Local History

Situated 3 old English mile from Monaghan Town, Threemilehouse is a quaint little Irish village and home to one of the oldest graveyards in the country, Drumsnat, which dates to 600 AD.

At Mullanacross, Mullach na Croise or “Hill of the Cross” stood a monastery founded by Molua MacOche of Kyle, Killaloe and of Drumsnat in the 6th century. Here he performed many miracles and was named “Servant of the three nines”. Where the monastery is said to have stood overlooks the pretty Drumsnat Lough. Drumsnat (Drom Sneachta) meaning the ‘Ridge of Snow’ and, according to tradition, this hill was covered by a midsummer snowfall in answer to St. Molua prayers for a site for a church and a graveyard. He died in AD 609 aged 55. The graveyard still remains.

The lost book of Drumsnat, Cin Droma Sneactha was written here in the 8th century, which is the oldest known manuscript to contain Old Irish Saga material. These epic sagas or stories were highly complicated prose and poetry brimming with tragedies and drama. The Cin is referred to in many later books, but alas it has not been found.

In the folklore, it is said, that when St Patrick banished the serpents, a great chest of gold fell into the bottom of Drumsnat lough, perhaps also containing the Cin. Legend has it that a serpent has been coiled around the chest guarding it since.

A short walk will bring you to the local Church of Ireland cemetery, here marks the last resting place of Emily and Mary Wilde, the half-sisters of Oscar Wilde, who died following a fire at the nearby Drumaconnor House in 1871.