churches historical ireland

Directly to the south of the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin Cemetery may be entered from Finglas Road, off Phibsborough Road. Here lie many famous Irish men and women of the past 150 years - Daniel O'Connell, Charles Stewart Parnell, Eamon de Valera, Maud Gonne, Roger Casement, and the rivals of the Civil War now united in death. 'All these here once walked round Dublin', reflects Leopold Bloom in Ulysses, 'Faithful departed'....

Killinaboy is an early monastic site named after St. Inghean Bhaoth. It has the remains of a church of the 11th or 12th century, over the south door, a Sheila-na-gig, female figure with no ascertainable ecclesiastical significance. On the outside of the west gable is the design of a two bar cross in the masonry. There is also the base of a round tower.

A short distance away on the bank of the River Fergus is an ivy-clad turret and bawn, known as De Clare's House.

About 1.5 k...

This a Protestant Church of St. John the Evangelist, built in 1786 and designed by James Gandon - one of Ireland's foremost architects. He also designed the Custom House in Dublin.
The church lies on the site of an older church was burnt down. It contains an elaborately carved font of 14th or early 15th century date. It is located near Emo Court....

SORD COLUMBCILLE is the ancient name of this town, meaning the well of pure water of the dove of the Church. The "Dove" means St. Columba, (from "Colombe" a dove). His sanctity caused him to be called the "Dove of the Church" (from the Latin "Cella"). The well is the one which the Saint caused to be made, which can still be found, near this place, a well of pure water, used to this day.

St. Columba founded the town about 560 A.D. He left Ireland in 563 A.D. to go to Iona, so the t...

The see of Ardagh of which St Mel became the first bishop, was founded by St Patrick in the fifth century. Near the present St Patricks church are the ruins of an early church which may have been built on the site of the original cathedral where St Mel is reputed to havve professed St Brigid....

The church is unique, having corrugated iron walls and roof, three falleries, a stained glass rose window in each gable and representations of two saints not usually the objects of Irish country devotion - Thomas Aquinas and William. the names coincide with the first names of the priest donors....

The oldest surviving artefacts of the Celtic church are the cross-pillars and slabs found at a number of monastic sites throughout the country. They represent the first tentative steps in the development of Irish ecclesiastical art. Unlike the alter ringed crosses which evolved from them, the earliest Christian crosses were simply inscribed on suitable natural stones with no attempt at shaping. Sometimes in situ pagan standing stones were adopted for the purpose.

The Reask cross-pill...

In Palace Street, are many fine brick houses of late 18th and early 19th century construction. The terrace on the east side is further enhanced by the insertion of the Presbyterian Church erected in 1827. Its facade, rather unusual for an ecclesiastical building, is due to the two slightly projecting turrets which were added as a gift from the Corporation in office at the time of its erection. Palace Street and its continuation, King Street, follow the line of the town wall, and were together...

HISTORIC TRAIL - 1. The Benedictine Priory: This is located in the North Main Street and was founded in the 14th Century. The carved doorway gives access to the site of the chapel. 2. The Alms Houses Located in the main street these date back to the early 17th Century. Built by Boyle, first Earl of Cork and father of the famous physicist. 3. St Mary's Collegiate Church: This is the one of the most interesting ancient parish churches in the Country still in use. It was completed in the 13th Centu...

A mile south east at Aghory (take B131) the Presbyterian church commemorates the father and son founders of the Disciples of Christ, a huge indigenous American fundamentalist church which now has over one and half million adherents....