Ennereilly Church — Ennereilly

Situated on level ground between the Redcross River and the sea. A nave (dims. 12m E-W; 5.9m N-S) and chancel (dims. 3.85m E-W; 3.7m N-S) church. The chancel, of roughly coursed slabs, (wall T 1.1m; H 0.8m) is separated from the nave by a narrow opening (Wth 1.2m) in the dividing wall. The nave (wall T 0.7m; max. H 1.35m) is of uncoursed rubble with antae and a possible door at the W. The difference in structural details suggest that the nave was added later. There is a low wall (or buttress) against the inner face of the S wall of the nave. The NW angle and W end of the N wall have collapsed into the church. Situated in the NW sector of an oval enclosure (dims. 40m E-W; 28m N-S) defined by an earth and stone bank (Wth 1.5m) with near vertical outer drystone facing and an entrance at the SE. A granite bullaun stone (dims. 0.38m x 0.29m; T 0.22m) lies on the bank at the S. There is a small slate headstone (dims. 0.88m x 0.33m) inscribed with the words 'JAMES BYRN AND HIS SON...DAUGHTERS DIED IN 1690 S.B.' in the graveyard (at the S end) as well as several early to mid-eighteenth-century headstones. Part of a possible outer enclosure is represented by a shallow fosse (Wth 7m) with an external bank (Wth 2m) and outer fosse (Wth 4m) forming an E-W curve 30m N of the graveyard. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 26 September 2013