on inside, the wall being broken on each side and under and demolished above from top. On outside it is constructed of chiselled grit stone of greyish brown colour, and is curvilineally pointed. It is placed four feet four inches [1.3m] on this side from the ground, and is five and a half inches [0.14m] broad, and three feet ten inches [1.15m ] high. Apertures are broken through the wall under the window, seen on both sides, exterior and interior. There was a window on south side wall now broken to near the bottom, being opened at top. Two stones, one each side, remain outside, resting on the bottom stone. The three are chiselled grit. It was masonwork inside where reddish brown grit stone is seen. Between it and east gable is in south wall also a quadrangular recess of the same kind of stone the one side of which is very close to east gable. Just at it is a small quadrangular recess of same kind of stone in east gable. There is a burial here. Some rude stones set in the