placenamesCarran
An Carn
Termon and Keelhilla preserve religious sites, while a modern experiment records the role of cattle grazing in the Burren.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- An Carn · Irish · main form
- Carran · English · main form
Place & story
Templecronan at Termon
Templecronan is a small stone oratory within an ecclesiastical enclosure and graveyard at Termon. The National Monuments Service dates it to the twelfth century, with later medieval renovation, and records its dedication to Saint Cronan of Roscrea. Its massive masonry has prompted discussion of chronology: the survey cautions that this building technique need not indicate an earlier date. [2]
Saint Colman’s hermitage tradition
At Keelhilla, beneath Slieve Carran, a stone oratory, cave and holy well are associated with Saint Colman MacDuagh. The National Parks and Wildlife Service records the tradition that he established a hermitage here in the seventh century. The surviving places preserve that religious association, while the traditional foundation date is distinguished from the dating of individual structures. [3]
An experiment begun in 2005
An experimental grazing enclosure at Slieve Carran was erected in 2005. Repeated surveys of its plants and snails provide evidence for assessing how grazing affects the limestone grassland. The reserve's management account records winter cattle grazing by agreement with a local farmer. This research connects an established farming practice with the modern task of conserving species-rich habitats. [4]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Carran. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Sites and Monuments Record CL010-021002-, Templecronan, Termon · National Monuments Service
- Burren National Park: Slieve Carran Nature Reserve · National Parks and Wildlife Service
- Slieve Carran / Keelhilla Nature Reserve: grassland research and management · Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Great Irish Grasslands
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2012-12-21. How this page was prepared.