Churches of Oughtmama
The churches of Oughtmama ( Irish Ucht Máma ) are ruins of three monastic early Christian buildings of the Iroschottische Kirche , which date back to the three Colmans . The two smaller churches are the older. The younger one-nave main church is dedicated to St. Colman mac Duagh ( Colmán mac Duach ), an Irish saint (d. 632). The ruins are on Turlough Hill , across from Corcomroe Abbey in the northern Burren in County Clare , Ireland .
St. Colman
While the Romanesque choir arch dates from the 12th century, opinions differ about the dating of the choir . Fragments of a grave slab with an early Irish inscription were found in the choir. A baptismal font in the southwest corner shows two animal figures with entwined necks. They are a form of representation from the 15th century. There is no doubt about the simple but massive straight lintel at the western end of the nave with the exceptionally large masonry. The nave was the oldest part of the building and dates from around the year 1000. Two Romanesque windows in the south wall illuminated it. In 1839 the historian John O'Donovan (1806–1861) described the more than 20 m long church ruins as one of the most beautiful examples among the primeval churches in Ireland.
The other relics
A little to the east of the large church, in alignment, lies an oratory with a Romanesque portal in the west gable and windows in the south and east walls. 60 m away are the ruins of the third church, which is about the same old. It corresponds in character and dimension to the oratorio. Its south portal and the gable with a lancet window have been preserved. Small remains of foundations, probably parts of a settlement whose core was in the east, are numerous here. The base of a high cross was 130 m north.
The brook and the well
400 m to the north-east is St. Colman's Well, which is said to have healing powers for eye disorders. The Clootie Well consists of the sacred stream Shruhannaneeve ( Sruthán na Naomh , "Stream of the Saints"), which was diverted to power a mill. On it stands a thorn bush with scraps of cloth ( rag tree ), which are to be regarded as votive offerings and which are hung up on November 15th, St. Colman's name day. The tradition continues to this day and testifies to the presence of this belief.
literature
- Peter Harbison : Guide to National and Historic Monuments of Ireland . 3rd ed. Gill & Macmillan Publ., Dublin 1992, ISBN 0-7171-3239-0 . P. 47
Web links
Coordinates: 53 ° 7 '0.7 " N , 9 ° 2' 17.5" W.