Kilcar

86 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Kilcar, from 10 m² to 300,794 m² (30.08 ha, 74.33 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 29 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, or as GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Kilcar in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 29 Jul 2026Conditional

  CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW DWELLING HOUSE UTILISING EXISTING FOUNDATIONS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED UNDER PLANNING REFERENCE NO. 08/20114, PROVISION OF A VEHICULAR ENTRANCE IN THE LOCATION PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, CONSTRUCTION OF A DOMESTIC GARAGE, CONNECTION TO THE PUBLIC SEWER, AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Permission, 1 home · Donegal County Council, 2661412

• 24 Jun 2026N/a

  (1) CHANGE OF HOUSE DESIGN TO THAT PREVIOUSLY GRANTED UNDER PLANNING REF. NO. 08/20114, UTILISING EXISTING FOUNDATIONS, ENTRANCE, AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AND (2) CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW DOMESTIC GARAGE

  Permission, 1 home · Donegal County Council, 2661171

• 28 Apr 2026N/a

  (1) CHANGE OF HOUSE DESIGN TO THAT PREVIOUSLY GRANTED UNDER PLANNING REF. NO. 08/20114, UTILISING EXISTING FOUNDATIONS, ENTRANCE, AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AND (2) CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW DOMESTIC GARAGE

  Permission, 1 home · Donegal County Council, 2660743

• 6 Mar 2026Conditional

  ERECTION OF A NEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER THE EXISTING RIVER WITH NEW ADJOINING SENSORY GARDEN AND ALL OTHER ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2660360

• 18 Oct 2024Conditional

  PART CONSTRUCTION OF A WALKWAY AND ALL OTHER ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Retention · Donegal County Council, 2461664

• 2 Jul 2024Conditional

  (1) AN FOIRGNEAMH SEOMRA TAE A LEAG, (2) CLUBTHEACH NUA A THÓGÁIL, (3) SEASTÁN LUCHT FÉACHANA A THÓGÁIL LE TAOBH AN PHÁIRC PHEILE, (4) FOIRGNEAMH SEOMRA FEISTIS BREISE A THÓGÁIL LE, (5) GACH CEANGAL NUA A CHUR LE SEIRBHÍSÍ POBAIL ATÁ ANN CHEANA FÉIN AGUS (6) GACH FORBAIRT EILE ATÁ DE DHÍTH DON SUÍOMH

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2460997

• 28 Jun 2024N/a

  (1) AN FOIRGNEAMH SEOMRA TAE A LEAG, (2) CLUBTHEACH NUA A THÓGÁIL, (3) SEASTÁN LUCHT FÉACHANA A THÓGÁIL LE TAOBH AN PHÁIRC PHEILE, (4) FOIRGNEAMH SEOMRA FEISTIS BREISE A THÓGÁIL LE, (5) GACH CEANGAL NUA A CHUR LE SEIRBHÍSÍ POBAIL ATÁ ANN CHEANA FÉIN AGUS (6) GACH FORBAIRT EILE ATÁ DE DHÍTH DON SUÍOMH

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2460982

• 29 Apr 2024Conditional

  (1) EXTENSION WORKS CARRIED OUT TO STRUCTURE PERMITTED AS A GYM AND TOOL SHED UNDER PLANNING REF. NO. 17/51091 AND PERMISSION FOR (1) CHANGE OF USE FROM A GYM AND TOOL SHED TO 2 NO. GUEST BEDROOM SUITES ANCILLARY TO EXISTING PERMITTED GUESTHOUSE ACCOMMODATION ON SITE AND ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

  Retention · Donegal County Council, 2460601

• 4 Aug 2023Refused

  ATTIC DEVELOPMENT FOR 2 SELF CONTAINED APARTMENTS AT FIRST FLOOR LEVEL AND ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2351160

• 26 Jul 2023Conditional

  ACCESS ROAD THROUGH THE NEW GRAVEYARD FROM THE ROADSIDE EXISTING ENTRANCE, REMOVAL OF EXISTING GRAVEYARD BOUNDARY WAY WALL AND CREATION OF A FURTHER FOURTEEN GRAVES AND PERMISSION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A CAR PARK AND FOOTPATH WITHIN THE GRAVEYARD GROUNDS

  Retention · Donegal County Council, 2351098

• 24 Oct 2022Conditional

  REPLACEMENT OF AN EXISTING 9M HIGH SUPPORT POLE CARRYING ASSOCIATED ANTENNAE FOR AN 18 METRE HIGH FREE STANDING COMMUNICATIONS STRUCTURE WITH ITS ASSOCIATED ANTENNAS, TRANSMISSION DISHES, GROUND EQUIPMENT, FENCING AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS. THE DEVELOPMENT WILL CONTINUE TO FORM PART OF EXISTING 3G AND 4G BROADBAND NETWORK

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 2251761

• 21 Sept 2022N/a

  EXTENSION TO BUILDING PERMITTED UNDER PLANNING REF NO. 17/51091 AND FOR A TEMPORARY CHANGE OF USE FOR TWO YEARS FROM GYM AND TOOL SHED TO TWO FLATS FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES AND PERMISSION FOR CONNECTION TO THE MAINS PUBLIC SEWER

  Retention · Donegal County Council, 2251594

• 14 Sept 2022Conditional

  CHANGE OF USE OF PART OF AGRICULTURAL SHED TO STORAGE OF BAGS OF COAL ASSOCIATED WITH COAL DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS

  Retention · Donegal County Council, 2251542

• 8 Sept 2022N/a

  EXTENSION TO BUILDING PERMITTED UNDER PLANNING REF NO. 17/51091 AND FOR A TEMPORARY CHANGE OF USE FOR TWO YEARS FROM GYM AND TOOL SHED TO TWO FLATS FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES AND PERMISSION FOR CONNECTION TO THE MAINS PUBLIC SEWER

  Retention, 1 home · Donegal County Council, 2251504

• 13 Jul 2022Refused

  EXTENSION TO BUILDING PERMITTED UNDER PLANNING REF NO. 17/51091 AND FOR CHANGE OF USE FROM GYM AND TOOL SHED TO TWO GUESTHOUSE SUITES AND PERMISSION FOR CONNECTION TO THE MAINS PUBLIC SEWER

  Retention, 1 home · Donegal County Council, 2251203

• 12 Aug 2021Conditional

  (A) MODIFICATIONS TO PRIVATE HOUSE, COMPRISING INTERNAL ALTERATIONS AND CHANGE OF USE OF PART OF HOUSE TO 3 NO. SELF CATERING GUESTHOUSE SUITES(B) EXTENSION AND INTERNAL ALTERATIONS TO ADJOINING HOUSE, ITS SUB DIVISION AND CHANGE OF USE TO 2 NO. SELF CATERING GUESTHOUSE SUITES WITH THE GUESTHOUSE ACCOMMODATION SUITES AND PERMISSION FOR CONNECTION OF ALL PROPERTIES TO THE MAINS PUBLIC SEWER

  Retention · Donegal County Council, 2151627

• 1 Jun 2021N/a

  MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING GUESTHOUSE ACCOMMODATION, COMPRISING (1) INTERNAL ALTERATIONS AND CHANGE OF USE OF PART OF MAIN GUESTHOUSE TO 3 NO. APARTMENTS, (2) AN EXTENSION AND INTERNAL ALTERATIONS TO ADJOINING GUESTHOUSE, IT'S SUBDIVISION AND CHANGE OF USE TO 2 NO. APARTMENTS AND PERMISSION FOR CONNECTION OF BOTH PROPERTIES TO THE MAINS PUBLIC SEWER

  Retention · Donegal County Council, 2151066

• 11 Jul 2017Conditional

  FOIRGNEAMH COIMHDEACHA NUA, LE DHÁ URLÁIR, ATÁ AR CHÚL AN TÍ, TÁ SEOMRA FEIDHMNEACH AGUS BOTHÁIN STÓRÁLA AR AN BHUNURLÁR, AGUS SEOMRA GIOMNÁISIAM AR AN CHÉAD URLÁR; CHOMH MAITH LE GACH GNÉ D'OIBREACHA LÁITHREÁIN A BHAINEANN LEO

  Retention · Donegal County Council, 1751091

• 8 Jun 2017Conditional

  SÍNEADH A THÓGÁIL OS COMHAIR AN MHONARCHA ATÁ ANN FAOI LÁTHAIR, ATHSHOCRÚ A DHÉANAMH AR PAIRCEALA ATÁ ANN CHEANA AGUS SUITEÁIL COMHART ÁIOCHT FÓGRAÍOCHTA

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 1750897

• 24 Mar 2017Refused

  SÍNEADH A THÓGÁIL OS COMHAIR AN MHONARCHA ATÁ ANN FAOI LÁTHAIR, ATHSHOCRÚ A DHÉANMAH AR PÁIRCEÁLTA ATÁ ANN CHEANA AGUS SUITEÁIL COMHARTHAÍOCHT FÓGRAÍOCHTA

  Permission · Donegal County Council, 1750444

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Kilcar.

Recorded monuments

• DG096-010001 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  'St. Connell's Well' (DG096-010001-) is located at the SW corner of a cairn (DG096-010002-) 7.8m x 3.6m. The well consists of a drystone lined oval spring. Described by Ó Muirgheasa in 1936 as at 'Kilcar there are three Holy Wells: (1) Tobar Charthach, or St. Carthach's Well (DG096-013001-) (2) Tobar Chonaill, or St. Conall Caol's Well (3) Tobar Mhuire (DG096-010008-), or the Blessed Virgin's Well. O'Donovan, in the Ordnance Survey Letters, says that one of the wells is called after St. Patrick, and the other two after St. Carthach himself. But herein he is in error. St. Carthach has only one well at Kilcar, while St. Patrick's Well, as will be noted later, is at Cashel. Crowds of pilgrims still make the station or turus. It begins in the old ruined church of St. Carthach, after which the pilgrim makes three circuits of each of the three wells, and then finishes up at " the altar" in the old church. Dr. Maguire, in his History of Raphoe Diocese, says "At Bawin, on the Kilcar frontier, there is a farmer's well known from the remotest antiquity as St. Naal's Well." This, I fear, is an error. The most diligent inquiries on the spot failed to discover any other well at Bawin, but St. Ciaran's, and there is not a shadow of tradition connecting this well with St. Naal. Possibly Dr. Maguire got his notes mixed up, and inadvertently substituted Naal's name for Ciaran's. Curiously enough the turus is made on the 4th March, though all the Martyrologies give the 5th March as St. Carthach's festival, the same day as St. Ciaran's. A probable explanation of this is that the people of the Kilcar district found it too much to do both stations in one day, and that it was arranged for them by some one in authority that St. Carthach's turus could be done on the preceding day. The old Irish day, how ever, began at sunset, so that after sunset on the 4th would count as St. Carthach's festival, and very probably his turus was at first performed only at this time, but gradually came to be regarded as lawfully done any time during the 4th. Local tradition says that St. Carthach was a Munster bishop, who came here to do penance for his sins: that the Munstermen, on discovering his retreat, wished him to return home, but that he would not go. Most of this is borne out by the meagre details of his life given in our Martyrologies, but there it is stated he was sent to Rome to do penance, which is probably a later addition. He was the pupil and trusted friend of St. Ciaran, and the juxtaposition of both their wells here in this remote part of Tirconaill is a valuable fact which seems to have been unknown to our hagiological writers. Tobar Phadraig, or St. Patrick's Well, is in Cashel, near Kilcar, on the north side of Towney Bay. It was formerly, it is said, included in St. Carthach's turus, but it forms no part of it at the present day. There is no record of St. Patrick's visitation of this part of Tirconaill, nor is it likely that he came here from Ballyshannon, for had he done so other wells or churches bearing his name would mark his route. What is more likely is that during his apparently long stay in Tireragh (the district of County Sligo lying opposite Donegal) he ran across here by boat in fair weather, converted a village or two, baptised them at this well, and then sailed back to County Sligo. On no other supposition can the name of this well be explained. Tobar Chnapostuin at Muckress, near Kilcar, commemorates not a saint but a fairy, or more probably a local deity of ancient times, still remembered in local legends. For one such see the story of Bolcan Mor in Oidhche Airneail i dTir Chonaill. It was probably a " sacred well" in pagan times, and having escaped the attention of the missionaries, it has preserved its name and identity until the present day, a circumstance perhaps, unparalleled in this country' (Ó Muirgheasa 1936, 147-8). (Ó Muirgheasa No. 21) The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 03 November 2011

• DG096-010002 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  'St. Connell's Well' (DG096-010001-) is located at the SW corner of a cairn (DG096-010002-) 7.8m x 3.6m. The well consists of a drystone lined oval spring. The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008

• DG096-010003 Bullaun stone
  Description

  About 40m NE of Kilcar church (DG096-010005-) is Tobermurry (DG096-010008-) which consists of a bullaun (DG096-010003-) or rock-basin surrounded by a cairn (DG096-010004-) 6m x 8.8m. Two depressions, (i) .34m x .4m and 0.23m deep and (ii). 2m in diameter and 0.05m deep, and a channel which feeds water to the first depression are carved on the top of the bullaun stone. (Ó Muirgheasa No. 22) The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Attached image: DG096-010003-_01.JPG Date of upload: 22 September 2008

• DG096-010004 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  About 40m NE of the church is Tobermurry (DG096-010008-) which consists of a bullaun (DG096-010003-) or rock-basin surrounded by a cairn (DG096-010004-) 6m x 8.8m. Two depressions, (i) .34m x .4m and 0.23m deep and (ii). 2m in diameter and 0.05m deep, and a channel which feeds water to the first depression are carved on the top of the bullaun stone. (Ó Muirgheasa No. 22) The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Attached image: DG096-010004-_01.JPG viewed from S Date of upload: 22 September 2008

• DG096-010005 Church
  Description

  Kilcar Old Church (DG096-010005-): The parish church was in ruins in 1622 (Royal Commission, 221). The surviving church remains, 6.05m wide internally, are probably of a later date. It continued in use until 1828 when a new church (now disused) was built in Kilcar Village (Lewis 11, 1837, 58; Maguire 1920, 38). Only the W gable at full height and adjoining sections c. 5-6m long of N and S walls survive. They are built of rubble and had ashlar quoins, most of which are missing. The door in the centre of the W gable has very weathered, bold chamfered jambs with pointed head. The ingoings with round-headed rear-arch are set back from the jambs and the S has a draw-bar socket. The N wall c. 2.1m high is featureless. The S wall c. 2.6m high has a distinct full length break in the masonry c. 1m from the interior SW corner. The E section may be an addition; it retains the splayed ingoing for a window at its E end. The church interior is plastered and the exterior is harled. Kilcar Church is situated inside a rectangular graveyard (DG096-010005-) 28m N-S x 44m E-W. A carved stone fragment, probably part of a window from the church, is reused as a grave marker in the E half of the graveyard. Nearby on the roadside is a stone (DG096-010007-), built into a boundary wall, with a number of random grooves. These are believed locally to be of ancient origin. About 100m NE of the church is Tobermurry which consists of a bullaun (DG096-010003-) or rock-basin surrounded by a cairn (DG096-010004-) 6m x 8.8m. Two depressions, (i) .34m x .4m and 0.23m deep and (ii). 2m in diameter and 0.05m deep, and a channel which feeds water to the first depression are carved on the top of the bullaun stone. (Ó Muirgheasa No. 22) The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Attached images: DG096-010005-_01.JPG W gable -exterior DG096-010005-_01.JPG Church viewed from E Date of revised upload: 24 April 2018

• DG096-010006 Inscribed stone
  Description

  Incorporated into a field fence, bordering the N side of a grassed-over laneway leading to Kilcar church (DG096-010005-) and graveyard (DG096-010007-). This consists of an irregular-shaped, earth-fast boulder (exposed L 1.68m; Wth. 0.22; max. H 1.1m), wedge shaped in section, aligned NE-SW, tapering to a point at the higher NE side. On the broad S-facing side of the stone there are a number of random narrow grooves or scores, following no discernible pattern, which according to Lacy (1983, 277, no. 1577) ‘are believed locally to be of ancient origin.’ Attached images: DG096-010006-_01.JPG DG096-010006-_02.JPG Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of revised upload: 24 April 2018

• DG096-010007 Graveyard
  Description

  Kilcar Old Church (DG096-010005-): The parish church was in ruins in 1622 (Royal Commission, 221). The surviving church remains, 6.05m wide internally, are probably of a later date. It continued in use until 1828 when a new church (now disused) was built in Kilcar Village (Lewis 11, 1837, 58; Maguire 1920, 38). Only the W gable at full height and adjoining sections c. 5-6m long of N and S walls survive. They are built of rubble and had ashlar quoins, most of which are missing. The door in the centre of the W gable has very weathered, bold chamfered jambs with pointed head. The ingoings with round-headed rear-arch are set back from the jambs and the S has a draw-bar socket. The N wall c. 2.1m high is featureless. The S wall c. 2.6m high has a distinct full length break in the masonry c. 1m from the interior SW corner. The E section may be an addition; it retains the splayed ingoing for a window at its E end. The church interior is plastered and the exterior is harled. Kilcar Church is situated inside a rectangular graveyard (DG096-010007-) 28m N-S x 44m E-W. Nearby on the roadside is a stone (DG010006-), built into a boundary wall, with a number of random grooves. These are believed locally to be of ancient origin. About 100m NE of the church is Tobermurry (DG096-010008) which consists of a bullaun (DG096-010003-) or rock-basin surrounded by a cairn (DG096-010004-) 6m x 8.8m. Two depressions, (i) .34m x .4m and 0.23m deep and (ii). 2m in diameter and 0.05m deep, and a channel which feeds water to the first depression are carved on the top of the bullaun stone. (Ó Muirgheasa No. 22) The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008

• DG096-010008 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  Located to c. 40m NE of Kilcar church (DG096-010005-) and graveyard (DG096-010007-), and named ‘Tobermurry’ on the OS 6-inch map, this monument functioned as a holy well, although there is no well or spring per se. It consists of a bullaun (DG096-010003-) or rock-basin surrounded by a cairn (DG096-010004-) 6m x 8.8m. Two depressions, (i) .34m x .4m and 0.23m deep and (ii). 2m in diameter and 0.05m deep, and a channel which feeds water to the first depression are carved on the top of the bullaun stone. (Ó Muirgheasa No. 22). Described by Ó Muirgheasa in 1936 as 'Kilcar there are three Holy Wells: (1) Tobar Charthach, or St. Carthach's Well (DG096-013001-) (2) Tobar Chonaill (DG096-010001-), or St. Conall Caol's Well (3) Tobar Mhuire, or the Blessed Virgin's Well (DG096-010008-)...Crowds of pilgrims still make the station or turus. It begins in the old ruined church of St. Carthach, after which the pilgrim makes three circuits of each of the three wells, and then finishes up at "the altar" in the old church.' (Ó Muirgheasa 1936, 147-8). (Ó Muirgheasa No. 22) Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 03 November 2011

• DG096-010009 Cross
  Description

  Located within a church (DG096-010005-). This monument is embedded in the ground beneath a table tomb in the SW corner of the church. It is the base of a cross, consisting of a rectangular stone (max. exposed dims. c. 0.35m x c. 0.16m) with splayed sides, with a straight-sided, flat-bottomed socket (0.17m x 012, D 0.8m) cut into its upper surface. Attached image: DG096-010009-_01.JPG Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 24 April 2018

• DG096-010010 Bullaun stone
  Description

  Located within Kilcar graveyard (DG096-010007-). This bullaun stone consists of an irregularly-shaped stone (0.46m x 0.24m; H 0.24m) with an approximately oval-shaped depression (0.15m x 0.13m; D c. 0.1m) in the centre of the upper surface. It was first noted in 2018, and its exact provenance is unknown. Attached images: DG096-010010-_01.JPG DG096-010010-_02.JPG Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 24 April 2018

• DG096-013001 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  St. Carthach's Well is an octagonally-shaped spring on the SSW side of a cairn 6.3m x 4.9m and 0.95m high. It is situated in good pasture WSW of Kilcar town. Described by Ó Muirgheasa in 1936 as at 'Kilcar there are three Holy Wells: (1) Tobar Charthach, or St. Carthach's Well (2) Tobar Chonaill (DG096-010001-), or St. Conall Caol's Well (3) Tobar Mhuire (DG096-010008-), or the Blessed Virgin's Well. O'Donovan, in the Ordnance Survey Letters, says that one of the wells is called after St. Patrick, and the other two after St. Carthach himself. But herein he is in error. St. Carthach has only one well at Kilcar, while St. Patrick's Well, as will be noted later, is at Cashel. Crowds of pilgrims still make the station or turus. It begins in the old ruined church of St. Carthach, after which the pilgrim makes three circuits of each of the three wells, and then finishes up at " the altar" in the old church. Dr. Maguire, in his History of Raphoe Diocese, says "At Bawin, on the Kilcar frontier, there is a farmer's well known from the remotest antiquity as St. Naal's Well." This, I fear, is an error. The most diligent inquiries on the spot failed to discover any other well at Bawin, but St. Ciaran's, and there is not a shadow of tradition connecting this well with St. Naal. Possibly Dr. Maguire got his notes mixed up, and inadvertently substituted Naal's name for Ciaran's. Curiously enough the turus is made on the 4th March, though all the Martyrologies give the 5th March as St. Carthach's festival, the same day as St. Ciaran's. A probable explanation of this is that the people of the Kilcar district found it too much to do both stations in one day, and that it was arranged for them by some one in authority that St. Carthach's turus could be done on the preceding day. The old Irish day, how ever, began at sunset, so that after sunset on the 4th would count as St. Carthach's festival, and very probably his turus was at first performed only at this time, but gradually came to be regarded as lawfully done any time during the 4th. Local tradition says that St. Carthach was a Munster bishop, who came here to do penance for his sins: that the Munstermen, on discovering his retreat, wished him to return home, but that he would not go. Most of this is borne out by the meagre details of his life given in our Martyrologies, but there it is stated he was sent to Rome to do penance, which is probably a later addition. He was the pupil and trusted friend of St. Ciaran, and the juxtaposition of both their wells here in this remote part of Tirconaill is a valuable fact which seems to have been unknown to our hagiological writers. Tobar Phadraig, or St. Patrick's Well, is in Cashel, near Kilcar, on the north side of Towney Bay. It was formerly, it is said, included in St. Carthach's turus, but it forms no part of it at the present day. There is no record of St. Patrick's visitation of this part of Tirconaill, nor is it likely that he came here from Ballyshannon, for had he done so other wells or churches bearing his name would mark his route. What is more likely is that during his apparently long stay in Tireragh (the district of County Sligo lying opposite Donegal) he ran across here by boat in fair weather, converted a village or two, baptised them at this well, and then sailed back to County Sligo. On no other supposition can the name of this well be explained. Tobar Chnapostuin at Muckress, near Kilcar, commemorates not a saint but a fairy, or more probably a local deity of ancient times, still remembered in local legends. For one such see the story of Bolcan Mor in Oidhche Airneail i dTir Chonaill. It was probably a " sacred well" in pagan times, and having escaped the attention of the missionaries, it has preserved its name and identity until the present day, a circumstance perhaps, unparalleled in this country' (Ó Muirgheasa 1936, 147-8). (Ó Muirgheasa No. 20) The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 03 November 2011

• DG096-013002 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  St. Carthach's Well is an octagonally-shaped spring on the SSW side of a cairn 6.3m x 4.9m and 0.95m high. It is situated in good pasture WSW of Kilcar town. The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated.

Architectural heritage

• House, 1890–1900 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached four-bay single-storey vernacular house, dated 1898, with single-bay single-storey extension to rear (north). Pitched thatch with sallyrod (in quincunx patterns) ridge restraint, stone pegs to eaves for rope thatch restraints, and with two rendered chimneystacks (one to the west gable end and one offset to the east side of centre). Mono-pitched roof to extension. Cement rendered walls with carved datestone incised ‘1898’ to western corner of front elevation (south). Square-headed window openings with cut stone sills and two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed door opening with plinth blocks to base and with replacement glazed timber door. Set back from road in own grounds to the west of Cill Chartha/Kilcar. Rubble stone walls to site and aligning pathway from road to the south/south-east. Single-bay single-storey outbuilding to east having rubble stone walls, mono-pitched corrugated-metal roof and square-headed doorway with battened timber door.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

At the centre of the townland of Kilcar, about 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as high, moderately high, moderately low, low, partly inferred.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Kilcar.

Flooding

The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Kilcar with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Donegal.

Name

Kilcar · Cill Charthaigh

Area

951,380 m² (95.14 ha, 235.09 acres)

Civil parish

Kilcar, and its townlands

Barony

Banagh

Electoral division

Kilcar, the unit of the census

Census 2022

669 people lived in 260 households in the Kilcar electoral division. 83% of households owned their home. 32% of homes were built since 2001. 13% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 28% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Derrylahan, Drumreagh, Keenaghan, Kilbeg, New Church Glebe, Old Church Glebe, Tawny

Gaeltacht

In an Irish-speaking area

Placenames

Kilcar on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address. Old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.