The ecclesiastical site at Drumacoo is an interesting spectacle to behold, the juxtaposition of an early medieval church with an early 19th century Gothic revival mausoleum to the St George family incorporated into its remains. The monastic settlement was founded in the 7th century by a female Saint named Sourney (also known as Sorney or Sairnait) who is buried nearby, an associate of Saint Colman mac Duagh whom one would expect the site is named after. There is no date given for the original stone church but if one considers that the finely carved 13th century doorway on its south-side was not the original entrance one could expect it predated the 13th century by quite some time. The flat-headed west doorway would have been the original entrance. The gigantic mausoleum was built in 1830 by Arthur French St George from the nearby, and previously featured) Tyrone House in order to receive the body of Lady Harriet St George, daughter of the second Earl of Howth. The 13th century double arched pointed doorway is in an excellent state of preservation an depictions of cat-heads, leaves and carved chevrons are finely rendered. A lot is written about how garish the mausoleum is and how it takes from the fantastic medieval church however I really do feel it doesn’t detract and the mausoleum itself is a fine and attractive structure in its own right.

GPS: 53.19873, -8.90482