Visit Teampall Caomhán (St. Caomhán’s Church), Inisheer, Ireland

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Teampall Caomhán (St. Kevin's Church) is a ruined 9th-century church chapel on Inisheer, Ireland. Caomhán (or Kevin) is the patron saint of Inisheer (Inis Oírr), the smallest of the Aran Islands. Even though he is "by far the most celebrated of all the saints of the Aran Islands", little is known about him. He is said to have been a disciple of Saint Enda of Aran, which would place him in the 6th century, but his death date has also been recorded as 865. Teampall Chaomhán) is a ruined church, built in the 10th century, at the location of the saint's grave. The entrance is now below ground level, as the church was nearly buried by drifting sands; it has now been excavated and is kept clear of sand by the islanders. In recent times it has been roofed to resist the incursion of blown sand from the surrounding dunes. All that remains visible of this structure today is the chancel. A century or so after this was built, the rest of the building gave way for a wider nave. The lintel over the original western doorway was reused in the enlarged building to become the entrance from the nave to the priest's residence. Three other features date from the late medieval period: the head of the chancel arch, the pointed doorway in the south wall of the nave and the priest's residence. The grave of St Caomhan (Leaba Chaomhain or "Caomhán's Bed") is located to the north-east of the church. It is a tradition on the island to spend the vigil of the saint's feast praying at his grave. It has been written that people were cured of illness here."

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