Church in Rathculbin

According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 324), ‘The townlands of Rathculbin and Spruce’s Hay made up the ancient parish of Rathculbin. This parish is mentioned in the Red Book of Ossory as Rathgulby, Ragulby and Rakylbyn. Soon after the Norman Invasion Rathculbin was granted to Ralph de Borard, who appropriated its free chapel (contulit liberam capellam praedictae villae de Rathgulby,) to the Priory of Kells…The chapel of Rathgulby, with its glebe, is mentioned among the possessions of Kells Priory in 1411’. The location of the church is unknown, however, Carrigan suggests several possibilities, including, ‘a very large circular rath [KK027-067----] in Rathculbin, about 4 acres in extent, and enclosed by an earthen rampart, which, though much obliterated, is still traceable. The public road from Mallardstown to Newtown chapel runs right through it, dividing it into two nearly equal parts. Within the circuit of the rath, in Mr. Hoyne’s yard [Hoynes?], are the remains of an old house [KK027-025----], which was occupied by one Elliot about 1760’. There is no visible trace of this enclosure at ground level. Carrigan (ibid. 324-5) also mentions, ‘another rath [KK027-059002-] in the townland, in a large field at the cross-roads of Rathculbin, called Bawnarawha, or the Rath field. This rath is known to the old people as the “Rellig,” that is, the churchyard, and though its interior now presents no appearances of a churchyard, or of foundations of walls, there can be no question that it is the site of the ancient chapel of Rathculbin’. It is possible that this is the enclosure (KK027-090----) which was identified as a cropmark on satellite imagery (OS Ortho, imagery date 2004-2006; DigitalGlobe, imagery date 2011-2013) is the same as the ‘Reillig’, it is located c. 160m WSW of the cross-roads of Rathculbin, on the N side of the Mallardstown-Newtown church road and c. 30m E of the farmyard which contains the remains of a ruined late 16th/early 17th-century house (KK027-025----). Carrigan (ibid. 325), also provides a third option, ‘a third rath, or what, at least, resembled a rath, here, in Rathculbin “Bawn,” a field belonging to a farmer named Torpey. The late owner, Mr. Thomas Torpey, described it to the writer as a circular area, enclosed by an earthen rampart, and overgrown with white-thorns. It area was a quarter of an acre. It was levelled many years ago by his father, who, in the course of the work, came upon human bones’. This enclosure (KK027-068001-) and the burials (KK027-068002-) are unlocated within the townland. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 6 April 2023

The church in Rathculbin was likely built in the medieval period, with its origins connected to the ancient parish mentioned in the Red Book of Ossory. It is dedicated to St Culbin, a local early Christian saint, and represents a significant ecclesiastical site in the historical Diocese of Ossory.