When St. Colomba was spreading Christianity from Iona, a number of little chapels appeared on Tiree. Many of these have disappeared cut the ruins of some remain and arc well worth investigation. Behind the Lodge Hotel at Kirkapol are two ancient chapels. One of these, the smaller. stands on an isolated rock. and is thought by some authorities to be much more the ancient of thc two without assigning a date to it. Circumstantial evidence suggests that it was dedicated to St. Columba. The larger chapel, standing within a small enclosed burial ground, was the old parish church and is considered to date from the late Middle Ages, probably 14th century. It was also dedicated to St. Columba. The little churchyard surrounding this church is still in use and contains some well preserved and interesting ancient stab stones.
In the sand dunes at Kilkenneth there is another ancient chapel which as its name implies was dedicated to St. Kenneth, founder of a monastery in Ireland and friend of St. Colomba. A small bronze bell discovered there some seventy years ago is now in the custody of the Duke of Argyle at Inveraray. Behind Rossdhu at Kenovay is the site of St.Finan’s chapel and burial ground. It is believed, because of the tiny graves, that still-born children were buried there. This chapel is hard to find as only the grass covered foundations remain. On the Travee side old Kenavara, just before the extreme S.W. point of Tiree and above the shore, stands the remains of St. Partick’s chapel, dating from the Early Christian period. About 60 yards NEE. of the chapel there is a well defined swallow- hole (sometimes called a sink-hole) known as St Patrick’s Vat: thin is referred to locally as the wishing well.
One of the first Columban chapels once stood in Soroby burial ground but there are no traces now left, although a few architectural fragments survive as burial-markers There are some interesting carved stones to be found here including an Early Christian massive bossed cross, some Medieval stabs and two 18th century table tombs.
