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At a glance
- TypeChurch
- Recorded sizeE-W; L 3.93m, W 2.73m
- StatusNational Monument
What to look for
- East window
- Graveyard
Picked out from the Archaeological Survey description below.
Can you visit?
- No source says it is open to the public.Most monuments in Ireland stand on private farmland.
- Ask the landowner before crossing fields, close gates, leave the stones as you find them.Visiting responsibly
History and description
On N side of island overlooking the shoreline to N. This Nat. Mon. is a conserved E. Chr. church (E-W; L 3.93m, Wth 2.73m) known locally as Cill Ghobnait.
Full archaeological record 172 words
On N side of island overlooking the shoreline to N. This Nat. Mon. is a conserved E. Chr. church (E-W; L 3.93m, Wth 2.73m) known locally as Cill Ghobnait. There is a trabeate doorway in W gable and a round-headed window in E gable. A cross-inscribed stone (GA120-002012-) is visible above the arch of the window. Within the interior, below the window, is an altar with a cross-inscribed slab (GA120-002006-). The letters ST and G on it presumably mean Saint Gobnet. Two bullauns lie to W (GA120-002004-) and SSE (GA120-002005-) of the church. Two plain, rectangular, drystone leachta (GA120-002007-, GA120-002008-) abut its S wall and a third leacht (GA120-002009-) stands 15m to SE in the graveyard (GA120-002002-). Two separate lengths of stony banks extend to NW and S of the church. A clochan (GA120-002003-) c. 25m to the WSW is also associated. The curving graveyard wall, which encloses all these features, may follow the line of an early ecclesiastical enclosure (GA120-002011-). (O'Flanagan 1927a, Vol. 3, 431-3; Mason 1938, 197-8; Westropp 1895, 272)
References
- Date of revised upload: 21 January 2016
- This monument was taken into Ownership under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 - National Monument 41.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Olive Alcock · Based on the Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
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Around St. Gobnet's Church (Kilgobnet) Innisheer
Other heritage nearby
- O'Brien's CastleCastle · 0.8 km
- Creggankeel FortRingfort · 1.2 km
- Dún FearbhaíRingfort · 3.8 km
- DoonconorRingfort · 4.8 km
- St. Eany's Early Medieval Ecclesiastical SiteAbbey or friary · 9.9 km
- Killeany Round TowerRound tower · 9.9 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 5 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 5 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 4 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 4 megalithic tombsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 monastic siteArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 castleArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- Inis Oirr - Lub Ceathru an PhoillinWalking Trail · 11.2 km · nearest point 0.1 km
- Inis Oirr - Lub Ceathru an LochaWalking Trail · 7.1 km · nearest point 0.1 km
- Inis Meain - Lub Cill CheannannachWalking Trail · 7.9 km · nearest point 3.4 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- Trá Inis Oírr (Main Beach)Beaches · 0.7 km · Excellent Quality (2025)
- Trá Poll na gCaorach Inis OirrBeaches · 1.9 km
- Ballyteigue Nature ReserveNature reserves · 18 km
Other attractions nearby
- Rothaí Inis OírrNature and Wildlife · 0.4 km
- Trá Inis OírrBeach · 0.6 km
- Teach Synge - John Millington Synge's Cottage & MuseumMuseums and Attraction · 4.7 km
- Inis Meáin (Inishmaan)Natural Landscape · 4.7 km


