1 mile from Clash & Ballinacarrig
The graveyard of Whaley Abbey is genarally accepted by historians as the site of an early christian foundation called Balykine.
the Down Survey Map gives the place as "Kilkine Parish Church". The Rev Myles Rowan M.R.I.A. in his exhaustive survey of ancient Churches in the Deanery of Arklow considers the church may have been founded by Caemhan one of the brothers of St. Kevin of Glendalough. the present demense grounds belonged to the Abbey, the foundations of which are still traceable. Within the ruins there is an inscribed tombstone which was discovered in 1880. It is considered to be of the 9th or 10th century period. It is artistically engraved bearing a cross terminating in an interlaced pattern and forming a large circle at the intersection of the limbs. Since 1880 the stone lay crosswise at the eastern end of the Abbey ruin and became embedded in a covering of earth & weeds. A few years since Mr. McCarthy, with assistance has the stone raised and its surface cleaned. It now lies face downwards awaiting the