Lisbunny Church

Situated on a rise in gently undulating pastureland c. 120m S of the Ollatrim River with a hall house (TN021-030001-) 114m to the NNE. Listed in the ecclesiastical taxation of the Diocese of Killaloe in 1302 (Cal. doc. Ire., 302). The Royal Visitation of 1615 described the rectory of Lisbunny 'as church and chancell down' (Murphy 1914, 219). Present remains consist of the poorly preserved ruins of a nave (dims. 9.2m N-S; 18.2m E-W) and chancel (dims. 7.4m N-S; 8.9m E-W) church at the N end of a graveyard (TN021-029002-), with partial remains of the wall containing the destroyed chancel arch visible. The S wall of the nave is destroyed. The window in the E gable and all the windows in the chancel are broken out. The E window was set into a round arched embrasure of sandstone and limestone surround. A concrete wall monument abuts the external face of the N wall at the E end and there is concrete rendering on the external N face of the nave. A flat headed niche is visible at the E end of the S wall of the chancel. When visited by the Ordnance Survey, c. 1840, the ruins of a sacristy (approx. dims. 8m x 5m) were visible extending from the N wall of the chancel (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 200). The interior of the church contains headstones from the post-medieval period. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien and Jean Farrelly Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 11 June 2015

Lisbunny Church, dedicated to Saint Brendan, was likely built in the 13th or early 14th century, as evidenced by its inclusion in the 1302 taxation records of the Diocese of Killaloe. It is a small rural church associated with a hall house nearby, reflecting the pattern of early Christian settlement in the region.