Church Island (, "big island") is an island in
Lough Gill, Ireland.
The island
Church Island (official title, Inis Mór) is an island of in the centre of
Lough Gill.
It is believed by locals that this island is the one referred to in Yeats poem, The Lake Isle of Inishfree, as the actual Inishfree island is too small to be inhabited and does not line up with his description. Former staff members of the nearby Clogherevagh House back up this story by recalling Yeats visits to the house and frequent trips to Church Island.
Church
The church is said to have been founded by
Lommán of Trim
Lommán mac Dalláin (''fl.'' 5th—early 6th century) was a saint and patron of Trim, County Meath in Ireland.Stalmans and Charles-Edwards, "Meath, saints of (act. ''c''.400–''c''.900)"
Cenél Lóegairi, Trim and Armagh
Trim (Áth Truimm -'f ...
.
The church on Church Island is
National Monument
A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure.
The term may also refer to a spec ...
#118.
It is an early Christian ruin and belonged to the
Ó Ruairc
O'Rourke ( ga, Ó Ruairc) is an Irish Gaelic clan based most prominently in what is today County Leitrim. The family were the historic rulers of Breifne and later West Breifne until the 17th century. The O'Rourke Clan Chieftain is at odds wit ...
, rulers of
Bréifne. The building is oblong, has loophole windows and a
recess at one end. Near the door there is a cavity in a rock, known as ‘lady's bed’, which was a frequent place of pilgrimage for pregnant woman. In 1416, according to the Annals, ‘The church of Inis Mor, in Lough Gill, was burned; and Screaptra ui Chuirnin
'O'Curnin's manuscripts'' and the Leabhar Gearr of the O'Cuirnins, as well as many other precious articles, were burned also.’
References
External links
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Islands of County Sligo
Uninhabited islands of Ireland
River islands of Ireland
{{Sligo-geo-stub