Church (in ruins)

Situated on high ground with commanding views of the surrounding countryside. Raheen Castle (LI013-101-003-) and bawn (LI013-101006) located 70m to WSW. Poorly preserved remains of the medieval church (ext. dims. 8m N-S x 19.85m E-W; wall T 0.7-0.8m) of Cahervally stands in the N quadrant of a rectangular shaped graveyard (LI013-101005-). The S wall of the church is the best preserved standing to a max. external height of 2.1m, elsewhere only the lower wall courses (H 0.4m) mark the outline of the church. A post-1700 mausoleum has been built against the external face of the S wall adjacent to the SE angle of the church. The construction of this tomb resulted in the blocking up of a wall cupboard or aumbry (H 0.5m x Wth 0.5m) in the S wall close to the SE angle with blocked single light window to W of aumbry. The W splay of a broken out window is also visible a short distance to the W of the blocked window. A possible doorway now visible as a gap in the low N wall is located off centre to W close to the NW angle of the church. The interior of the church contains several memorials of post-1700 date. Westropp (1904-5, 373) gives the following details on Caheravally Church; 'Caheravally (13). A parish in Pubblebrian. Cahirdubaulig, 1201; Kathirdufauli, 1204. John Pincerna granted the churches of St. Matthew, of Catherbathelach and Dronchyn to augment the prebend of Thomas de Kerdiff, c. 1260 (B.B.L., p. 105); Richard Wodeford claimed Catherybahely from Patrick le Myneter, 1290-96 (Plea R., 31 of xxv Ed. I., p. 12, &c.); Cahirivalaha dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle (21 Dec), 1410 ; Cahir Iuahally, 1655 (Petty, map 66); Cathair Ui Bachalla, "Fort of the O'Boughils" (O'Donovan). Fabric - The old church is in Raheen. It is 60 feet [18.2m] by 21½ feet [6.4m]; the walls 9 feet [2.7m] high, 2 feet 9 inches [0.83m] thick; only portions of the ends and north side stood, 1840. There were traces of a fort (LI013-101002-) and castle (LI013-101003-) on the higher ground near it'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 26 October 2018