St. Kieran's Church

Medieval church in County Laois, Ireland

Church in County Laois, Ireland
52°51′10″N 7°40′19″W / 52.852899°N 7.672005°W / 52.852899; -7.672005LocationErrill, County LaoisCountryIrelandDenominationCatholic Church (Pre-Reformation)HistoryStatusIn ruinsFounded6th century ADFounder(s)Saint Ciarán of SaigirArchitectureHeritage designationNational MonumentYears builtMiddle AgesSpecificationsLength16.9 metres (18.5 yd)Width8.8 metres (9.6 yd)Number of floors1Floor area149 square metres (1,600 sq ft)AdministrationDioceseOssory
National monument of Ireland
Official nameErrillReference no.113[1]

St. Kieran's Church is a medieval church and National Monument located in Errill, County Laois, Ireland.[2][3]

Location

St Kieran's Church is located to the south of Errill village, about 5 km (3½ miles) to the west of Rathdowney, on the south bank of the Errill River (a tributary of the River Erkina, which itself feeds into the Nore).

History

The site at Errill dates back to the early Christian period, when a monastery was founded by Saint Ciarán of Saigir (died ca. AD 530). A holy tree and holy well associated with Kieran stand nearby. Only grass-covered wall footing remains of the monastery. The church was built later, in the medieval period. A wayside cross was constructed in the 17th century.

The building

The ruins consist of upstanding walls, measuring 16.9 m x 8.8 m. A doorway and rounded window remains in the south wall. Another window survives also. Masonry has been reused as gravemarkers in the graveyard.

References

  1. ^ "National Monuments of County Laois in State Care" (PDF). heritageireland.ie. National Monument Service. p. 1. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  2. ^ "St. Kieran's Church, Errill, Co. Laois (Queen's Co.)". May 2014.
  3. ^ "Errill Church, Co, Laois".