Annagh Church (in ruins) — Annagh (trughanacmy By., Kiltallagh Ed)

National Monument No. 56. Annagh (Eanach/marsh) Church ruins stands in N quadrant of graveyard (KE038-003002-), located in the Diocese of Ardfert, Deanery of Offerla. The townland was also known as Eanach an Ambrósaigh meaning, 'the marsh of An Ambrósach (Anglo-Norman surname Ambroise)' (www.logainm.ie). In the Papal taxation of 1306 the church of 'Hanagh' in the Deanery of Offerla was valued at 40s. per annum with a tithe value of 4s. per annum (Cal. doc. Ire., Vol. 5, 295). In 1418 a papal letter written to Richard de Muor [More], priest, of the diocese of Ardfert, concerning his rehabilitation on account of the following papal order under Gregory XII that; 'provision to be made to him, then in minor orders only, of the rectories of Anach [Annagh] and Cluhirbryn in the above diocese, of the patronage of laymen, and dispensed him to hold them together for life. He obtained the said rectories under the said mandate, which stated, amongst other things, that he was of knightly birth, that the rectory of Anach was void by the death of Maurice Fyt, that formerly the vicarage of Cluhirbryn [Clogherbrien KE029-059----] was separated from the rectory thereof, and that the said rectories were reputed to be a single benefice, whereas in fact he was not noble except in so far as his father and his grandfather on his mother's side were the sons of knights' daughters, and the rectory of Anach was void by the death of Maurice Ykahil [O'Cahill],' (Cal. papal letters, vol. VII, 47). A second papal letter in the same year to Donal Osanlayn [O’Scanlan], canon of Ardfert, contained a mandate, ‘recapitulating the preceding. To collate and assign to the above Richard [de More], who is by both parents of noble birth, and has studied canon and civil law for five years, upon his resigning, the said rectory [of Cluhirbryn] and vicarage of Any [Knockainey, Co. Limerick LI032-141004-], value not exceeding 15 marks, which he is hereby dispensed to hold together for life. He is to resign the rectory of Anach’ (ibid.). According to the Desmond Survey the earl of Desmond was the patron of Annagh Church (O'Connell and Costello 1958, 23). In 1601, William Ambrose of Annagh was granted a Royal pardon from Queen Elizabeth (Nicholls 1994, 420). In 1615 the condition of the church of Annagh was described as 'Ruinous' and was valued at £5, the parish was served by Nathaniell Walkward who is listed as a preacher minister (Murphy 1915, 183). Medieval church ruins in N quadrant of graveyard with ringfort (KE038-003011-) 35m to S described in 1841 as follows; ‘It is fifty eight feet [17.7m], in length and twenty one feet six inches [6.55m] in breadth, and its side walls are three feet [0.9m] in thickness and ten feet [3m] in height and built of large lime stones irregularly laid and cemented with lime and sand mortar. The West gable is totally destroyed; there is a breach seven feet [2.1m] in extent on the North wall and the East gable is reduced to the height of the side walls. The East window is destroyed; it appears from two stones of it, remaining that, it was formed of chiselled brown sand stone. There was a window on the South wall at the distance of six feet [1.8m] from the East gable, but it is now destroyed, it was also formed of cut sand stone. The doorway is on the South wall at the distance of fifteen feet [4.6m] from the West gable; it is pointed on the outside and formed of chiselled sand stone and measures five feet seven inches [1.7m] in height and three feet seven inches [1.1m] in width. It forms three concentric little arches on this side, the middle one projecting four inches [0.1m] and the exterior one two inches [0.05m]. The internal part of this doorway forms a flat arch at the top which is formed of chiselled sandstone and measures six feet [1.8m] in height, but its width cannot be ascertained as its sides are destroyed. This church is about six centuries old; it stands in a grave yard in which many interments are made. There is no Saint nor Saint's Day remembered in connection with this church’ (OSL). Church and graveyard survey commissioned by Kerry Co. Co. which was carried out in 2008 recorded that, 'There were at least twenty six ex situ architectural fragments noted of which twenty four are currently lying loose on or partially inserted into the partially rebuilt west gable of the medieval church. All of the fragments are dressed structural masonry executed in local red sandstone. Several are quite large and would be difficult to remove, however, others are small and could easily be removed. Several comprise the splayed ingoings of a window embrasure as well as at least one complete sill stone. A broken stoup was also noted partially set within the reduced fabric at the extreme southwest angle of the church. Another unremarkable fragment was recorded within the church interior painted in white. A further, chamfered piece, possible section of a string course, is set as a grave marker immediately in front of or to the east of the Gace-Forther tomb' (Buckley and Dunne 2008, 9). The church ruins were described in 2008 as follows; 'Very little has changed since O’Donovan’s time other than there has been consolidation and tidy up works undertaken. The church is typically constructed with locally derived rubble sandstone and limestone. The sandstone has been utilised in all the surviving dressed or carved stone, indicative of an early date. The west gable today stands about a metre high and levelled off with masonry fragments from the building. Today the ruined church is in a relatively stable or good state of preservation with recent, early twentieth century repairs evident on some of the rubble limestone and sandstone walls. The church is devoid of any ivy overgrowth which has aided its survival. The interior of the church is formalised with gravel and a number of formal graves and grave-markers are also present. The southern elevation survives more or less to full height but its quoins on both corners are robbed out. A single finely moulded doorway is also located on the south wall and has a pointed arch set in three orders with chamfered edges. The inner door embrasure has a flattened segmental arch in good order with well matched narrow voussoirs. A draw-bar socket is also located at mid height. The sandstones are weathered but still display evidence of punch dressing here and there. A decorated sandstone carving of a mounted knight (KE038-003003-) is located to the immediate east of the entrance doorway on the interior. Immediately to the left of the door way on the exterior is a small cross slab (KE038-003012-). The elevation is lit by a single window ope at its eastern end. Evidence of modern repair work is apparent on the inner window sill. The east gable survives to the height of the side walls only. The east elevation is lit by a single window which is 1m in width on the exterior while the interior splayed and ragged embrasure measures c. 1.5m. Only two original dressed stones surviving at the bottom left side of its embrasure. A rectangular intra-mural recess or aumbry of red sandstone is located immediately below and to the right of the east window. The northern elevation survives to full height although it has a single breach. The western end of the wall survives in poor condition with only three original quoin-stones surviving while none survive on the eastern end. A possible blocked up window is evident towards the eastern end of this elevation. The western elevation appears to have been reconstructed in the twentieth century and stands at less than 1m in height at present. The entire upper limits of it comprise at least twenty four ex situ architectural fragments, some of which are of significant importance to understanding the finer architectural details of this medieval church which appear to be quite early' (ibid., 11-12). See attached photographs provided courtesy of Eachtra Archaeology. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based