St. Gobnet's Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Gobnet's Church |
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| St. Gobnait's Church, An Teampall Beag, Kilgobnet | |
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Cill Ghobnait
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 St. Gobnet's Church
Location in Ireland
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| 53°03′57″N 9°31′45″W / 53.065908°N 9.529201°W | |
| Location | Inisheer, County Galway |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Pre-Reformation Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 6th century |
| Founder(s) | Gobnait |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | inactive |
| Years built | c. 1100 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | limestone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Tuam |
St. Gobnet's Church is a very old church located on Inisheer, one of the beautiful Aran Islands in Ireland. It's so important that it's protected as a National Monument!
Contents
Where is St. Gobnet's Church?
You can find St. Gobnet's Church in the northern part of Inisheer. Inisheer is the smallest of the three main Aran Islands. These islands are located off the west coast of County Galway, Ireland.
History of the Church
People believe that this spot has been used for religious purposes since the 6th century. That's a really long time ago!
Saint Gobnait's Story
There's a traditional story about how Saint Gobnait came to Inisheer. She supposedly ran away from County Clare to escape a family problem. Later, an angel appeared to her. The angel told her to go back to the mainland and travel south. She was told to keep going until she saw nine white deer.
Saint Gobnait eventually settled in a place called Ballyvourney. There, she built a religious community. It is said that the remains of her old home, a beehive hut, can still be seen on Inisheer today.
Building the Stone Church
The stone church you see now was built much later. It was constructed sometime in the 11th or 12th century. This means it's over 800 years old!
Recent Discoveries
In 1980, a person named W. Walsh led an excavation at the church site. An excavation is when archaeologists carefully dig up an area to find old things and learn about the past.
What the Church Looks Like
St. Gobnet's Church is a rectangular building made of stone. It's a simple but strong structure.
Inside and around the church, you can still see some interesting features:
- The remains of a beehive hut are visible. These were small, round stone buildings used as homes or shelters a long time ago.
- There are also two bullaun stones. These are stones with bowl-shaped hollows carved into them. People think they might have been used for grinding things or for religious rituals.
- You can also find three raised stone slabs. Their exact purpose is not fully known, but they add to the ancient feel of the site.
