churches historical ireland

Ballymore retains many features which have survived from past periods of occupation in an attractive setting of mature trees, ordered landscape and views of the surrounding countryside.

Once the centre of small country estate, the tenanted lands were sold to occupiers early this century, leaving the residence and home farm where seasonal farming activities continue throughout the year.

The Visitors' facility adjoins the residence, and in the parking area provided, a large s...

This Augustinian convent dates from the 13th century and is one of the few medieval convents remaining. There is a cloister with a refectory along its south wall and a church projecting from its east side. A window to the east and door to the north were inserted in the 15th century, the latter presumably to offer access directly to the church. To the south of the church is a room called ‘The Black Hag’s Cell’ where it is said that the last abbess practiced witchcraft; a legend perhaps dating fro...

The church is situated at the east end of an island in Lough Gill, on the site of a monastery founded by St. Loman in the 6th century. The church, which formed part of an abbey, is rectangular in shape and has an unusual round-headed doorway. A number of manuscripts perished when the abbey was accidentally burned in 1416....

Castle: This Norman castle may have been built on an earlier ringfort by the main bridge across the Maigue or it may be contemporary. The square tower is of the castle is surrounded by a rampart with battlements To the south a drawbridge crosses the fort’s ditch. Surrounding this ditch is a further wall. Two gates offered access through it, the obviously more strategic south one protected by two towers.

Franciscan Friary: Now surrounded by the Adare Manor golf course, this friary was...

St. Patrick placed St. Cianan over the first church here in the 5th century. St. Cianan, who is credited with the building of the first stone church in Ireland, died in 489 and his body was said to have been preserved without decay. The monastery was plundered at least 10 times between 830 and 1149. The bodies of King Brian Boru and the other heroes slain at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 rested here for a night before being brought to Armagh for burial. Duleek became the centre of a diocese...

Dalkey Island 7th Century Christian Church is a small church dedicated to St. Begnet.
This was later used as a living quaters for the builders of Martello Tower and Gun Battery in 1804.

People can visit the island by boat in the summer months, by asking the local fisher men at the nearby harbours....

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...

Excavations in 1959 showed that the church had a predecessor in wood at the same location. The site, which, unusually, is not associated by tradition with the name of any particular saint, is best known for the curious set of stone figures with grimacing faces which are now attached to the interior north wall of the church.

The figures were found built into the stone church. They are made up of one set of two small figures and another group of four larger figures, along with a rough-ou...

Dominican Priory:
Founded around 1269 by Walter de Burgo, Earl of Ulster, for the Dominicans. The church has a nave and chancel of almost equal width, with the remains of a five-light east window. The north and south walls have a number of lancet windows, and there is a good doorway in the north wall. The door in the west gable was mutilated when the Catholic church was built near it in 1812, and an angel and heads from the priory were built into the west wall of the Catholic ch...

The insignificant remains of the aisle of a medieval church as well as a few 15th or 16th century architectural fragments. The main interest of the place is a slab mounted beside these remains with a representation of the Crucifixion on it. On Christ's right is a man holding a spear, and on his left a man offers him vinegar in a chalice on the end of a pole. It probably formed the lintel over the doorway of a church which has since disappeared. The lintel is probably 12th century in date....