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..'In our district the tribal
meeting place from very early times would be round the
Standing Stone
on Kilkivan hill, where can still be seen the outline of Drumfin holding, or
Ferm Toun, once owned by the O'May family. This was not a very suitable
place for the old, the young or the infirm to hear Kevin, so a site was
chosen by the roadside, on the sloping ground, where
Kilkivan Church
now stands,- convenient, sheltered and picturesque.
We can easily picture the scene - the missionary standing on a grassy mound
and, facing him on a lower level, the expectant congregation of people from
all the settlement groups between Ballygreggan and Ballygroggan. The gospel
message, delivered by the handsome Kevin with power and charm, inspired
people to do, for him, what others had done for Kiaran and Columba - to set
up a cell or chapel in his honour which later grew to be the church of Kevin
(Kilkivan)
We know that these missionaries came and went from 563 A.D. onwards, so we
can take it that the foundations sacred to St. Kiaran, St. Columba and St.
Kevin are likely to date from round about 600 A.D. It is very unlikely that
these places of worship could have had a settled pastor for many years after
this, owing to Norse Raids, Pictish wars and internal strife, but would have
to depend on missionary visits from Ireland and the Columbian settlement at
Iona to carry on religious services.
We note the
beautiful ornamental gravestones gathered together near the Eastern
gable, but regret that better measures have not yet been taken for their
preservation, for wear and weathering have already taken their toll of their
original beauty. They were well worth preserving, for Celtic art and
workmanship were beautiful significant...' |
