Church (in Ruins) — Donadea Demesne

According to the OSL (Herity 2005, 25), 'There was a Patron held here formerly on 29th of June, St Peter's Day.' Built in 1626 according to an inscribed plaque forming part of the Aylmer tomb (Aylmer 1895, 306). In a graveyard (KD009-014004-) on the site of a possible Early Christian church (KD009-014002-) in the former Aylmer family demesne, now Donadea Forest Park. The graveyard also contains a 19th century Church of Ireland church which houses a fine, 17th century Aylmer effigial tomb (KD009-014003-) and an octagonal font (KD009-014005-), while a second font (KD009-014006-) lies nearby outside. Donadea Castle (KD009-015----), a tower house, fortified house and mansion stands c. 100m to the S. The very poorly preserved, ivy-clad remains of a chancel is abutted at S by a (?)later side chapel. The E gable (ext. L 5.88m; H 3m at S end; 0.6m at N end; wall T 0.8m) and the lower courses of the E end of the N wall (L 5.91m) of the chancel survive, built of roughly coursed rubble masonry, while a very short portion of the S wall (L 1.96m), containing the E side of window splay, forms part of the N wall of the abutting structure to the S. That almost square building (ext. dims. L 6.56m E-W; Wth 6.07m N-S) is also built of rubble masonry, but its W wall is thinner (T 0.5m). Its S wall contains a tall, lancet window (Wth 0.11m; H 2.1m) and there is a partially robbed ope (Wth 1.58m) in the E wall. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011