churches historical ireland

A remarkable ancient ruin in which the western gable wall has jumped and now stands two feet inside of its foundations. Tradition relates that this phenomenon took place in order to exclude from the church area the grave of an excommunicated person who had been buried within its walls....

Continue the road to Mullingar, stopping at Killare to visit St. Brigid's well. Beside the well are the remains of an early medieval stone church, surrounded by a circular earthen bank which suggests a very early Christian foundation; history tell us that the founder was St. Hugh but tradition has linked the name of St. Brigid with the place....

A roughly square enclosure surrounded by a 6 ft high wall having, at two opposing corners, rounded bastions with arrow-slits. Remains of the gateway to the enclosure are preserved.
The wall resembles castle bawns, but inside, instead of a tower, there are just the remains of one central rectangular house and a number of subsidiary rectangular buildings.

Nothing is known about the history of the place, but it was possibly built by a retainer of the de Burgs as a fortified homestead...

This 10th century nave has a fine decorated 12th century west door with a crucificion scene carved on the massive lintel.

Tours on request....

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....

Croagh Patrick is located about 8km from Westport on the Louisburgh Road. Croagh Patrick is a sacred and beautiful hill. From most points of view, it rises from the sea on the southern shore of Clew Bay as a perfect cone to the height of 764 metres (2,510 feet). There are larger and loftier masses of mountain in Ireland, but none so striking from its isolation....

Founded by St. Doulagh, who lived around 600. The old church is entered through that part of the church now used for Divine Service which was built in 1864. The east end of the church, dating from the mid-12th century, is vaulted, above which is an attic room whose walls also serve to prevent the steep-pitched stone roof from caving inwards.

The remainder of the church is of 15th century date. At its centre is a room called 'The Hermit's Cell' which is reputed to be the burial place of...

Across the road from the friary is Killegy Churchyard. A large cross marks the grave of Henry Arthur Herbert, builder of Muckross House, who died in 1866. The 18th century reconstructed church was built as a mortuary chapel for Maurice Hussey of Cahernae, late Colonel in the army of James II, who died in 1714. The original church on the site was probably the 12th-13th century parish church....

This is a Church of Ireland Building which dates from 1250, and was again developed in 1464 and contains some very interesting tombs, effigies and monuments including the tomb of Margaret Countess of Desmond who danced with Henry VII after the battle of bosworth and died at the age of 147 following a fall from a cherry tree. The church has a beautiful interior, especially the great east window....

St Columba's 'Long Tower' is another very important Derry church. It was the first Catholic church erected in the city after the momentous events of the reformation and plantation. It is decorated in a brilliant neo-Renaissance style. Built originally in 1784, St Columba's occupies the precincts of another of Derry's famous medieval churches the Tempull Mor or great Church. This was built in the 1160's at a time when a reasonably large township had grown up around the ancient monastery.
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