Kilmalkedar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kilmalkedar
	Cill Maoilchéadair
	Church
Monastery information
Other names	Cell-maeilchetair
Established	early 7th century AD
Disestablished	12th century
Diocese	Ardfert and Aghadoe
People
Founder(s)	Saint Maolcethair
Architecture
Status	Inactive
Style	Celtic Christianity, Romanesque
Site
Location	Kilmalkedar, Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry
Coordinates	52°11′05″N 10°20′10″W / 52.184775°N 10.33623°WCoordinates: 52°11′05″N 10°20′10″W / 52.184775°N 10.33623°W
Visible remains	stone church, cross, oratory, holy well
Public access	yes
National Monument of Ireland
Official name	Kilmalkedar Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Site
Reference no.	65

Kilmalkedar is a medieval ecclesiastical site and National Monument located in County Kerry, Ireland.

Location

Kilmalkedar is on the Dingle Peninsula, 4.8 km (3.0 mi) east of Ballyferriter and 6.7 km (4.2 mi) northwest of Dingle.

History

Kilmalkedar is traditionally associated with Saint Brendan (c. AD 484 – c. 577), but also with a local saint, Maolcethair (Maol Céadair, Maol Céaltair, Malkedar; died 636).

The surviving church dates to the mid-12th century, with the chancel extended c. 1200.

It was a traditional assembly site for pilgrims, who followed the Saint's Road (Casán na Naomh) northeast to Mount Brandon.

Some of the rituals carried out by locals, like performing nine clockwise circuits of the site on Easter Sunday, or the boring of holes in standing stones, suggest remnants of Celtic religion; Kilmalkedar may well have been a religious site long before Christianity arrived.

Buildings

NW view

The church resembles Cormac's Chapel on the Rock of Cashel (built 1127–1134). Its nave is 8.28 m × 9.4 m (27.2 ft × 30.8 ft) with antae and steep gables. The chancel is 5.72 m × 5.1 m (18.8 ft × 16.7 ft) externally. The doorway is a notable Hiberno-Romanesque piece. A hole in the east wall of the chancel is called "the eye of the needle"; if one can fit through it, one is certain to go to heaven.

Pre-Romanesque remains include a corbelled building, perhaps a monastic cell; an alphabet stone; an Ogham stone; a sundial; a stone cross; and some bullauns. One of the bullauns is associated with the mythical cow Glas Gaibhnenn.

The alphabet stone is carved with "DNI" (domini) and the Latin alphabet in uncial script, carved c. AD 550–600.

Ogham stone. The hole bored in the top is unique.

The Ogham stone (CIIC 187) reads ẠṆM MẠỊLE-INBIR/ MACI BROCANN ("Name of Máel-Inbher son of Broccán") and dates to c. AD 600.

Ogham stone, church, stone cross
Hiberno-Romanesque doorway
Doorway
Alphabet stone
blind arcade in the church
Church, west elevation
Sundial stone
Stone cross
Chancel exterior