Ecclesiastical Enclosures in Ireland

Early Ecclesiastical Centres
Skellig Michael: Early Church Sites
Skellig Michael
Skellig Michael: Hermitage
Moyne, near Shrule, County Mayo
Lusk, Co. Dublin
Early Ecclesiastical Centres
•Christianity was probably first introduced to Ireland sometime at the very end of the 4th century AD or early in the 5th century AD
•The earliest church sites are not easy to identify or date
•Sometimes only placename evidence survives

Early Ecclesiastical Centres
•Earliest church developed as members of the aristocracy were converted by the earliest missionary/converts (such as St. Patrick)
•Initial Christianisation appears to occur in the south half of Ireland and spreads to the northern half by around 450-460 AD
Early Ecclesiastical Centres
•As the earliest churches were associated with the aristocracy, the early parish and bishopric boundaries tend to be similar to the early kingdoms or chiefdoms in Ireland
•As a result – the power of bishops was confined to their own kingdom

Early Ecclesiastical Centres
•Monastic sites and hermitage emerge that are independent of the parish-bishopric system
•They appear to have been given separate endowments and are economically independent
•Successful monasteries are able to set up or acquire additional monasteries and increase their prestige
•This system survives in various forms until the arrival of the Normans in the 12th century AD

Early Ecclesiastical Centres
•These early Christian centres often survive today as large enclosures, sometimes with multiple concentric earthworks or ditches.
•Today these are often only visible as crop marks from the air.
•In some cases, only the placename evidence survives:
–Cell often anglicised as Kill
–Domhnaig often anglicised as Donagh or Downey
–Teampall often anglicised as Temple

Nendrum,Co. Down
Nendrum
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•St. Johns Point, Co. Down
•Some early styles of church may be associated with an enclosure.
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•Gallarus Oratory
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•Round towers date from the 10th century to around 1200.
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•These are the north cross (top) and south cross (bottom) at Ahenny at Kilclispin.
•They are among the earliest high crosses that were manufactured and represent a translation into stone of a style of wood and metal crosses.
•They are over 3 m in height.
•They date to the late 8th to the early 9th century AD.
Ahenny, Co. Tipperary
•These are the north cross (top) and south cross (bottom) at Ahenny at Kilclispin.
•They are among the earliest high crosses that were manufactured and represent a translation into stone of a style of wood and metal crosses.
•They are over 3 m in height.
•They date to the late 8th to the early 9th century AD.
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•Decorated grave slabs may be the only evidence.
•Rathdown slabs and Tau cross Killegar, County Wicklow
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•These two of Rathdown slabs are examples from Rathfarnham and Rathmichael both did appear to have marked actual graves.
•They date to the 9th and 10th century AD.
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•Cross slabsFahan, Co. Donegal
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•Cross slabsInishmurray (off Sligo coast)
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•Bullaun Stones
•Usually natural rocks or boulders with deliberate hollows.
•Often found on ecclesiastical sites.
•Their origin and date is obscure, but they are at least medieval in date.
Eccelesiastical Enclosures: Typical features
•Mount Offaly, Cabinteely (ESSO Station)

•Enclosed cemetery site
–3 ditches
– 6 phases
–>1500 burials

•Finds: Local material
•Finds: Imported material
•Industrial remains

Cabinteely: Burial Types
Cabinteely: Burials

Cabinteely: Phase 1
Cabinteely: Phase 2
Cabinteely: Phase 3
Cabinteely: Phase 4
Cabinteely: Phase 5
Cabinteely: Phase 6
Cabinteely: Finds