Saint Macdara's Island
Cruach na Cara[1] | |
 | |
  Location within Ireland | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Established | 6th century AD |
| Disestablished | before 1100 |
| Diocese | Tuam |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Macdara |
| Architecture | |
| Status | ruined |
| Style | Celtic |
| Site | |
| Location | Carna, County Galway |
| Coordinates | 53°18′16″N 9°55′02″W / 53.304424°N 9.917318°W |
| Public access | yes |
| Official name | St. MacDara's Island Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Site[2] |
| Reference no. | 242 |
St. MacDara's Island is a medieval Christian monastery and National Monument located off the coast of County Galway, Ireland.[3][4]
Location
St. MacDara's Island is located on a 60-acre (24.5 ha) granite mountain island off the coast of Connemara, 6 km (3.7 mi) west-southwest of Carna.[5][6]
History
Saint Sinach Macdara, patron saint of seafarers, is believed to have built a wooden church on the island in the sixth century.[7]
It was replaced by the present stone building in the 10th century.[8] The roof stones were cut to mimic wood shingles.[9]
Local fishermen traditionally dipped their sails three times while passing the island.[10]
A wooden statue of the saint was paid special reverence by locals; in an act of iconoclasm the Archbishop of Tuam ordered it buried.[11]
Every 16 July, local people make a pilgrimage to the island for a mass and blessing of boats (including the famous Galway hookers).[12] Devotions were also formerly held on 28 September.[13]
Description
A stone church or oratory, probably a shrine for Macdara's remains. There are several cross slabs and an enclosure.[14]
References
- ^ "Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann". Logainm.ie.
- ^ "National Monuments in State Care: Ownership & Guardianship" (PDF). archaeology.ie. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Walsh, David (29 March 2018). "Oileain: A Guide to the Irish Islands". Pesda Press – via Google Books.
- ^ Robinson, Tim (19 June 2007). "Connemara: Listening to the Wind". Penguin UK – via Google Books.
- ^ Tibus, Website design and development by. "Oops the page no longer exists - Discover Ireland" (PDF). www.discoverireland.ie.
- ^ "Explanation to Accompany Sheets 1-". H.M. Stationery Office. 29 March 1871 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Saint Mac Dara's Island R.A.S. Macalister". www.aislingmagazine.com.
- ^ "St macdara's island, County Galway". www.earlychristianireland.net.
- ^ Moody, Theodore William; Martin, Francis X.; Byrne, Francis John; Cosgrove, Art (29 March 1976). "A New History of Ireland: Prehistoric and early Ireland". Oxford University Press – via Google Books.
- ^ Day, Catharina (29 March 2018). "Ireland". New Holland Publishers – via Google Books.
- ^ Kingshill, Sophia; Westwood, The Estate of Jennifer (28 June 2012). "The Fabled Coast: Legends & traditions from around the shores of Britain & Ireland". Random House – via Google Books.
- ^ Kilcoyne, Clodagh. "Seafarers' pilgrimage to MacDara's Island". The Wider Image.
- ^ Harbison, Peter (1 April 1995). "Pilgrimage in Ireland: The Monuments and the People". Syracuse University Press – via Google Books.
- ^ "Pilgrimage to the Connemara coast - Independent.ie".