Overview
Killemlagh Church has an ogham stone built into the north-west angle of its west gable – the detail most visitors walk straight past, and the one worth hunting for. The ruin sits on the Skellig Ring drive between the villages of Portmagee and Ballinskelligs, looking out over St Finian’s Bay to the Skellig Islands on the horizon. It stands in a narrow glen between Knocknaskereighta Mountain to the north-east and Canuig Mountain to the south-west, close enough to the sea that spray reaches it in a gale. The name comes from the Irish Cill Imleach, meaning ‘church on marginal land’ or ‘church on border land’; the 19th-century antiquarian John O’Hanlon put it down to the church lying beside the sea.
History
The present ruin is the shell of a Romanesque church built in the late 12th century, said to stand on the site of an early monastery founded by St Finian. It’s a simple single-cell church, not a large one: O’Hanlon’s 1875 survey put the interior at 48ft 6in long by 17ft 9in wide, with side walls a little over 10ft high and about 3ft 5in thick. The green cut-stone dressings around the east window, south window and doorway are the local quarry stone, and the east window is the finer of the two – round-headed inside, pointed outside, and taller than a person. The original entrance was the west doorway, now blocked; by the early 20th century a new doorway had been cut into the south wall.
The church stayed in good repair until the mid-17th century, when it lost its roof and fell into ruin. Around 1840 a new Roman Catholic chapel was built onto its north side, reusing the old north wall; that later chapel is now roofless too. The surrounding graveyard, known locally as Glen graveyard after the adjoining Glen parish church, contains stone markers from the 1700s to the mid-20th century.
What to See & Do
- The ogham stone – The one thing to find. It’s set into the north-west angle of the west gable, not standing free, so you have to look up at the wall rather than around the graveyard. It was first recorded here by the archaeologist Etienne Rynne in 1996, with a partial reading of
...CLHQOC.... Plenty of visitors miss it entirely. - The church walls – The weather-worn shell still shows the round-headed east and south windows and the outline of the blocked west doorway. The green cut stone around the openings is worth a close look – it came from a different, harder quarry than the rubble of the walls.
- St Finin’s Well – A short walk west of the church leads to a holy well down by the shore, associated with St Finian, whose early monastery is said to have stood here before the stone church.
- Pagan’s Grave – A megalithic structure known locally as the ‘Pagan’s Grave’ lies just to the south, a prehistoric marker in the same glen. The megalithicireland surveyor only learned of it after leaving, so ask locally if you want to find it.
- The Skelligs view – On a clear day Skellig Michael and Little Skellig sit on the horizon beyond St Finian’s Bay – the same rock the monks of Killemlagh’s own founder-saint’s world would have known.
- Glen graveyard – Carved headstones from the 18th to 20th centuries record local families and maritime losses; the inscriptions are worth a slow read.
Practical Information
Killemlagh Church is freely accessible; there is no admission charge. Visitors can park roadside at the small lay-by that runs alongside the Skellig Ring – the space is limited but sufficient for a few cars. The ruin is open year-round, and because there is no formal visitor centre, the site is best explored on foot at a leisurely pace.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Freely accessible, year-round |
| Parking | Roadside lay-by (free) |
| Accessibility | Uneven ground; no wheelchair-specific access |
| Facilities | No on-site facilities; nearest cafés are in Portmagee and Ballinskelligs |
When planning a visit, allow at least 30 minutes to wander the church, the well, and the surrounding graveyard. The location is reachable by car via the Skellig Ring (R559), with clear signage for the Killemlagh turn-off. For those travelling by public transport, the nearest bus stops are in Portmagee and Ballinskelligs; a short taxi ride will bring you to the site.
Mobile signal is patchy out here, so download a map before you set off. The light is best on the stone walls at either end of the day, and the ground around the church and well is uneven and slippery after rain, so bring boots rather than trainers.
Getting There
- By car: Follow the R559 Skellig Ring from Portmagee or Ballinskelligs. Look for the sign to Killemlagh; a short turn-off leads to a lay-by parking area. The drive itself is scenic, winding through cliffs and past secluded beaches.
- By public transport: Bus services run between Killarney and the Ring of Kerry towns; alight at Portmagee or Ballinskelligs and take a local taxi (approximately 5 km) to the site. Check seasonal schedules in advance, as frequency can drop outside summer months.
- Walking & cycling: The church lies on the popular Skellig Ring walking route. Cyclists can join the route but should be prepared for narrow, uneven sections near the lay-by. The area is popular with ramblers exploring the Iveragh Peninsula’s coastal trails.
Nearby Attractions
Everything worth pairing with Killemlagh is on the same stretch of the Skellig Ring:
- Portmagee – The fishing village a short drive north, with cafés, craft shops and the boats out to the Skelligs.
- Ballinskelligs – A medieval abbey, a sandy Blue Flag strand and a small local museum, just south along the coast.
- Killabuonia – A ruined early Christian monastic site further along the same road, terraced into the hillside and usually empty.
- St Finian’s Bay – The beach right below the church, and the Skelligs Chocolate factory at its northern end.
Come in the late afternoon: the low sun lights the west gable – and the ogham stone in it – then head down to Ballinskelligs for a meal before the drive back to Killarney.