Window restored to Garadice Lake church

The 15th century stone window frame that went missing from the island church on Garadice Lake near Ballinamore on the Cavan-Leitrim border has been fully reinstated.

Funded by Coillte, owners of the land upon which the church resides, the reinstatement was completed last Monday by local stone mason Sean Moffett, who was contracted to carry out work by the national forestry company.
The Anglo-Celt understand that the reinstatement of the 600-year-old frame in the gable of a medieval church was overseen by archaeological architect Kevin Blackwood.
Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan welcomed the recovery of the carved limestone window which, after it was discovered and reported missing earlier this year, was unceremoniously returned when it was dumped in a shallow area of Lough Garadice.
The window is a significant part of the medieval church structure at which conservation works were undertaken in recent years by the local Ballinamore Development Association.
Word of its unlawful taking sparked outrage and demands for its return. Meanwhile, the outer facing stone from a gun loop in the tower of a bawn on neighbouring Crane Island (also known as Slasher’s Island) in Lake Garadice remains missing.