Castlekeeran

115 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Castlekeeran, from 40 m² to 220,555 m² (22.06 ha, 54.5 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 24 neighbouring parcels touch it.

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

• P5RA - Rural Area (Mixed/general primary sector uses, including 'rural')
  Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, Meath · 139 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

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

• 16 Nov 2020Conditional

  development consists of a 4 Bay Cattle Housing Unit with Underground Slurry Storage Tank, Close Existing Agricultural Entrance, Construct New Agricultural Entrance and all site works.

  Permission · Meath County Council, KA201718

• 24 May 2019Conditional

  permission to remove condition No.2 of Register Reference No. KA/50540 which consisted of the conversion of residence to agricultural store and Permission for the retention of the existing residence including a new treatment system and percolation area

  Retention, 1 home · Meath County Council, KA190662

• 23 Apr 2019N/a

  permission to remove condition No.2 of Register Reference No. KA/50540 which consisted of the conversion of residence to agricultural store and Permission for the retention of the existing residence including a new treatment system and percolation area

  Permission, 1 home · Meath County Council, KA190489

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

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: River Boyne and River Blackwater SAC 002299
• Special Protection Area: River Boyne and River Blackwater SPA 004232

Recorded monuments

• ME016-006 Church
  Description

  Ciarán of Castlekeeran, then known as Bealach Dúin – pass of the fort – was descended from the Fiacha Araidhe of NE Ulster, and his death is recorded in 775. Very little is known of his life, although it is thought that he wrote about St. Patrick, and his feastday is 14 June (Ó Rian 2011, 168-9). The deaths of some abbots of Disert Chiarain are recorded, including Siadhal (855), Consudh (868) and Dubhthach (961). The monastery was plundered by Godfrey, son of Sitric, and the Dublin Vikings in 949, together with other monasteries, and in 1170 Diarmuid Mac Murrough attacked it. It soon became a dependency of the Crutched Friars of St. John the Baptist at Kells (O’Connell 1957, 19) as a parish church, and it is listed amongst its possessions at the Suppression in 1540 (White 1943, 265). Although it is not mentioned by Ussher (1622) (Erlington 1847-64, 1, lxxxvii-xc), according to Dopping’s Visitation (1682-5) the church of Tristlekieran was ruined ‘since time out of mind’, although it was enclosed (Ellison 1973, 9). It is located in the shallow valley of the NW-SE River Blackwater, originally called Sele (O’Connell 1957, 17), with the stream c. 50m to the NE. The grass-grown remains of a structure (ext. dims 14.5m E-W; 7.5m N-S) are in a rectangular graveyard (dims c. 65m E-W; c. 45m N-S) defined by earthen banks and hedges. Three sandstone high crosses that are rather plain apart from roll mouldings, the base of another, a cross-slab and an ogham stone are displayed in the graveyard. The large sandstone cross-slab has a cross with expanded terminals defined by two incised double-lines within a frame (ibid. 25). The ogham stone (H c. 0.6m) was unearthed in the graveyard in 1898 and it is set up incorrectly with the top below. It is just N of the church remains, and has been read as: COVAGNI MAGI MUCOI LUGUNI (O'Connell 1957, 26; Macalister 1945, vol. 1, 46). However, a more recent interpretation (Herity and Newman Maguire 2012) has identified further letters and provides the reading: T_COVAGNI MAQI MUCOI LUGUNI ITI, which they translate as: ‘Of Thy Cuan son of the sons of Luigne’. The north cross (H 2.62m; Wth 1.1m) is ringed and has a shaft (0.53m x 0.47m) on a pyramidal base (dims at base 1.04m x 1m; H 0.75m). There is interlace at the ends of the arms and on the E face of the ring. The south cross (H 2.97m; Wth 1.3m) has a shaft (0.49m x 0.37m) on a base (dims at base 1.27m x 0.87m; H c. 0.9m). One end panel, a boss and part of the ring is decorated with interlace. The west cross (H 2.08m) has a broken S arm and the shaft (dims 0.37m x 0.24m) is on a plain base (dims at base 0.91m x 0.75m; H c. 0.56m). The cross is completely undecorated. (Harbison 1992, vol. 1, 41-2) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 6 June, 2014

• ME016-006001 Cross - High cross
  Description

  Three sandstone high crosses that are rather plain apart from roll mouldings, the base of another, a cross-slab and an ogham stone are displayed in the graveyard (ME016-006007-) of the early monastery of Diseart Chiaran (ME016-006----) (O'Connell 1957). The north cross (H 2.62m; Wth 1.1m) is ringed and has a shaft (0.53m x 0.47m) on a pyramidal base (dims at base 1.04m x 1m; H 0.75m). There is interlace at the ends of the arms and on the E face of the ring. (Harbison 1992, vol. 1, 41-2) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 6 June, 2014

• ME016-006002 Cross - High cross
  Description

  Three sandstone high crosses that are rather plain apart from roll mouldings, the base of another, a cross-slab and an ogham stone are displayed in the graveyard (ME016-006007-) of the early monastery of Diseart Chiaran (ME016-006----) (O'Connell 1957). The south cross (H 2.97m; Wth 1.3m) has a shaft (0.49m x 0.37m) on a base (dims at base 1.27m x 0.87m; H c. 0.9m). One end panel, a boss and part of the ring is decorated with interlace. (Harbison 1992, 42) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 6 June, 2014

• ME016-006003 Cross - High cross
  Description

  Three sandstone high crosses that are rather plain apart from roll mouldings, the base of another, a cross-slab and an ogham stone are displayed in the graveyard (ME016-006007-) of the early monastery of Diseart Chiaran (ME016-006----) (O'Connell 1957). The west cross (H 2.08m) has a broken S arm and the shaft (dims 0.37m x 0.24m) is on a plain base (dims at base 0.91m x 0.75m; H c. 0.56m). The cross is completely undecorated (Harbison 1992, vol. 1, 42). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 6 June, 2014

• ME016-006004 Cross - High cross
  Description

  The base of a high cross is within the graveyard (ME016-006007-) at the site of the early monastery of Diseart Chiarin (ME016-006----) (O'Connell 1957, 24). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 6 June, 2014

• ME016-006005 Cross-slab
  Description

  Within the graveyard (ME016-006007-) of Diseart Chiaran churhc site (ME016-006----). A large sandstone cross-slab has a cross with expanded terminals defined by two incised double-lines within an incised frame (O'Connell 1957, 25). One end of the slab is missing (max. surviving H 1.27m; Wth 0.55-0.61m; T 6-7cm), and it may have been an altar-front rather than a cross-slab. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 6 June 2014   Updated: 03 November 2025

• ME016-006006 Ogham stone
  Description

  An ogham stone (H c. 0.6m) was unearthed in the graveyard (ME016-006007-) of the early monastery of Diseart Chiarain (ME016-006----) in 1898 and it is set up incorrectly with the top below. It is just N of the church remains, and has been read as: COVAGNI MAGI MUCOI LUGUNI (O'Connell 1957, 26; Macalister 1945, vol. 1, 46). However, a more recent interpretation (Heery and Newman Maguire 2012) has identified further letters and provides the reading: T_COVAGNI MAQI MUCOI LUGUNI ITI, and they suggest that the person commemorated is Segéne of Clara whose death is recorded in the Annals of Tigernach in 784. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revised upload; 6 June, 2014 Amended: 21 July 2022

• ME016-006007 Graveyard
  Description

  Situated in the valley of the NW-SE River Blackwater with the NW-SE stream c. 50m to the NE. An early monastery (ME016-006----) was plundered by Vikings in AD 949 and by Dermot MacMurrough in 1170. The grass-grown remains of a structure (ext. dims 14.5m E-W; 7.5m N-S) are in a rectangular graveyard (dims c. 65m E-W; c. 45m N-S) defined by earthen banks and hedges. Three high crosses, the base of another, a cross slab and an ogham stone are displayed in the graveyard. (Harbison 1970, 180-1) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 4 June, 2014

• ME016-050 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  Located at the bottom of a SE-facing knoll of limestone outcrop, and in an enclosed rectangular area (dims c. 50m NW-SE; c. 20-30m NE-SW) devoted to it. The well is dedicated to St Kerran or Ciarán, whose church of Belach Dúin (ME016-009----) is c. 350m to the NE. The well is a natural spring (dims c. 2m WNW-ESE; c. 1m NNE-SSW; D 0.2-0.4m) in a cleft in the rock (H c. 1m), with a young ash tree festooned with rags overlooking it. This is a replacement for an old ash tree that finally died c. 1920 (MacNeill 1960, 260). Coins are in the well in thanks for cures, and a shrine with statues is at the hilltop c. 30m to the NW. This is a modern addition of the 1910s when the well was very popular, and Countess Markeivicz spoke there in 1917 (French 2012, 37-40). A stream runs E and SE from the well through various pools, which have a cures for toothache, headache, and foot complaints, to join a larger stream that enters the NW-SE River Balckwater just N of the church site. A rock at the well, which retains the impression of the saint’s body, reputedly cures backache. The main pattern was held on the first Sunday of August (O’Connell 1957, 28-31; Mulvany 1971, 15; Mac Gabhann 2000, 232-4) which is a Lughnasa occasion, and large crowds assemble at the pattern as the curative powers of the water are greatest then. Up to the middle of the last century horses were ridden through the stream on that day to preserve their health in the coming year (Mac Neill 1960, 26-3). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 30 March 2016 Revised: 26 February 2019

• ME016-068 Kiln - corn-drying
  Description

  Situated on a rise in a gently undulating landscape. Archaeological testing (04E1056) by G. McLoughlin (2005) at Test Area 5 of Contract 5 of the M3 identified pits (excavations.ie 2004:1200) that were fully excavated (E003178) by S. Reilly in January 2007 (excavations.ie 2007:1276) as Castlekeeran 1. This is a small keyhole-shaped corn-drying kiln (dims 2.3m x 1.5m; max. D 0.74m) with evidence of a lining of small stones set in the fill of an earlier usage that contained some cremated bone together with evidence of barley, wheat, rye and oats. The stone-lined kiln had three fills and evidence of the same mix of cereals. A sample of willow charcoal from its lowest fill produced a C14 date of 392-562 cal. AD (Beta 247180). A circular pit (diam. 3m; max. D 0.76m) with seven fills was 8m to the SW and had three fills including cremated bone and animal bone as well as cereal grains. (Reilly and Ginn 2008) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 4 March 2022

• ME016-069 Excavation - miscellaneous
  Description

  Situated in a gently undulating landscape with a small canalised S-N stream just to the E. Archaeological testing (04E1056) by G. McLoughlin (2005, 3) at Test Area 5 of Contract 5 of the M3 identified archaeological features (excavations.ie 2004:1200) that were in the general area where it was thought locally that there were burials. The features were fully excavated (E003177) by S. Reilly in April 2007 (excavations.ie 2007:1277) as Castlekeeran 2. A ditch (Wth of top 1.6m; D 0.52m) extended SW-NE (L 7m), turned E (L 3.5m) and petered out. Eleven pits (diam. 0.23m; D 0.07m to diam. 0.96m; D 0.16m) were also excavated, most of which were modern as they were cut into the backfill of nineteenth century quarrying. The pits were filled with silts and sands and produced black-glazed earthenware indicating a post-medieval date, but pieces of metal slag but some concentrations of cremated bone were also recovered. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 4 March 2022

• ME016-070 Fulacht fia
  Description

  Located at the base of a small N-facing slope in a gently undulating landscape and c. 30m N of a continuing post-medieval farmstead. Archaeological testing (04E1055) by D. Bayley (2005) at Testing Area 4 of Contract 5 of the M3 identified a spread of broken and burnt stone (excavations.ie 2004:1223) that was fully excavated (E003176) by S. Reilly in January 2007 (excavations.ie 2007:1278) as Castlekeeran 3. It consisted of a large spread (dims 20m N-S; 10m E-W; T 0.2m) of soft black clayey silt mixed with heat-shattered stones that had charcoal inclusions. It overlay an oval trough (dims 2.3m x 1.5m; D 0.35m) that had remnants of a clay lining evident as a black plastic clay along its sides. It was filled with a friable dark brown clay with small stones. A sample of alder charcoal from the mound produced a C14 date of 2030-1774 cal. BC (Beta 247178). The top of the mound was cut by NNE-SSW furrows. A detached spread (dims 4m E-W; 3m N-S) was immediately to the W and a sample of alder charcoal produced a C14 date of 41 cal. BC – 129 cal. AD (Beta 247179). Three pits (dims 1m x 0.8m; D 0.14m to 1.9m x 1.2m; D 0.2m) filled with clayey silts with stones could be contemporary but there were also two larger modern pits. The walls of a post-medieval building were c. 5m to the NE. (Reilly and Ginn 2008) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 4 March 2022

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Castlekeeran.

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

About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

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

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both 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 Castlekeeran with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Meath.

Name

Castlekeeran · Díseart Ciaráin

Area

2,887,894 m² (288.79 ha, 713.61 acres)

Civil parish

Loughan or Castlekeeran, and its townlands

Barony

Kells Upper

Electoral division

Castlekeeran, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Castlekeeran electoral division: 513 people in 169 households; 77% of households own their home; 34% of homes were built since 2001; 11% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 1% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Balnagon Lower, Carnaross, Castlepole, Drumbaragh, Killaconin or Jonesborough, Meenlagh, Woodpole

Placenames

Castlekeeran 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.