‘Burying Ground’ — Portnashangan

Situated at N of a ridge running N-S overlooking Lough Owel 300m to the SW. Ringfort (WM012-087----) 60m to E, second ringfort (WM012-098----) 70m to SW. Ruins of poorly preserved church (WM012-086----) stands in centre of a sub-circular shaped graveyard (approx. dims. 38m N-S; 34m E-W) enclosed by a post-1700 stone wall surmounted by an earthen bank planted with trees. The graveyard is entered through a gateway at E. Only a few inscribed headstones are visible in the graveyard the surface of which is covered with ivy and other vegetation. The enclosing wall of the graveyard acts as a revetment for a tree-lined earthen bank which unusually rests on top of the wall suggesting contemporaneity with the boundary wall. On the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map the graveyard is depicted as a sub-triangular shaped graveyard with curving enclosing feature at W only. On the revised 1911 ed. OS 25-inch map the graveyard is depicted as a circular shaped area enclosed by a curving boundary. Graveyard described in 1980 as following; ‘a small subcircular graveyard which is surrounded by a bank with a stone wall built against its outer face. There are a few 19th century headstones in the burial ground. No earthworks visible’ (SMR File 23/10/1980). According to Swan (1988, 10) the segmental form of the graveyard boundary wall suggested the presence of an Early Christian ecclesiastical enclosure (WM012-086002-). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 20 August 2015