2009:109 - AGHMANISTER AND SPITAL, Cork

Extant ruins of what appear to be a church and cloister at Aghmanister and Spital townland near Timoleague, Co. Cork, are thought to represent the original location of the Cistercian monastery of Fons Vivus, founded by the local McCarthy kings in the late 12th century. The annals indicate that, by the late 13th century, the monastery had moved location to nearby Abbeymahon. The subsequent fate of the site of the original foundation is not documented but the townland name has suggested to some that the site may have been used as a hospital. The first season of a University College Cork research and training excavation was carried out there over four weeks in July 2009. Five cuttings were opened in 2009.
Trench 1 (3m by 10m) was at the west end of the structure identified as the church. Excavation produced evidence for industrial-scale iron working and for the post-medieval use of this area of the site as a cillín. Two trenches were opened inside the rectangular cloister to the south of the church. Evidence of internal structures was found in both. Trench 2 (6m by 4m) was located at the juncture of the cloister and the east end of the church. Excavation produced evidence for a possible foundation of a wooden structure running parallel to the extant walls. Trench 5 (2m by 7m) investigated the interior of the south side of the cloister enclosure. This produced evidence of a possible foundation trench parallel to the south wall of the enclosure as well as a series of small stake-and post-holes. This part of the site had also been used as a cillín. Two trenches tested the exterior of the putative cloister. Trench 3 (6m by 3m) was located at the south-east corner of this enclosure and produced evidence of cultivation scars and a large sump-like pit. Trench 4 (6m by 2m) was placed at the south-west corner of the cloister and produced little in terms of cultural features. It is hoped that a second season of excavations will be carried out at the site in July 2010.