Kilmorgan Church and Burial Ground

The common belief is that Kilmorgan was founded by or dedicated to a St. Murchu/Murchon recorded in the 17th-century Martyrology of Donegal as being a descendant of Conall Cremthainne, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and having a feast day on June 12. The O'Cleirighs who authored this work expanded on this saints mere appearance on a listing in the medieval Martyrology of Tallaght.[1]This saint is absent from another medieval work the Martyrology of Oengus. However, indexes added during 19th-century translations of this Martyrology claim that Kilmorgan is dedicated to another St Murchan or Murchu, Mac Ua Maichtene. This saint whose day is the June 8 is believed to be the Murchu responsible for a biography of Saint Patrick.[2]

While it is unclear when founded and who exactly its dedicated to its very likely that it was originally a Monastery. It gets frequently referred to as a monastery with one archaeologist claiming to have identified an encircling enclosure, a feature of medieval Irish monasteries. The same expert also pointed out numerous features that give evidence of early monasitc settlements such as burial grounds and holy-wells.[3] A ritual well is located just 200m north of the church[4] and this feature could even indicate pre-christian activity in the area. A leading medieval expert Edel Breathneach declares that early missionaries chose sites close to existing cult centres.[5] The ritual well could be a reason for the location based on this view, however an archaeological reference by Samuel Lewis in his 19th-century Topographical dictionary of Ireland could also provide a reason. In it the writer refers to Mounds of earth nearby Kilmorgan which covered graves containing urns and bones which they believe signifies an ancient battle site. A recent assessment of this reference in a 2005 Archaeological Inventory of Sligo believes Lewis to be referring to monuments in the Doo region that is just between 1 and 2 km from Kilmorgan. These include a large Neolithic mound and a stone cairn.[6] Close to these is the tall, almost triangular, standing stone at Knockminna. This area could qualify as pre-Christian cult centre attracting missionary intervention to take place nearby.

Its estimated that Kilmorgan parish was united with the neighbouring parish of Emlaghfad around 1704 at a time when the Penal laws were being enforced, with these restrictions likely leading to the closure of Kilmorgan church also. The final priest active in Kilmorgan at this time was Edmund Cunane subjected to monitoring similar to other Catholic priests due to Penal law restrictions.[7] The local Catholic population were forced to practice their faith in outdoor locations, easy to disperse from if there was a threat of being caught. A famous spot where it was practiced locally was known as the Mass Rock of Doo. After the penal laws lapsed around the end of the 18th century it was decided to build a new church close to the Mass rock. Eventually nearly a century later this thatched chapel was replaced by the current St. Josephs Church of Doo.[8] This regional name of Doo is also used in place of Kilmorgan to refer to the half-parish. The burial ground which began or continued to be used in penal times remained in use until it was advised there was overcrowding and a New Kilmorgan Burial Ground was setup in 1940 using a location closer to St. Josephs Church.[9]

A small church measuring about 20 by 7 metres, all that remains is the pitched eastern gable and parts of the north and south walls which join this side. This gable contains a tall narrow window light, rounded on top while the south wall has a two-light window opening near its corner with the east wall.[10] This latter window generated some interest with the Royal Historical & Archaeological Association in that its whole frame was made from one piece of stone. A journal published by them in 1889 implies that it was the only example of a single stone two-light window known to them.[11]

Overall site measures about 38 by 22 metres (including the church). Prone to overgrowing weeds and branches, it lies close to a tree-covered crossroads. The oldest burial identified here is from 1716 which could well have been after the church was closed down. The burial ground is mentioned as being used by Protestants as well as Catholics and its likely Church of Ireland chiefly used it during Penal times.[12] The array of monuments here include headstones, some of which are set in the old church interior, chest-tombs and vaults. The most prominent of these vaults is a Catholic grave being the family Mausoleum erected by a local merchant Morgan McDonagh in 1822. Its chiefly made of limestone with a pitched roof, also made of stones, and features an opening in one wall filled with a large stone plaque containing carved dedication text.[13]