Coolkerry Church (in Ruins)

Marked on the Down Survey (1655-6) map 'ruined church, weir, cabin'. On a ridge with some excellent views. Situated at S end of N-S ridge with Coolkerry Castle (LA028-062) 70m to SW of church and the Erkina river to the S. Flat wet marshy land to the S of the church and higher well drained land to the N. Only a short stretch of the upstanding W gable (L 6m) of a rectangular church (ext. dims. c 17m E-W; c. 7.3m, wall T c. 0.9m) survives, the N wall of the church is indicated by low grass covered wall footings, there are no surface remains of the S and E walls of the church. Recent graveyard clean up scheme has revealed the wall footings of the N wall of the church. Described by Carrigan as 'The church of Coolkerry, situated on the end of a low ridge, round which the Erkina curves as it wends its way to join the Gowl, was 22 ft. wide, internally, and about 55 ft. long. The walls are thrown down except the west gable, which is built with an abutment and measures 5 ft. in thickness at the ground and 3ft. 3 in. higher up. Previous to the reformation the church belonged to the Canons Regular of St. Thomas's Abbey, Dublin. Its patron according to Bishop Phelan's List, was St. John the Baptist (June 24). About 70 yards south of the church stood the castle of Coolkerry (LA028-062) but nothing of it remains, with the exception of a cellar, which has been closed up' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 341). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

Cooled Kerry Church was likely built in the 17th century, possibly on an earlier ecclesiastical site, and is marked as ruined in the Down Survey of 1655–56; its location near Coolkerry Castle and the Erkina River suggests it served a local farming or gentry community. The church's remains offer insight into early modern rural religious life in Ireland.