Choose Ireland » Churches

Inishbofin Early Christian Monastery

Brian — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:01:06 +0000

This ecclesiastical site near Athlone was founded in the mid fifth century by St. Rioch. Of all the original buildings, only the ruins of two churches still exist.
In the northern church, the nave, transept and sacristy survive. The sacristy was added onto the church, probably during the 15th century, along with the transept and a few sound examples of medieval windows. A primitive and irregular wall surrounds the ruins of this structure.
The church located to the south is of nave and chancel design and exhibits round and pointed doors and windows.
Inishbofin monastery was attacked repeatedly over the centuries by a variety of enemies, including the Vikings. Evidence of their raids in the 10th century was found here in the form of Viking bronze work from that time period.

Multyfarnham Franciscan Friary

Brian — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:00:01 +0000

Renovated in 1976, the church at Multyfarnham Franciscan Friary encompasses portions of an original 15th century structure, such as the tower and nave. In 1827, the church was rebuilt around these older portions. This friary represents the only building of the monastery to survive, as the chancel and domestic outbuildings have all disappeared.
The Franciscans started their community here in 1236, and the friary became a widely respected learning centre. Persecution made survival difficult, but the Franciscans stayed on and built the church, where they remained until the 1830s.
T
he Friary church today is a special place, situated in the pastoral midlands. It has a beautiful garden with outdoor statues of the Stations of the Cross. Stained glass art created by Richard King commemorates the legendary Children of Lir, portrayed by four swans wearing necklaces. They are said to have spent 300 years as swans on nearby Lough Derravaragh. When they were finally made human again by St. Mochaomhog, they showed their age and did not survive for very long. They did, however, have enough time for the saint to baptize them into the Christian faith.

Crookedwood

Brian — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:57:10 +0000

This ancient town is steeped in old Irish folklore, including the story of the Children of Lir. It is said that they lived as swans on nearby Lough Derravaraugh for nearly 300 years of the 900-year sentence imposed by their wicked stepmother, until a holy man changed them back at some point during the lifetime of St. Patrick.
The village also features the Church of Taughmon, a stone church from the 14th century with a nearby ringfort.
Crookedwood House was formerly a rectory, now a comfortable restaurant with guest rooms and a breathtaking view of the lake, noted for its delicious and unusual culinary creations.

Mullingar Bronze and Pewter Centre

Brian — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:53:05 +0000

Pewter craft has been in existence for more than 800 years in Ireland, and it is still practiced at Mullingar Bronze and Pewter Centre.
In the earliest times, pewter was popular for use in making candlesticks, cups, plates and other tableware. It was originally used mostly by the rich, popular at castles and in homes of the powerful. As the craft spread, fine pewter was used by more common folk and in taverns and pubs.
At Mullingar Bronze and Pewter Centre, visitors can tour the facility and visit the workshop where fine pewter creations are still molded and hand finished. Bronze items are also made, and gifts for every occasion are available in both pewter and bronze.

Mullingar

Brian — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:51:57 +0000

Mullingar is County Westmeath’s largest and most important town. The area is historically famous as a centre for beef production and trade, much of it supplied by the many cattle farms in the surrounding countryside.
The Irish expression “beef to the ankle, like a Mullingar heifer,” a polite reference to an overweight woman, originated here. The town is located along the Royal Canal, between Lough Ennel and Lough Owel.
Mullingar is an ideal base from which to visit the lush countryside of County Meath, and contains some interesting buildings, including the Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King, a Renaissance style church that features beautiful mosaics of St. Anne and St. Patrick created by Boris Anrep, a prominent Russian artist. Most of the buildings in this charming town date back to the 19th century.

Carrick on Suir Heritage Centre

Brian — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:55:50 +0000

This centre dedicated to the history and culture of southern County Tipperary is located in a restored Protestant church. The site was formerly occupied by Carrick Mor church, prior to the Reformation.
The town itself was originally called Carrig Mac Griffin, and was actually located on an island until the small rivers surrounding it were diverted, leaving the town only bounded by the Suir. Its records date back to 1247, when it was occupied by the Bottiler family, whose name later became Butler. The family was responsible for most of the large buildings located in the town, and later, in the 1600s, they initiated the wool industry here.
The following centuries witnessed the development of leather tanning, dairy and manufacturing industries, and the Heritage Centre displays relics of these phases of Carrick on Suir history. It also features a plate collection from Butler church and a Tourist Information Centre.
The adjoining churchyard contains many older graves, including the monument to Thomas Butler, the illegitimate son of the 10th Earl of Ormond of the same name. Also buried here is Dorothea Herbert, daughter of a rector, who wrote Retrospections. She lived from 1170-1829.

Tipperary Town

Brian — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:52:40 +0000

This farming town sits at the edge of the Golden Vale, a fertile farming plain that covers much of County Tipperary. The name of the town, as well as that of the county, comes from the Celtic ‘Tiobraid Arann’, which means ‘the well of Era’, or the River Ara. Tipperary Town is located on the banks of the River Ara, close to the hills surrounding the Glen of Aherlow, where beautiful climbing trails can be found.
The dairy farming town features an historic old Butter Market and many restored buildings located in the section called New Tipperary. This area was rebuilt by locals at the time of Ireland’s Land War in 1890-91.
Also located in Tipperary— the grave of Robert Emmett’s grandfather at the graveyard of St. Mary’s Church, Dalton’s Heritage House, and a statue of Charles Kickham. He was a 19th century novelist who wrote about forced emigration and how it adversely affected Tipperary in his book, The Homes of Tipperary.
St. Michael’s Church features a haunting stained glass window that pictures a World War I soldier killed during the fighting.
Genealogy buffs should visit the headquarters of Clann na hEirann, a premier research organization that gathers information on various surnames from all over Ireland.

Holy Cross Abbey

Brian — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:50:52 +0000

Originally the site of a Celtic monastery or hermitage, Holy Cross Abbey was established in 1169 according to the Cistercian Rule by King Donal O’Brien. The Cistercian Tradition, first brought from France to Ireland by St. Malachy, had spread rapidly upon its arrival in Ireland, and the original Holy Cross monks came here following the establishment of Monasteranenagh in County Limerick.
The Cistercians operated under a silent, self-contained rule, so the monastery was planned to include everything needed to sustain life, including plenty of land to grow crops and raise livestock.
The abbey building itself was shaped in a square, and included the church, sacristy, kitchen, refectory and chapter house. There was plenty of room to accommodate stores of food and other supplies.
Survival was difficult for the monks at Holy Cross for the first few hundred years. Then in 1414, the community was patronised by James Butler, the fourth Earl of Ormonde. He provided protection and saw to the rebuilding and renovation of much of the abbey, including the church, cloister and the infirmary, along with the addition of the Abbot’s house.
Holy Cross Abbey originally escaped closure when King Henry VIII decreed suppression of all monasteries over a certain size in 1539. In preparation for what the monks knew lie ahead, the abbot, William Dwyer, resigned and was replaced by Philip Purcell, a layman. The Cistercians lived in and around the community, avoiding persecution and keeping the abbey open for pilgrims who had come to worship the relics of the cross.
Persecution drove them into hiding for a period of time, during which the abbey deteriorated. The order decreased in number, and the last Cistercian to reside at Holy Cross was Father Edmund Cormack, who died in 1735.
Holy Cross Abbey was given over to state control and preserved by the Irish Church Act along with 137 other buildings, and declared a national monument in 1880.
In 1976, the Church Act was amended to allow Holy Cross Abbey to be renovated and again used as a local house of worship.
The church was built in the cruciform shape originally used by the Cistercians, with vaulted arches and columns. Stonework completed with chisel and mallet on the pillars was personalized by the masons, who carved their own chosen design on the pillar.
The huge window above the altar faces east, dramatically catching the morning sun. The sedilia, located in the chancel at Holy Cross, is well known throughout Europe. This structure contains the seats used by the celebrants of Mass, and is 17 feet high with a canopy and pillars. It is decorated with five shields, one between each set of arches. The first contains a cross, the second, also largest, shows a 1405 version of the English coat of arms, the third the arms of the Ormonde family, the fourth the Desmond Geraldines, and the fifth is blank.
The Cistercian monks occupied this prosperous community until the 17th century.
The Abbey is home to a relic of the true cross, owned by its founding king. It also contains a complete set of Stations of the Cross erected in honor of Padre Pio.
Today, Holy Cross Abbey is an active worship site, with novenas, weddings and monthly services dedicated to St. Padre Pio.

Clonmel

Brian — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:48:20 +0000

Clonmel is the county town of Tipperary in southeastern Ireland and is widely known as a popular centre for shopping. It is also the largest town in Ireland that is not a port or harbour.
Clonmel is first mentioned in Irish historical records in 1185 as a manor ruled by Lord William Fitzadlem de Burgo.
The town was fortified in 1319, using money authorized by Edward II. In 1650, Cromwell’s forces tried in vain for nearly three weeks to gain entry into Clonmel before finally succeeding.
The town contains some architecturally interesting buildings, including:
• St. Mary’s Church of Ireland – a 13th century structure named in honour of Our Lady of Clonmel.
• The 1674 Courthouse Building
• The Franciscan Friary
• Town Hall
Many of the lovely older buildings around town are former churches that have been altered for use as theatres, galleries and for other public purposes. The County Museum and St. Patrick’s Church are also popular attractions for visitors to Clonmel. The latter features an interesting old stone cross next to the medieval church building, as well as a thriving spring known as St. Patrick’s Well.

The Sacred Heart Church, Roscommon Town

Brian — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:40:56 +0000

Sacred Heart Church is the most prominent building in the town of Roscommon. It is made entirely of local stone. Construction began in 1903 and was completed in 1925.
The spire of the church rises 25 m and seems even taller as the building stands atop a small hill. The front is adorned by a small, sunken grotto.
Above the front entrance, there is an extraordinary mosaic that includes the images of two bishops responsible for the construction of the church. It was designed and executed by an Italian group called Salviate.
Inside, there is a replica of the famous Cross of Cong that dates back to 1123.