An early church was built on this site in the 6th century by St. Barron, a kinsman and contemporary of both St. Colmcille and St. Brendan the Navigator. St. Barron too made a few voyages in the Atlantic Ocean. This church might date from the 10th century.
It's a single nave church, measuring 10.30 metres in length and 7.60 metres in width, and is aligned to the east-northeast (75°). The west wall is the more intact. A small window is high up in this wall. There are two pointed arch doorways with a lintel inside in the south and north walls.
Adjacent to the church on the north side is an enclosed graveyard, which was used by the O'Clearys in the 14th century. The name O'Cleary means "descendants of Cleirach" who was in the line of the famous Cuira the Hospitable. It was one of the earliest recorded surnames in Ireland.
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