Chapter 4: Eanach Dúin (Annaghdown) to Coill Beag

• Parish of Annaghdown
  
• Disaster of Annaghdown
  
• Monastery and Abbey
  
• Nunnery
  
• Bellhouse
  
• Annaghdown Castle
  
• Craobh Castle
  
• Kilcoona Round Tower
  
• St. Cuana
  
• Cloch-an-Uabhair Castle
  
• Lee's Island
  
• Cnoc Ferry and Coill Beag
  

Archdall, in his Monasticon Hibernicum, published in 1786, mentions the nunnery at Annaghdown, which together with the town of Kelgel, was, by a bull of Pope Celestine III, granted, in 1195, to the nuns of the Order of Aroacea; likewise the Abbey of St. Mary de portu Patrum, for white nuns of the Premonstre Order (probably the present ruin), a Franciscan friary, and the college of St. Brendan.

To the north-east of the abbey is the nunnery church, undoubtedly the oldest structure now remaining at Eanach Dúin, and the west gable of which, with its small bell-tower, is shown in the general view of the ruins. It possesses no architectural attraction, nor any means of judging of its precise date, except a Gothic pointed doorway in the north wall, which portion is still standing, and measures 90.5 feet on the outside.

It is stated in the records that the church of Eanach Dúin was built by Aodh Mór O'Flaherty in 1400, and that it was burned eleven years afterwards; but, possibly, the former entry may refer to its re-edification.

[MISSING ILLUSTRATION OF CHURCH WINDOW]

The east window of this cathedral church has been long since removed, and nothing now remains there but irregular gap in the wall; there can, however, be little doubt that every stone of that beauteous specimen of medieval Irish work is still in existence; and thanks to the taste, if not the honesty, of the architect of the adjacent Protestant church, it will there be found, presenting interiorly, as perfect a condition as when the adjoining church was unroofed.This window consists of a deeply- splayed circular-headed light, 6 feet 8 inches high and 2 feet 10 inches wide in the clear of the opening.The illustration expresses better than words the skill of the artist who designed the abbey.On each side of the half round moulding, where the deep splay of the window joins the church wall, there is a line of decorated chevrons, in the angles formed by which on both sides, are sixty-six floral ornaments, still quite sharp, and each different from the rest, and showing the marvellous fertility in conception and design of our Irish artists, which are so well seen in metal-work and enamel on several of our most ancient shrines and croziers, and in the tracings on manuscripts, as well as in the limestone decoration of many of our [MISSING ILLUSTRATION OF WINDOW ORNIMENT] churches and castles. Of the latter we have a notable example in the banqueting hall at Achadh na nIubhar, on the opposite shore of the lake, to be described further on. The annexed cut shows the base of one of the angles in this window. The church itself, which cannot be two hundred years old, is, with the exception of its northern doorway, otherwise wholly undecorated. Architects acquainted with early church architecture cannot but regard this window as one of the most perfect and beautiful specimens of decorated stone work now existing in the island.