Feenagh Churches

Feenagh Abbey was founded by St Caillin, a 6th century disciple of St Colmcille. It is celebrated as a place of learning and monastic life may have continued until the middle ages when the two churches were built. It was burned in 1360 and was known to have had a house of public hospitality in 1447. It seems to have continued in use until the Dissolution in 1541. There are extensive earthworks around the site which may be part of the earlier enclosure.



The south church (H109076)(2109, 3076) is a long rectangular structure with a huge barrel vault over the W end.



There is a pointed W doorway surmounted by a two-light window. There are high-pitched gables with corbel stones at the corners. These have carved masks.





The large east window has a circular arrangement of tracery set above four lights and a hood mould with three carved masks. The east gable is battered.



A string course with rolled moulding runs along the wall just below the large window and there is possibly a small dog at one corner. There are remains of a small building at the southwest corner and on the outside wall of this is a memorial slab of 1662 with a fine Crucifixion.



The other church lies a short distance to the northeast (H110077)(2110, 3077). It is a much smaller structure which does not have a west doorway.



It has a south aisle which may be entered by an east doorway and there are some traces of a south doorway into the main church. The west end of the church has a barrel vault and this chamber may be entered only from the church. A flight of stairs leads above the vault where the room was lit by a narrow window.