churches historical ireland

Christ Church was originally built in 1830 by Bishop Knox and was called the Free Church as it was intended solely for the poorer classes; ironically it later became the most bourgeois of the city congregations. The Church was almost completely rebuilt in 1903 and the name was changed to Christ Church by Bishop Alexander who seemingly disliked saints.

It stands at the foot of Brooke Park facing St Eugene's Cathedral.

Admission: Free

Location: Leading to Northland R...

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...

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 Protestant church built in 1820 is a fine structure which contains a silver copy of the famous Cross of Cong, placed there in memory of the late Sir William Murphy.

The Catholic church built in 1830 stands on the site of the famous clochan, or beehive-shaped monastic stone hut from which the town takes its name....

The 19th century church stands on the site of the Cistercian Abbey of Inishlounaght which was founded by Donal Mor O'Brien, King of Limerick, in 1187 and whither a fresh colony of Cistercians were brought from Furness in Lancashire in 1238. some interesting fragments of the older church are preserved in the modern church.

Particularly noteworthy is the transitional doorway of about 1200 which is now high up in the west wall of the church and which was probably the processional doorway...

Drumsna's Catholic Church (1845) is situated in the village. A memorial just beyond the church is dedicated to Robert Strawbridge who was born in Drumsna in 1732. He founded the Methodist Church in the USA and died in Baltimore, Maryland in 1781. A small cemetery close by is the burial place of Surgeon Thomas Parke, who accompanied Henry Morton Stanley on his celebrated expedition to the African Congo.

Anthony Trollope, the English novelist lived here for a time when he worked with...

The site of an old monastery founded allegedly by St. Comdhan or Comghan towards the end of the 5th century. The last historical reference to the monastery is in 1082. An oratory here was destroyed in 1041 and the monastery was burned in 1077. The present church was built in the 12th century, and has one of the finest Romanesque doorways in the country. The doorway has four orders, with capitals bearing heads with intertwined hair, an arch with foliage and animal motifs, the whole being topp...

Drumlane Church and Round Tower were part of an Augustinian abbey foundation.
The siting of the monastery was inspired, as the 14th century church and earlier tower are beautifully situated between Drumlane and Derrybrick lakes.

An unusual feature of the Round Tower is the engraving of a cock on the north face, thought to symbolise the resurrection.
The present buildings occupy the site of a 6th century monastery founded by St. Mogue, a pupil of St David of Wales....

A small church dedicated to St Cronan of Roscrea, or Tuamgraney. The original lintelled doorway in the west wall was blocked up when an arched doorway was inserted into the north wall, probably some time in the 15th century. In the exterior walls there are some grotesque Romanesque heads, so the church probably dates from the 12th century. Near the church is a stone tomb-reliquary of uncertain date, which is locally said to mark the grave of St. Cronan. Another stands in the adjoining field....

The town was founded by the Norse in 911, and the Normans made it into one of their important strongholds. A number of Parliaments met here in the Middle Ages. The saddest episode in the town's history was when Cromwell took the town in 1649, massacred 2,000 of its defenders, and sent many captives from it to the Barbadoes. It surrendered to King William after the Battle of the Boyne. There are still a number of medieval remains in the town.
Magadlene Tower:
This is the onl...