churches historical ireland

The first monastery on this scenically situated island in Lough Leane is said to have been founded by St. Finian the Leper in the 7th century. It was twice plundered by the Vikings. Its most renowned monk, Maelsuthain O'Carroll, 'chief doctor of the Western world of his time' and a friend of the High King Brian Boru, died in 1009. It flourished in the 12th century until it was plundered in 1180 by Maiilduin, son of Donal O'Donoghue. However, it survived this shock and remained such a centre...

The megalithic tomb of Dunnaman, a court grave with a long gallery, is at Massforth on the A2 west of Kilkeel, just inside the speed limit, behind St. Colman's Church. An unobtrusive sign on the parochial house indicates the path between clipped hedges. St. Colman's is typical of the huge nineteenth century Paman Catholic churches with acres of adjacent concrete car parking which occupy sites on the edge of towns or out in the country miles from anywhere. Designed by O'Neill and Byrne of Belfast...

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

Tours on request....

Waterford was founded by the Vikings around 914 and initiated its own episcopal See in the 11th century. It was taken by Diarmuid Mac Murrough Kavanagh, and later fell to Strongbow who married MacMurrough's daughter in the now no longer existing Cathedral in the town. In medieval times it was a flourishing port, loyal to the English crown. However, it lost status by remaining Catholic, and submitted to Cromwell's son-in-law in 1650. In the 18th and early 19th century, the town had a famous g...

Travelling north from Emyvale , and on the road to Aughnacloy, turn left , following the sign for Errigal Truagh Church. Just beyond this Church of Ireland church is Errigal Graveyard and the ruin of St. Mellan's a 10th century church. The graveyard contains many graves with the old McKenna coat of arms engraved on the stones.

The coat of arms illustrates the hunt which brought John McKenna to these parts. Represented on the shield is a hunter on horseback two hounds, a stag, and t...

This is a 12th century church half buried in sand-dunes on the Southern end of the island, surrounded by a graveyard said to contain the remains of 120 saints....

Layd served as the parish church for the Cushendall area from the medieval period until the later 18th century. The medieval church, traditionally dedicated to St. Kieran, and formerly roofed with thatch, is a simple, long rectangle in shape, to which a tower - still retaining the imprint of its original wicker shuttering on the ground-floor vault - was added sometime around the 16th century.

The church and adjoining cemetery was traditionally one of the burial places of the MacDonnel...

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...

Pilgrim's Church; at the south-east corner of Gorumna Island is the church referred to as the - Pilgrim's Church - ....

It is often said that this is the earliest surviving church in Co. Limerick, and indeed it is probably earlier that 12th Century. Much of the west gable has been reconstructed. Unfortunately nothing is known of the church’s history....