churches historical galway

The church is named after St Fursa whose statue one sees in the nearby graveyard. He was reported to have had mysterious visions. He had links with the town of Perrone east of Paris where there is a statue of him in the local church.

The ruined church of Killursa has some gothic features which indicate that it was built after the Norman invasion. A wall was built across the church at a later stage....

This friary was founded around 1351 by Sir Raymond de Burgo for the Franciscans. It is the most extensive and best preserved of the Franciscans friaries in Ireland. The church consists of a nave and chancel and has a double south transept with a later chapel added to it.

In 1470 the friars changed over to the Strict Observance. The community remained on intermittently in the friary until as late as 1753 although they no longer legally owned the buildings....

This church is also known as the church of Repatriation. It was built byb the Bellew's after one of the family members was killed in a duel, and therefore could not be buried in consecrated grounds. The church was built incorporating a burial vault for members of the Bellew family....

This national monument is situated 5km from Ardrahan along the Kilcolgan road.
On the site are the ruins of an early church, which is a fine example of simple 8th century structure, with its chancel of a later date. It is surrounded by a large circular enclosure....

The original monastery situated about 6.5km north-east of Eyrecourt was said to be founded by Saint Brendan the Navigator in 563. It was twice destroyed by the Vikings, and four times by fire, between 844 and 1179.

It became a diocesan see and Augustinian priory in the 12th century. Its doorway, dating from 1160/70, is not withstanding the later limestone attempt at - restoration - a striking example of Irish Romanesque decorative work in sandstone....

Situated 5km along the Gort-Corofin road is the important monastery and episcopal site of Kilmacduagh. This monastery was founded by Saint Colman Mac Duagh about 600 A.D. and a separate diocese based upon it was created in the 12th century.

The most conspicuous feature of the well-preserved round tower 33m high, with a narrow door 7m from the ground is the lean, almost 50cm from the perpendicular, which it shares with a more famous counterpart at Pisa. The extensive remains include a cat...

A diminutive early church or oratory, prominently situated on a bare limestone ridge above the village of Killeany on Inishmore, largest of the three Aran Islands in Galway bay. It takes its name from a fifth-century saint, Benen or Benignus, but is later than his time.

It is however of considerable antiquity and several of its features are indicative of a date possibly in the eight or ninth century: the steeply pitched gables, narrow trabeate doorway with inclined jambs, and the except...

Situated 3 miles south of Eyrecourt, this church is the re-roofed nave of the 17th century Franciscan Friary....

The saint's festival is on 16 July, when pilgrims come to the island from the mainland. The saint was venerated so much by sailors that they lowered their sails in his honour when they passed the island. The church is a small rectangular structure built of very large stones. It has a flat-headed doorway and a round-headed east window.

The most unusual feature of this church is that the antae continue right up the gable and meet at the top, thus suggesting that this is a feature copie...