churches historical ireland

A Roman Catholic cathedral consecrated in 1874 by Cardinal Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin. The magnificent stained glass windows were installed by Loblin of Tours, France....

The first monastery was founded by St, Brendan, who founded a convent for his sister here. Near the southern end of the graveyard is the Cathedral - a 15th century building incorporating a very fine window and a doorway of the late 12th century. Other fragments of the same date may be seen inside the church.

They may all have been removed here either from the Priory (see below) or may come from an earlier church on the site of the Cathedral. To the north of the Cathedral are the foun...

On one side of the river is a 13th century church incorporating a square belfry at the western end. The remains of three lancet windows can be seen in the east wall. On the other side of the river is a castle which is not in the best of condition but has two corner fireplaces and tall profiled chimney stacks. The castle was built in the 16th century by the Burkes; in 1574 it was in the possession of MacWilliam Eighter' (Sir John fitz Oliver Burke)....

Unlike most, Ballycahill's T shaped church has retained its old communion rail - fashioned in timber as are the gilded altar and figures of the four evangelists. An ancient sandstoe baptismal font, with two-compartmented octagonal bowl on a fluted column, is still used....

Donaghpatrick on the site of a fifth century church which was built for St Patrick by Conall, brother of King Laoghaire. Near the church are the remains of an ancient rath which consisted of a mound surrounded by four ramparts....

Once a flourishing medieval town, Clonmines still contains the remains of some of its old buildings. The town was given a charter by William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, early in the 13th century, and the Kavanagh family founded an Abbey here for the Augustinian Eremites which was 'beautified' and enlarged in 1385.

The town was destroyed in 1400, but rose again. Although it scarcely survived the 17th century, it continued to send members to Parliament up till 1800. Nevertheless, as l...

Meaning "the burial place of kings" from the Irish "Riogfheart", for centuries this church was the burial place of the Chiefs of the O'Toole Clan. While some still hold to the original view that it may date to the sixth century, more recent expert opinion suggest it to be of eleventh century origin. Standing at the eastern end can be found two ancient crosses standing on square bases....

This 13th century church, now in ruins, has an adjoining castellated presbytery or stone house. there are traces of the original consecration crosses to be seen the ogee headed doorways, remains of the altar, sedelia and book rest. Inside the ruined church on the North Wall is the effigy of a Norman Knight in full armour - a Cantwell warrior. It is referred to as Cantwell Fada and this effigy is the tallest of its kind in Britain or Ireland. The Cantwells were Lords of Kilfane and adjoining a...

The church was built late in the 17th century. The east window, dating from the 15th century, comes originally from another church and was inserted here; the heads above the window on the outside may date to 1691, when the church was built. The other windows were inserted in the 19th century. A baptismal font from this church is now in Ardee....

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....