Cross-slab, Carrowmore, Gleneely, Co. Donegal

Cross-slab, Carrowmore, Gleneely, Co. Donegal

The Carrowmore ecclesiastical complex in County Donegal has been identified as Both Chonais, an early monastic site that offers a fascinating glimpse into Ireland's Christian heritage.

Cross-slab, Carrowmore, Gleneely, Co. Donegal

The site spans both sides of a modern road, though it clearly once formed a single, cohesive religious settlement. Archaeological remains here paint a picture of a thriving early Christian community, complete with the typical features of such sites: enclosures, burial grounds, and carved stone monuments.

On the western side of the road lies a rectangular burial ground enclosure, its ancient boundaries still visible in the landscape. Near the southwest corner, two jamb stones stand 1.5 metres apart, positioned at right angles to the wall line, marking what was likely the original entrance to this sacred space. Just beyond the northern wall sits a flat-topped boulder that archaeologists believe may have served as the base for a high cross, whilst to the south, a partially buried stone slab bears two transverse grooves that may represent cross inscriptions. This slab, measuring 1.5 metres long by 0.45 metres wide, hints at the artistic and spiritual expression of the monastery’s inhabitants.



Recent archaeological investigations have revealed even more about Carrowmore’s significance. In 2012, the Bernician Studies Group conducted a magnetometer survey in the fields surrounding the site’s high crosses, uncovering evidence of a bi-vallate (double-banked) early Christian ecclesiastical enclosure buried beneath the surface. This discovery confirms that Carrowmore was once a substantial religious complex, likely home to a community of monks who lived, worked, and worshipped within its protective boundaries during Ireland’s early medieval period.

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Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press. Lacy, B. with Cody, E., Cotter, C., Cuppage, J., Dunne, N., Hurley, V., O’Rahilly, C., Walsh, P. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1983 Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century A.D. Lifford. Donegal County Council. O’Brien, C. and Adams, M. 2014 Early ecclesiastical precincts and landscapes of Inishowen. Interim report of field work by the Bernician studies group 2012-2014. Unpublished report, Bernician Studies Group. Newcastle upon Tyne.
Carrowmore, Gleneely, Co. Donegal
55.25638428, -7.18942309
55.25638428,-7.18942309
Carrowmore, Gleneely 
Crosses & Monuments 

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