St Mary's Church

Located within a graveyard (DG064-003001-) which encloses two medieval churches, St Mary’s (DG064-003002-) and St. Connell’s (DG064-003006-), a fragment of a high cross (DG064-003008-), four cross slabs (DG064-003004-; DG064-003005-; DG064-0030009-; DG064-003010-) and a graveslab (DG064-003007-). Another cross-slab (DG064-003003-) is now missing. This complex of monuments, a National Monument in state ownership (No. 658), is located on the E side of Inishkeel Island in good pasture land. This small island which lies in a sheltered spot c. 500m offshore is accessible on foot at low tide. ST. MARY'S CHURCH (DG064-003002-): The church consisting of nave and chancel is built of rubble with grit-stone dressings. The fabric testifies to two distinct building periods, the nave being a medieval later rebuilding onto an earlier 13th century chancel. The latter is 3.9m wide by 6.6m in maximum length internally. The S wall with E return and W half of the N wall survive almost to full height. Only the quoins of the SE corner, with its three-quarter round shaft rising to a corbel stone, remains; the NE corner has fallen away. The E window has likewise fallen but the surviving fragments of moulded architrave which completely framed the window interior, indicate a splaying opening with plunging sill. Numerous other moulded dressings including two capitals, undoubtedly coeval in date, have been reused in the walling of the medieval nave, mostly in the upper courses of the S wall. Many can be readily identified as forming part of responds and an arch, and their profiles indicate an early 13th century date for the chancel (for profiles and discussion, see Waterman 1964, 134-5). The S wall of the chancel has a narrow window with semicircular head, wide splays and partly collapsed semi-circular rear-arch. The width of the window was reduced by the addition of a skin of masonry against the E ingoing, the interior section of which has been rebuilt in modern times. A partly collapsed buttress supports the S wall. Only the S wall of the rebuilt nave, 9.1m by 5.1m internally stands almost at full height; the W and N walls being represented by the lower courses. The S door has a pointed head, draw-bar socket and segmental rear-arch. The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008

St Mary's Church on Inishkeel Island was built in the medieval period, likely between the 12th and 14th centuries, and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It is significant as part of a religious complex that includes another church and early Christian stone monuments, reflecting the island's historical role in monastic and ecclesiastical activity.