2022:373 - St Connell’s Church, Ionascail, Inishkeel, Donegal

A programme of licensed archaeological monitoring was carried out at St Connell’s Church, Ionascail townland, Inishkeel Island, Co. Donegal on behalf of the Office of Public Works. The church is part of a complex of monuments contained with a sub-rectangular stone walled area which includes two ruinous churches and several cross-inscribed stones, and lies in the sheltered eastern side of Inishkeel Island. The complex is a National Monument in state ownership (No. 658).
The purpose of the proposed conservation works is to consolidate masonry remains of the west gable and south wall of St Connell’s Church to prevent any further decay and preserve the fabric of the structure. The works involved archaeological supervision/monitoring of works areas A & B during proposed masonry structural repairs to the exterior south wall and west gable wall. Works areas A & B comprise low mounds of accumulated sod and stone abutting the west gable and south wall at the entrance to the church. Works involved the removal of this material to provide a level surface for the erection of scaffolding which will facilitate the conservation of the masonry remains of the west gable and the south wall. The investigation also involved determining the relationship between the accumulated stone and the church, and to recover possible architectural fragments.
The works were conducted under Ministerial Consent number C001137, excavation registration number E005421 and detection device consent number R000591. Monitoring was undertaken on 12 and 13 September 2022. The works were carried out by hand with two archaeologists and three OPW operatives. The investigation works included the hand cleaning, examination and recording of the stones and overburden, including drawing a scaled plan of the stones uncovered.
No in-situ archaeological features or structures were revealed in Area A. The accumulation of stones appears to be collapsed stone from upper courses of the west gable wall. The base stone of a rotary quern was found amongst the stones. During the uncovering of Area B adjacent to the south entrance of the church a raised, low walled, sub-rectangular setting of stone was uncovered. This structure may be a leacht, altar or possible grave, and as such it will be preserved in situ and will not be removed to facilitate the conservation works to the south wall.

Cooldrumman Upper, Carney, Co. Sligo