Moylehid Explained

Type:townland
Pushpin Map:United Kingdom
Coordinates:54.3278°N -7.7745°W

Moylehid is a townland in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the civil parish of Boho.[1] This townland has also been variously known as Moylehide (1609), Moolet (1659), Moylehit, Mullyleet, Mul Leathaid and Mul-leithid (hill of breadth) (1834).[2]

History

Mylehid townland contains two important scheduled historic monuments as described on the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, DOE, Scheduled Historic Monuments list (1 April 2015).

These are the Eagle's Knoll Cairn passage tomb and the Moylehid ring cairn. Both sites were discovered by archeologist Thomas Plunkett in 1894 and contain evidence of neolithic settlement.[1]

One of these cairns is situated on an eastern spur of Belmore Mountain overlooking the Erne valley and has the appearance of an overgrown boss of cherty limestone.[3]

The cairn or passage grave is laid out in a cross shaped arrangement, 13 ft long and 7 ft 4 inches wide and divided into 7 areas.[1]

A number of artifacts have been discovered in these chambers including cremated and uncremated bones, ornamented stone beads, human skulls, animals bones such as birds, boars, sea shells, a stone hammer and ornamented urns (which are on display in the National Museum of Ireland Dublin).[1]

Moylehid is also the location of the Templemullen chapel of ease, also known as the Church of the Mill which was the property of the Lisgoole Abbey.[1] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Boho Heritage: A treasure trove of history and lore. Boho Heritage Organisation . Nicholson & Bass Ltd, Mallusk, Northern Ireland . Edel Bannon . Louise Mclaughlin . Cecilia Flanagan . 2009 . 978-0-9560607-0-9 . 246.
  2. Web site: Place Names NI-Moylehid, County Fermanagh . 10 August 2014.
  3. George Coffey . 1953 . On a Cairn Excavated by Thomas Plunkett, M.R.I.A., on Belmore Mountain, Co. Fermanagh . Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 4, (1896 - 1898) . 659–666 . 20490529.
  4. Web site: Blennerhassett, Rev. Canon James . Clogher clergy and parishes microform: being an account of the clergy of the Church of Ireland in the Diocese of Clogher from the earliest period with historical notices of the several parishes churches etc. . Kilsaran Rectory, Castlebellingham . 1929 .