The graveyard is enclosed by an 18th century stone wall, which you enter via stone steps at the western end of the north wall. The church ruins themselves tell only part of the story of this historic site, which has served as a place of worship and pilgrimage for centuries.

Just 34 metres west southwest of the graveyard wall stands a turas, a traditional pilgrimage station where visitors still leave dedicatory offerings. About 20 metres west of the church and graveyard, grass covered wall footings mark the remains of what appears to be a rectangular building of unknown date. According to the History of the Diocese of Raphoe, these footings might be connected to the Franciscan monks who established their church and monastery on grounds adjoining St. Crone’s, though they never acquired title to any church lands beyond their immediate buildings. The Termon, or sanctuary ground, remained the property of the Bishop throughout the Franciscan presence.

In 1920, a local man named Sean O’Donnell of Inishal described to historian Maguire the locations of three extensive Franciscan buildings that once stood within a few hundred yards of the old church. O’Donnell provided beautiful descriptions in Irish of these structures, though their exact remains have never been definitively identified. The mysterious grass covered footings west of Templecrone may well be one of these lost Franciscan buildings, offering a tantalising glimpse into the site’s monastic past.