Illaunloughan

Illaunloughan Irish: Oileán Lócháin
County Kerry
The site of Illaunloughan
Location
Grid reference:	V36667311
Location:	51°53’12"N, 10°22’24"W
Village:	Portmagee
Order:	Early Celtic
History
Established:	late 7th century AD
Disestablished:	9th century AD
Information
Condition:	ruined

Illaunloughan is a mediæval Christian monastery found on a tiny island of a third of an acre in the Portmagee Channel, a channel separating Valentia Island from the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry

The site is denoted a National Monument.

History

A monastery was founded here in the late 7th century AD, but had ceased to exist by the 9th century. Two saints named Lochan appear in the Martyrology of Tallaght (c. AD 800); one could have been the founder, although lochan could also refer to seaweed. Illaunloughan may have been a stopping-off point for pilgrims travelling to Skellig Michael, which lies 9 nautical miles to the south-west. Excavation revealed middens containing the remnants of meat, oats, seabirds and fish. Also revealed were earthen oratories and casting of fine metalwork.

Up to the 20th century Illaunloughan was used as a cillín for the burial of unbaptised infants and as a graveyard by local people.

Description

There are 8th-century dry stone oratories and altars (leachta) and a gable shrine for the relics of the community's saints. These relics were decorated with quartz and scallop shells.

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Illaunloughan)

References

• Oileán Lócháin / Illaunloughan: Placenames Database of Ireland