Church in Laragh East

According to the local landowner who was informed by the previous landowner that this was the site of an 'old mud chapel' in a field known locally as Killalane (pers. comm. Richard Cullen 27/11/2019). Present remains consist of a square-shaped slightly sunken area (approx. dims. 14m x 14m) defined by a pile of stones on E side and by a scarp at W which is intersected by a field wall at N. Situated in river valley on W facing slope of rising ground with the summit of Paddock Hill 720m to E and Glenmacnass River 180m to SW. Stone pair (WI017-006---) known as the 'Gossan Stones' stand 1km to NE. A bullaun stone (WI018-038001-) was moved from these stones and relocated to the grounds of Glendalough House. May be the same site as the church site of Killafeen [church of Aifín/ Killalane?] recorded in 1945 as ‘the site of the old church is near the eastern boundary of Laragh East, almost opposite the stream which divides Trooperstown and Castlekevin’ (Price 1945, 36). He goes on to state that ‘the site was near the place where the road leading to Glendalough from the east crossed the river’ (ibid., 36). No evidence of any church site could be found in the location marked on the RMP map for Co. Wicklow. The above 'Killalane Church Site' differs in the location of the church within the townland described by Price, however it is possible that he was incorrect when locating the church in the eastern quadrant of Laragh East townland. The placename 'Killalane' refers to the field in which this sunken earthwork is located and could be a corruption of 'Killafeen'. The earthwork in this field be the remains of a Penal chapel known as 'Killalane' or the medieval church of 'Killafeen'. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 28 November 2019