The site contains two medieval churches, St Mary’s and St Connell’s, alongside fragments of a high cross, multiple cross slabs, and a graveslab. This collection of monuments, designated as National Monument No. 658 under state ownership, occupies good pasture land on this small island that lies roughly 500 metres offshore in a sheltered spot. During low tide, the island becomes accessible on foot, allowing pilgrims and history enthusiasts to explore this sacred ground.

Among the various artefacts, a portable cross slab measuring 0.85m by 0.59m by 0.065m stands erected on an altar built against the eastern interior wall of St Connell’s church. This altar underwent reconstruction in 1967, though its main feature, a perforated slab, remains in the same position documented in Robert Welch’s early twentieth century photographs held at the Ulster Museum. Interestingly, whilst the perforated slab appears in these historical images, the cross slab itself isn’t visible in the photographs, suggesting it may have been relocated to this position at a later date.

The site represents a significant concentration of early Christian and medieval monuments, with each element contributing to our understanding of religious practice in medieval Donegal. The presence of multiple cross slabs, including one that has since gone missing, indicates the site’s importance as a place of worship and commemoration over several centuries. The complex arrangement of churches, crosses, and burial markers within the graveyard enclosure speaks to the enduring spiritual significance of Inishkeel Island in the religious landscape of northwest Ireland.