Church in Ballycanew

Situated on a slight rise in the valley of the S-N Owenavorragh River, with the stream c. 150m to the E, and in the centre of Ballycanew village. This is the site of the parish church of Ballycanew within a subcircular raised graveyard (dims. 44m E-W; 30m N-S) defined by a masonry wall. According to a Visitation by Thomas Ram, the Protestant bishop of Ferns, in 1615 Daniel Morfi was the priest, but the condition of the church is not recorded (Hore 1900-11, vol. 6, 272). The present Church of Ireland church is thought to occupy the site of an older church according to John O'Donovan writing c. 1840 (O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 1, 654), and there is a bullaun stone (diam. 0.65m; H 0.6m) with a single basin (diam. 0.45m; D 0.33m) in the NE area of the graveyard. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload/revision: 21 May, 2012 Amended: 4 Sep. 2013