churches historical ireland

At upper Ballinderry is a barn church with bull's eye glass in the windows, built in 1666 for Jeremy Taylor, the famous Bishop of Down and Connor, a descendant of Dr Rowland Taylor and one of the great prose writers of the seventeenth century.

Theological tussles with local Presbyterians apparently made his bishopric 'a place of torment'. He died, aged fifty four, the year before the Ballinderry church was consecrated and is buried in Dromore cathedral....

Mid 18th century Gothic building with one of the most outstanding spires in the Midlands. In the vestry there is a list of Rectors of the parish dating from the 1400's and silver chalices donated by Lord Longford. Private Joseph Ward is interred in this graveyard. Born in Kinsale, he was one of the first to be awarded the Victoria Cross for distinguished Bravery for his part in the crimean war and Indian Mutiny....

A small but broad early church with antae and flat-headed doorway (partly reconstructed) on a site said to have been founded by St. Mel in the 5th century. During the course of excavations in 1967, traces of a timber church, possibly of 8th century date, were found beneath it....

Blossom Gate. This is the only gate remaining from the medieval town wall of Kilmallock.
The Collegiate Church. The Round Tower of this church may have originally been part of an earlier monastery. The probably 13th century church has three aisles, a chancel and it’s south wall contains a 13th century door. It’s use as by the Church of Ireland had a bearing on the history of the Earls of Desmond; being the place where the ‘Sugan’ Earl surrendered in 1600 and where the 15th Earl attended a...

The remains of a church built possibly in the 15th century. The eastern portion is probably the earliest; the western part, with its massive tower and belfry, was added later.

In the 13th century the site was attached to the church at Balrothery and was granted to the religious house at Kilbixy by the Archbishop of Dublin.
It was subsequently made tributary to Lusk. A castle stood formerly to the north of the church....

The First Derry Presbyterian Church was built with the help of a large sum of money donated by Queen Mary as a reward for the bravery of the Presbyterians during the Siege of 1689.

It has a chaste and handsome front made of Dungiven sandstone a fine portico of four fluted columns with corinthians capitals entablature and pediment and is approached by a broad set of steps. Inside the main space is lofty with a fine coffered timber ceiling and behind the pulpit are stained glass windows...

The first bleach green in Ulster was established before 1626 at Lambeg a mile downstream, a hamlet with a pretty suspension bridge and church. The hamlet have its name to the big drums which came to Ireland from Holland with the army of William the 3rd. 'Lambegs' are seen and heard in Orange Lodge parades....

This was the medival seat of the Bishops of Meath where an 18th century mansion designed by James Wyatt was erected by Church of Ireland Bishop Arthur Price. It was the site of a famous eary christian Monastery linked with St. Ultan after whom the holy well on the grounds of the church is named....

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....

When you come to see the Gallarus Oratory, you will see the best preserved early Christian church in Ireland. Built in the 7th or 8th century, Gallarus Oratory is found in natural farmland overlooking Smerwick Harbour on the Dingle Peninsula. It has been exposed to the winds and Atlantic weather for over 1200 years and this stone building to this day remains waterproof.
Its shape, often likened to an upturned boat is unusual, though not unique in early Irish churches. The oratory embodie...