churches historical headford

The ruins of an imposing, partly built 12th century edifice now stand on the site of the original Patrician Church and have recently been conserved.
St Patrick established his first Christian Church as a headquarters for his mission, a church which was destined to become the Ecclesia Dominica Patricii -the principal church of St Patrick- hence Donagh Patrick the chief central church of St Patrick in that whole area of Maigh Seola....

Better known as Kilnamanagh (the church of the monks) it was founded in the 13th century by the Premonstratensians of White Canons.

It was one of only 11 houses in Ireland. The buildings have recently been conserved and the headstones of one of the founders was discovered on the site....

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....