The first Mass to be held in centuries at Old Kilskeagh Church and Graveyard will take place this evening, Thursday, August 20, as part of Heritage Week.
Since 2023, dedicated community clearance work of this previously lost and inaccessible site near Lackagh has uncovered an important, multi-period archaeological landscape.
This includes the ruins of a medieval church, a community graveyard and cillín in use for several generations, and a large number of foundations for previously unrecorded structures associated with either the medieval church, or the early modern market town which was said to previously exist in the area.
A Mass and Blessing of the Graves will be held in the Old Kilskeagh Graveyard this evening, with organisers calculating this will be the first time in hundreds of years that a service is to take place on this site, to be celebrated within the ruins of the medieval church.
People attending for 7pm should give themselves ample time to enter the route into the graveyard.
Those wishing to access the site should be aware that the cleared pathway through the overgrowth is on very rough, uneven ground which may be slippy – elderly visitors may need assistance, and time to walk the route safely.
There will be a steward on the road at the access point in Kilskeagh (Eircode H65X290 ). From here, visitors can drive through Spellman's fields to the boundary wall of the graveyard site, then walk the 140 yards into the graveyard.
There will also be a short talk on the evening by archaeologist Donna Gilligan regarding the amazing history of this ancient site.
Attendees are advised to keep an eye on the Kilskeagh Church and Graveyard Custodians Facebook page for any last-minute time changes that may be forced upon the event due to the weather forecast.
Kilskeagh Heritage Committee chairman John Tarpey can be contacted at 087 4175388 for any enquiries about Heritage Week events. No advance booking is required, and everyone is very welcome to attend to learn about this intriguing local history site.
