Church Island - Valentia Harbour

National Monument No. 59. Church Island/Oileán an Teampaill: This small island is located at the N end of Valencia Harbour, midway between the SE end of Beginish Island and the mainland at Ballycarbery. Formed of diorite, it rises to a height of 12.6m above OD, and has a habitable surface of .17ha. During vernal equinoctial tides the site may be reached on foot from Beginish along a sand-bar. At other times access is gained by boat, and a projecting slope of rock at E serves as a natural slip-way. On the OS maps an 'Oratory' and 'Cloghaun' are marked on the island. These remains were erroneously identified by O'Hanlon as the monasterium Ibracense founded by St Malachy in Munster c. 1127 (1872, 107-13). Before the site was excavated, under the direction of M.J. O'Kelly in 1955-56, its only visible features were the oratory and cloghaun, an ogham-inscribed cross-slab and traces of an enclosing wall. The excavations revealed a further series of structures and features that demonstrated the occurrence of two phases of Early Medieval occupation on the island. They also provided some evidence for its temporary occupation in the Later Medieval period. The following description of the site is largely based on the report of these excavations (O'Kelly 1958, 57-136).

Evidence for the earliest period of occupation on the island comprised a circular wooden hut and a rectangular wooden building. The latter feature was associated with a group of burials and was interpreted as an oratory. Though not demonstrably related stratigraphically, the hut and oratory were probably contemporary. The remains of the hut, located towards the centre of the island, consisted of an arc of low stones set on edge, two post-holes and an occupation layer. The latter included charcoal, shells, animal bones and the remains of a pit furnace. The structure may have had a diameter of up to 6m. The wooden oratory (KE079-032014-), located midway between the hut and the W shore of the island, was evidenced by five post-holes, indicating a small rectangular structure measuring approximately 3m x 2m and orientated ENE-WSW on its longer axis. Wallace, however, has suggested that if the post-holes are interpreted as being for roof-supports, rather than for corner-posts, the building may have had dimensions of c. 5m x c. 3.5m (1982, 21-3). To N and NW of the wooden oratory was a cemetery of at least thirty-three burials. Most of the graves were of simple dug type, while two were slab-lined. All were of similar orientation to the wooden Oratory, and were considered to be contemporary with it.

The excavations indicated a clear sequence of development during the island's second phase of occupation, which may have followed directly on the first. A stone Oratory was constructed on the site of the wooden structure and, apparently at the same time, the wooden hut was replaced by a circular stone house. The evidence also indicated that shortly after this the house was furnished with an annulus, and a water cistern was made beside it. Some time later a rectangular stone house was built near the NE edge of the island, and an enclosure wall was subsequently constructed around the island's habitable area. At least eight of the numerous burials uncovered during the excavation appear to be contemporary with the stone oratory, as do two gable finials. It is unclear, however, whether the ogham-inscribed cross-slab, the shrine, the two cross-slabs and the two stone crosses found during the excavation belong to the island's first or second phase of occupation.

Enclosure Wall: Excavation showed this wall to have been built after the construction of the rectangular stone house. It does not survive in the eroded SW sector of the island, but elsewhere varies from 1.5m to 2m in basal width and survives to a maximum height of 1m. It is drystone-faced internally and externally and features a core of rubble and earth. It encloses most of the habitable surface of the island, but runs along the inner side of the rectangular house at NW. An entrance, .6m wide, is located here, and a paved path leads through it to the oratory. A second entrance occurs at SE, close to the natural slip-way. It measures .6m wide and features paving and well-built jambs; it gave access to paved paths, now largely destroyed, which led N and S along the inner circuit of the enclosure wall.