Old Moybologue Cemetery is a circular enclosure in County Cavan, Ireland. The site dates from the Early Christian Period[1] and features the ruins of a mediaeval church and a graveyard.
Description edit
The graveyard is surrounded by a dry-stone wall and forms part of a much larger ecclesiastical enclosure, which includes the remains of a well-preserved twelfth century Norman motte in a field to the west. Not much is known of the church except that a hospital or hospice existed here during the medieval period.[2] Medieval hospices provided food and rest to travellers as well as taking care of the sick or dying.[3] By the time the Barony of Clankee map was drawn up in 1604, the church at Moybologue was already in ruin and was depicted without a roof and situated next to a tower, likely a belfry.[4]
At present, only a part of the north wall of the nave survives of the church. This is joined to a roofless transept which served as a priest's residence. The transept consists of two stories and features hood-moulding on the window on the upper floor. There is also evidence of a fireplace in the structure.[5]
There are over 350 headstones or grave markers in the cemetery; including a cupmarked/bullaun stone, two grave slabs, two cross slabs, three churchyard crosses, a font, a holed stone and an inscribed stone.[6]
In 2020, Moybologue Historical Society secured funding from the Community Monuments Fund[7] to carry out lime mortar restoration of the stonework in and around the graveyard. An interpretative panel was also added at this time.
Old Moybologue Cemetery is a part of Cavan Historic Graveyards Network.
Location edit
Old Moybologue Cemetery is located in the townland of Relaghabeg, Co. Cavan, about 5 km from Bailieborough. The new cemetery, which opened in 1952,[8] can be found less than 1 km to the North East. The modern church is St. Patricks Roman Catholic church in Tierworker, on the border with Co. Meath.
References edit
- ^ Stifter, David. "Two Early Irish Inscriptions from County Cavan (pre-print)". Peritia.
- ^ Aubrey O. Gwynn and Richard N. Hadcock, Medieval Religious Houses: Ireland, with an appendix to early sites, Harlow, 1970, page 354
- ^ Barbara G. Volker and Ashby C. Watson, Core Curriculum for the Generalist Hospice and Palliative Nurses, Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 2002, page 1
- ^ Stifter, David. "Two Early Irish Inscriptions from County Cavan (pre-print)". Peritia.
- ^ Patrick F. Donovan, Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan, Dublin Stationery Office, (Dublin, 1995)
- ^ "Moybologue Old". Historic Graves. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ "€2 million Community Monuments Fund launched". Cavan County Council. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ "Moybologue New Graveyard". Find a Grave. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2021.