[Hand of Thomas O'Conor:]
Killogilleen Ph. - notable objects therein remarked. -
Sir,
Killogilleen Parish, which lies in the barony of Dunkellin, and about 5 miles to the N. West of Loughrea, is pronounced Cill Ó g-Cillín in Irish; being denominated probably from a family name. In the townland of Killogilleen, within a church yard, are seen the ruins of an old Church.
The East gable is still standing, which is for the greater part built with small rough stones cemented with lime and sand mortar.
The stones in it near the ground, on the North side of the window, are considerably large and very rough.
The window on it, which is of the lancet style, begins within one foot of the ground {originally within 2½ feet of it}, and is seven feet broad in the lower part, on the
inside, rises to the height of at least 12 feet, being arched in the upper part with a work of rough stones of comparatively small size, and lime and sand mortar. On the outside, the window is 5 feet from the ground and 1 foot broad in the widest part; and narrowed in the middle to the breadth of no more than 4 inches. It is of the pointed style.
Near the top of this gable is a quadrangular opening, which is about 1 foot high and 8 inches broad.
On the South sidewall, near this gable, is a window place, which is on the outside, 2 feet high and the same in height [sic].
Of this wall, 28 feet in length retain its original height, and 5 feet in length, are reduced in height. The extent of 8½ feet, is visible without a trace of a wall, between this part of the South sidewall, and a gable that stands between the Church and an apartment, which was attached to the West end, and is shown by the remaining vestiges to have been 9 feet in length, and of the same breadth with the Church.
The door was on this vacant part of the south side wall.
Seven feet, four inches of the extreme West gable are seen attached to the S. side wall of the apartment just mentioned, to which is also appended a small portion of the stone roof
that extended originally over the whole of it.
This roof was ten feet high from the ground. The entrance to this part was by a small door made of cut stones, and of a quadrangular form; placed at the South side wall on the gable intervening between this secluded part and the Church. It is 3 feet high and 2 feet 10 inches broad.
The thickness of the gable intervening - is 2 feet 9 inches.
28 feet - length of South side wall retaining its original height.
5 feet - length of it, reduced in height.
8½ feet - without vestiges of a wall.
2 feet 9 inches - thickness of intervening gable.
9 feet 9 inches - extent of the apartment attached to West end.
53 feet 3 inches
41½ feet length of the church exclusively of any appendage.
The whole length of the building inside was 53ft 3inches and the breadth was 23 feet.
In Seefin - Suidhe Finn - townland, there is a grave yard, in which are visible the west gable of a Church, reduced to the height apparently of eight or nine feet; and a portion of the south side wall, reduced to the height of six feet in the highest part, attached to it. (The people give the appellation of Ballynacreeva {Baile na Craoibhe} to the place where this old church stands.)
The gable is eighteen feet broad; and the part of the South side wall standing, is eight feet in length.
The whole length of the Church was 54 feet, as is ascertainable by the part remaining of the walls, and by the vestiges of the part of them, that was demolished.
The door, it appears, was on the South side wall; but at what distance from the west gable, it stood, cannot with Certainty be stated. It was not however closer than ten or twelve feet to it.
At the S. West Corner, stand three tomb stones - the one of which, is inscribed to the memory of James Hynes who died 18nth May, 1827, aged 61 years. The second to the memory of Mary Farrel alias Kain, who died october 7th 1828, aged 58 years. The third was erected by Mary Hynes in memory of her husband, Peter Hynes, who died 6th January 1826, aged 66 years.
At the South East corner stands a tomb stone, inscribed to the memory of Mark Walsh, who died, January 14nth 1836 - aged 29 years.
Hynes is the Anglicised form of the Irish name Ua h-Eídhin.
The chief of this name was located in the territory called Coill ua bh-Fiachrach, which is included in the present barony of Kiltartan, and was situated, it appears, between Gort and Galway Bay. For, it is said in an Inquisition, marked in the margin - {8 quantity of land in the barony of Kiltaraght} and annexed to the Inquisition of 1608 taken at Galway, - that the barony of Kiltaragh in the County of Galway was esteemed to be 208½ quarters.
That Killovyeragh otherwise O'Hein's Co[u}ntry [being 45 qr.} doth consist of 8640 acres which maketh three skore and twelve quarters.
It is afterwards stated that the two quarters of Dowrysse {in Killoveragh } - do consist of three hundred acres.
Doorus is now the name of a parish, which lies between Gort and Galway Bay.
This gives a clear view of the situation of Coill ua bh-Fiachrach - Cuillofiachrach - O'Hyne's Country; that lay in Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, the extent of which was adverted to in the Letter, in which Roo Castle {Rubha} in Killora parish, is spoken of.
The name Hynes is well known in the Parish of Killogilleen, where some families
bearing it, at present reside, as I have been informed.
Finding the name prevail here, was the occasion of making observations relative to O'Hyne's Country; which, even if considered a digression, may, however, be useful.
Suidhe Finn - Seefin, the name of the townland, above mentioned signifies Finn's Seat, which is shown near the old Castle of Seefin. The seat is on a small hill, and is a little mound of earth and stones, on which is a heap of stones piled up, it is said, by the Surveyors.
There are placed on the S. West side of the mound: three large stones, which enclose it; and at the N. West corner, there is placed in the ground, a large flag stone, in a similar position with one fixed at the end of a pagan sepulchre. A few stones sunk in the earth, are visible on the other sides.
On this hill to N. by West of the mound, is seen an entrance to (an artificial) cave which consists inside of three chambers {apartments} - whose walls are constructed with rude stones without cement, roofed with large flags, laid across in a horizontal position. Their height is about 6 feet.
We find in a Genealogical poem composed about the Hy Manians, which is preserved in T.C.D. H. 1. 15: - {MS: p. 871} that Suidhe Finn - {Seefin} - was one of the boundaries of Hymany.
The remains of a Castle are visible in the townland of Moycola - Magh Cóla - in this parish. In Ballylin west townland, - Baile Ui Fhloinn, the walls of an old Castle stand.
The old Castle of Creggymulgreny stands in ruins in a townland of this name - Creag Ui Maol Ghréine.
Nothing else of note present[s] itself in this parish. The Churches I have described are not of any remarkable antiquity. I find no history connected with them, nor with any of the Castles adverted to - unless Magh Comhla be the Seanchomhladh of the 4 masters, which is not certain.
T. O'Conor