Coolmundry Church (in ruins)

On the W-facing slope of a hill, with the Clashawley river at the base of the slope. The ground has been built up to form a terrace. According to Ó Cearbhaill (2007, 157-60), references to various spellings of Kilmacloye relate to Coolmundry church. 'Kylmacloye' is mentioned in c. 1231 in the Register of Hospital of St. John the Baptist without the New Gate, Dublin, 'Kylmacoly' and 'Kilmacloy' in c. 1302 and c. 1306 respectively in the Papal Taxation records; 'Kylmeklay' in 1481 in a list of procurations for the Dioceses of Cashel and Emly and 'Killmaclie' in 1615 in the Royal Visitation of Cashel and Emly (ibid.). A nave (int. dims. 5.3m E-W; c. 7.8m N-S; ext. dims. 9.6m E-W; 7.25m N-S; wall T 0.8-1.05m) and chancel (ext. dims. 5.04m N-S; 5.65m E-W; wall T 0.8m) church, aligned E-W, is composed of unusually large, roughly cut limestone blocks, roughly coursed. The W gable and W end of the N and S walls do not survive and most of the E gable of the nave, including the chancel arch, has collapsed with only the NE angle surviving, though the quoins are missing. The lower courses of the collapsed walls are visible in places beneath the rubble. Most of the internal facing of the N wall has collapsed and only the central portion of the S wall (max. surviving H 2.6m) survives intact. Masonry is broken out at the E end of the N wall, c. 1m above present ground level, where a window may have been. There is also a break in the opposite S wall at this point suggesting opposing windows. There are no visible architectural features in situ, however, amongst the rubble there is a splayed window jamb. Only the lowest courses of the chancel survive (surviving H 0.43m). Where the chancel meets the nave at the NE angle the chancel wall does not appear to be tied into the nave. There is a grass-covered mound of rubble within the chancel. The large cyclopean style masonry suggests a possible 12th-century date for this church. See attached photographs: TS070-081001-_01 external face of S wall of nave from SW TS070-081001-_02 church from SE with graveslab (TS070-081004-) in foreground TS070-081001-_03 church from W with collapsed W gable in foreground TS070-081001-_04 external face of N wall of nave from NE TS070-081001-_05 church from NE with ranging rod at E wall of chancel Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of revised upload: 13 December 2017

Coolmundry Church, also known as Kilmacloye, was likely founded by a local monastic community in the early medieval period, possibly before the 12th century. Its name suggests dedication to St. Mac Lochlainn, and it is significant as a ruined ecclesiastical site associated with early Christian settlement in the area.