Ballywiheen Church and Cross slabs, Kerry

Ballyneanig-Churchquarter / Ceathrú an Teampaill

Ballywiheen Medieval Church and Cross inscribed stones

Ballywiheen Church is actually located in Ballyneanig-Churchquarter townland, on the eastern side of Ballyneanig Hill. It is a simple church constructed from small split stones set in a loose clay mortar. Internally the church measures 11.62 metres x 4.6 metres. Entry to the church was through a lintelled doorway in the centre of the north wall, pictured below. There is a pivot hole and a draw bar socket present in the doorway. There is a window present at the east end of both the north and south walls, and a further window at the west end of the south wall. There is also enough evidence to suggest there was an attic storey/living quarters at the west end of the church.

The church stands in the centre of a graveyard that contains older graves to the south and more modern graves to the north. The main reason we visited was to try and locate the eight cross-inscribed stones present at the site. The easiest to locate was stone No 1, pictured below left, it is leaning against an interior gable wall. it stands 0.85 metres in height and bears a simple cross on both faces. Stone No 2 is said to have three notches in the top, see below right, and it too bears a simple cross.

Ballyneanig-Churchquarter / Ceathrú an Teampaill Ballywiheen Medieval Church and Cross inscribed stones Ballywiheen Church is actually located in Ballyneanig-Churchquarter townland, on the eastern side of Ballyneanig Hill. It is a simple church constructed from small split stones set in a loose clay mortar. Internally the church measures 11.62 metres x 4.6 metres. Entry to the church was through a lintelled doorway in the centre of the north wall, pictured below. There is a pivot hole and a draw bar socket present in the doorway. There is a window present at the east end of both the north and south walls, and a further window at the west end of the south wall. There is also enough evidence to suggest there was an attic storey/living quarters at the west end of the church. The church stands in the centre of a graveyard that contains older graves to the south and more modern graves to the north. The main reason we visited was to try and locate the eight cross-inscribed stones present at the site. The easiest to locate was stone No 1, pictured below left, it is leaning against an interior gable wall. it stands 0.85 metres in height and bears a simple cross on both faces. Stone No 2 is said to have three notches in the top, see below right, and it too bears a simple cross.
Stone No 1, west face	Stone No 2
Stone No 5?	Stone No 6? west face
Going by the descriptions on the National Monuments website I believe the two inscribed stones, pictured above, are numbers 5 and 6. The stone below right is definitey No 7, it is described as 'An upright slab marking the E end of a grave about 5.7m WNW of the SW corner of the church. It is 0.31m high and 0.31m wide. Its E face bears an incised, equal-armed cross with T-bar terminals, the arms continuing slightly beyond the bars'. The other three inscribed stones proved too difficult to find in the long grass. The site offers wonderful views of Mount Brandon to the NNE.
Situated: From Ballyferriter take a right at the church, opposite the Museum. After 1.3 kilometres turn left, go 700 metres and turn left again. The graveyard is 550 metres down here on your left. Discovery Map 70: Q 3622 0360. Last visit June 2021. Longitude: 10° 23' 39.7 " W Latitude: 52° 09' 37.0" N Google Map Photos: Jim Dempsey.	Stone No 7