Townland of Cooly

Area: 866 acres
Irish Name: Cuile - Angle or Corner, Enclosed Spot or The back place belonging to Hugh
Spelling Variations: Cooley

In 0.5 mile S.W. of Moville on Derry road a branch road leads mainly W. and N.W., in over 0.5 miles arrives at cross on roadside. Arable. Good view of Moville, both sides of Lough Foyle, including much of Derry and Antrim coasts. Doubtless this was a religious site from early Christian, possibly pagan, times. According to some authorities, it makes the site of a monastery founded in the 6th (or 7th?) century. The graveyard is still in use.

The Cross: This fine, plain, pierced wheel cross has a hole through the top above the wheel. The cross is set in a slab on a mound. The stones forming the latter are largely grass-covered and have a slightly stepped appearance. There is a hold going right through the slab at the N. end, it is slightly squared, is 4.5 ins. across, widens to a circle halfway through the slab and narrows to a smaller circle on the under side. The cross faces E - W and is learning towards the S.

Local Traditions: One should take a wish, and aim a stone at the hole at the top of the cross. If the stone goes through the hole the wish will be granted.

The Church: In the old graveyard there are remains of two walls at right angles to each other but with a big gap between them. If they were ever connected the building must have been large. The wall running N - S has a window with a lintel on the W. side. The window on the E. shows alteration. The wall running E - W has a broken opening - the S. doorway (?) The S. window further E. of the door opening has been altered, its original width being 4ft. 1 ins.

The Graveyard: There are many gravestones, the oldest noted date was 1702. One small, neat, but much weathered termon-like cross with remains of lettering is low in the ground. It measures 2ft. 3 ins high, 2ft across, arms, width of shaft 11ins, height of arms 11 ins, and has evidently been used as a gravestone.

The Skullhouse: (An oratory? A saint's tomb?)
This well-preserved stone building resembles early Irish churches, with walls continuing into the sloping stone roof. The only openings are a small, low, square doorway in the W. gable, and a very narrow window in the E. gable. Inside, the floor is covered with bones, mostly human, including a number of skulls, leg bones, etc. In the middle of one wall on its inner side is a stone sticking out like a shelf. The roof is corbelled.

Standing Stone: Starting on road to Cooly Cross from main road, crossroads are reached. Instead of taking N. road to Cooly, follow straight across on W. road, a short distance to a group of houses, Hill Head Road now skirts a large field. Leave road, follow field bank in S.W. direction; the standing stone is at the corner, over bank in next field. Good arable. Unrestricted view. The stone, now chipped and weathered, and broken at the top into points, has a squared base, and the sides seem to have been squared. Measurements: 8 ft. 6 ins x 3 ft. x 2 ft.

(Taken from The heritage of Inishowen by Mabel R. Colhoun)

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