Drinagh Church — Drinagh South

The parish church of Drinagh, dedicated to St Kevin according to Synnott writing c. 1680 (Hore 1921, 59), is situated on a level, low-lying landscape c. 400m from the W shore of the South Slob of Wexford harbour. It is within a subrectangular graveyard (dims c. 55m E-W; c. 40m N-S) defined by earthen banks. It consists of a nave (ext. dims. 12.52m E-W; 7.4m N-S) and chancel (ext. dims. 5.7m E-W; 5.5m N-S) connected by a round chancel arch (Wth 2m) of undressed stone. The ivy-covered walls survive generally to the roof level (H 1.9-2.5m), except the N wall of the nave that was re-built as a handball alley (H 5m) and the N wall of chancel (H 0.3m). There was a gallery supported on corbels, most now missing, at the W end of the nave. There are opposing doorways of undressed stone towards the W end of the nave and there are single lights towards the E end, that on the N side being blocked. A window at the W end of the nave is also blocked. The S wall of the chancel is possibly rebuilt and the E window is robbed but a niche survives on the N side. There is no dressed stone apart from the round head of the window in the S nave wall. There is a rectangular granite font (ext. dims 0.68m x 0.63m; int. dims. 0.44m x 0.38m; D 0.17m) in the nave. The mound site (WX042-013002-) is c. 70m to the ESE. See the attached section of the Down Survey (1656-8) parish map (N at right) reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland (Ms 725) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload/revision: 27 May, 2013