Temple Benan

Prominent landmark on ridge summit to SW of Cill Éinne. Part of St Enda's E. Chr. monastery. Locally known as Teampall Bheanáin, this Nat. Mon. is a small well-preserved E. Chr. oratory (NNW-SSE; L 3.22m, Wth 2.13m) with steeply pitched gables. There is a narrow trabeate doorway in N gable and a round-headed window in E side-wall. Nearby, to E, is a parallel length of revetting wall, possibly part of an enclosure (GA119-009006-) around the church. Associated with the oratory are three inscribed slabs (GA119-009003-, GA119-009004-, GA119-009007-) and three clochans (GA119-007----, GA119-008----, GA119-009002-). Another inscribed cross-slab (GA110-023018-) was incorrectly recorded at this church (see Waddell 1973, 19 (8)). (Manning 1985, 98-110) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 05 August 2010 This monument was taken into Ownership under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 - National Monument 43.

Temple Benan, Cill Éinne is a small early Christian oratory, likely built in the 7th to 9th century, associated with the monastery of St Enda. It is a well-preserved example of early Irish monastic architecture and is dedicated to St Enda, reflecting the wider monastic tradition of the region.