Indicated — Ballymore

The ivy-covered ruins of a small 17th century mausoleum or mortuary chapel belonging to the Magan family of Umma House can be seen standing in the E quadrant of Ballymore graveyard (WM024-005001-). In 1826 it was recorded that in Ballymore graveyard, ‘is a decayed chapel, the antient place of sepulture of the Magan family of Emoe [Umma More] and Togher's town, in this county' (Brewer 1826, 247). In 1867 it was recored there 'is an oratory or mortuary chapel at Ballimore which measures twenty-two feet nine inches [6.9m] by fourteen feet seven inches [4.4m]' (Cogan 1867, 493). Present remains consist of a small rectangular chapel (int. dims. 7m NE-SW 4.45m NW-SE; wall T 0.7m) aligned NE-SW in E quadrant of graveyard. The walls of the chapel are constructed with limestone rubble with undressed alternating quoins. The NE end of the chapel walls are covered in ivy making detailed examination of this end of the building difficult. The SW end of the chapel walls are not covered in ivy. The chapel is entered through a pointed rebated doorway in the SW gable above which are the remains of a niche which originally probably contained the armorial plaque of the Magan family. The remains of a yett hole can be seen on the N side of the doorway which is constructed with punch dressed limestone rebated jambs. Traces of external render can be seen on the surface of the dressed stones of this doorway. The interior of the chapel was lit by a triple light flat headed window of 17th century appearance in the centre of the NE gable. The remains of a hood moulding can be seen above the window on the external face of the NE gable. The bar holes of an iron grill can be seen in the side of the punch dressed mullions of the window. The interior of this window had a twin leaf wooden shutter secured by a draw bar which slotted through a hole incorporated into the stone mullion of the window. A small niche which may have contained a memorial stone or tablet to the Magan family can be seen off centre to the E in the N wall of the chapel. There are no windows in the N or S walls of the chapel. The chapel was described in 1980 as 'in the eastern corner of the graveyard (WM024-005001-) is the ruin of a small rectangular building aligned NE-SW & measuring 8.3m NE-SW by 5.65m NW-SE. The walls remain to their full height with high gables in the end walls. In the SW wall there is a gothic doorway with a rectangular niche above. The niche is now empty, but seems to have been intended to hold a tablet. There is a 3 light window with a flat top & a hood moulding in the NE wall. This ruin appears to be of late 16th or even 17th century in date' (SMR file 02/10/1980). The chapel was recently described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as the remains of a 'single-cell chapel on rectangular plan to the east, built c.1625, having rubble limestone walls, dressed quoins to the corners, a pointed-arched doorcase with cut stone surrounds to the centre of the west gable and triple-light square-headed window to the east gable end, having cut stone mullions, cut stone surrounds and a hoodmoulding over' (www.buikdingsofireland.ie) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 August 2014