Coolbanagher Church (in ruins) — Coolbanagher

The early Christian monastery of Coolbanagher is associated with Saint Lughach son of Lughaidh whose feastday occurred on the 6th of October (Ó Riain 2011, 407-8). This saint is also associated with Banagher Church, Co. Fermanagh, Rattoo, Co. Kerry and Toomour, Co. Sligo (Ibid., 407). The twelfth century preface to the Martyrology of Tallaght allegedly records that in the ninth century Saint Aonghas of Tallaght went to Coolbanagher where he began the writing of the Martyrology which he completed in the monastery of Tallaght, Co. Dublin (Ibid., 79). The Early Christian church at Coolbanagher was also associated with Saint Sinche the ‘daughter of Annudh, of Cuil Bennchuir’ whose feastday was held on the 22nd of August (Fitzgerald 1904, 300). In 1546 Patrick Obecan (O’Beaghan), was appointed chaplain to the Vicarage of ‘Culbanhir [Coolbanagher], alias, Ardea in the diocese of Kildare which was in the gift of the king (Ibid., 300). In 1552 the Crown granted 'English liberty to Patrick Beakan, clerk, and his issue; with confirmation in his vicarage of Cowlebangher [Coolbanagher]' (Nicholls 1994, 184). In 1572 Sir Maurice fitz Thomas FitzGerald, Knt., of Lackagh, in the County Kildare, obtained a twenty-one years’ lease of the Rectory of ‘Coulbenker,’ [Coolbanagher] with the advowson of the Vicarage of Erree, for which he paid in kind: viz., four beeves (Fitzgerald 1904, 299). In 1591 the tithes of corn of ‘Coulbanchar’ [Coolbanagher], with the advowson of the Vicarage of Errye, were leased to Captain Piers Hovenden, of Tankardstown, in the Queen’s County, for a rent of either £4 16s., Irish, or eight fat cows, according to the option of the Queen (Ibid., 299). Early in the seventeenth century a John Mimer is mentioned in a Funeral Entry as being ‘Minister of Culebannigher [Coolbanagher] in the Queene’s Countie’ (Ibid., 310). Coolbanagher church and graveyard was described in 1903 as the ‘ancient burial-ground of Coolbanagher. A considerable portion of the church-ruins, which consisted of nave and chancel, still exist; but they are featureless, and heavily clad with ivy. The chancel arch is pointed, and of rough stone-work. The chancel was an addition, as it is not bonded to the nave wall. The surrounding burial-ground contains but few headstones, and no slabs of any age or interest are visible. Though an occasional interment still takes place here, the churchyard is in a disgraceful state of neglect, being over-run with rabbits and choked with shrubs and bushes. The surrounding fence, too, is ditch in bad repair’ (Fitzgerald 1904, 310-11). Present remains consist of a small Romanesque nave and chancel church (max. ext. dims. 19.10m E-W, 6.50m N-S, wall T 0.75m) built of roughly coursed limestone blocks. Romanesque doorway of one order in W gable with incised sandstone arch. Chancel narrower than nave by 1.10m and is butt jointed. Dividing wall with possible basal remains of Romanesque arch. Font (LA008-014003-) may originally have been located here. Coobanagher tower house (LA008-015) lies c. 100m to NE. (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 221) Church fabric has been heavily modified by restoration scheme which has repointed the walls of the church in recent times. An early Christian cross-slab (LA008-014004-) with an incised 'Greek cross' with T-shaped terminals now on display attached to inner face of N wall of chancel off centre to E near NE angle of Coolbanagher Church. Archaeological supervision by Dominic Delany under licence no. 93E0142, of an ongoing conservation project at Coolbanagher church and graveyard commenced in October 1993. The project was necessitated by extensive site clearance works which had left the church ruins in a very unstable condition. The work is being carried out by FÁS employees on a youth training programme. The first phase of the project involves a full instrument and photographic survey of the site, and the excavation and sorting of buried rubble, particularly within the church ruins. Limited excavation is also being undertaken to uncover buried sections of church walling. During the course of these works a considerable amount of archaeological material has come to light. The finds include architectural fragments from the church buildings, quern stone fragments, iron slag, fragmented and scattered human skeletal remains and a couple of sherds of medieval and post-medieval pottery. It is hoped that the project will be completed in 1994. Archaeological excavation continued in advance of the ongoing F.Á.S. sponsored conservation project at Coolbanagher church and graveyard (Delany 1994, 50). The excavation has uncovered evidence for at least four phases of construction at the site. Phase 1: Early Christian: The original stone church was a simple rectangular structure with a trabeated west door and a round-headed east window. The characteristic cyclopean masonry is well preserved in the west gable and the lower north wall. An Early Christian cross slab was also found at the site. The slab had been re-used as a plinth stone in the north chancel wall extension (Phase 3). Phase 2: Romanesque:A chancel was added to the Phase 1 church and the west door was altered to accommodate a round-headed arch. The insertion of a chancel arch also necessitated the removal of the east window, which was probably transferred to the east end of the chancel. Only one of the Romanesque chancel arch fragments was found at the site. The plinth of the Phase 1 church was re-used as a step from nave to chancel. The Romanesque doorhead is composed of coarse red sandstone blocks which bear the characteristic incised line decoration. Two architectural fragments from the east window were re-used as packing over the door. This indicates that the removal of the east window was contemporary with the insertion of the Romanesque doorhead. It also indicates that the external arrangement of the window was altered after its removal. The north and south windows of the nave may also have been inserted at this time but their original form is unknown. The present opes are, for the most part, modern. Phase 3: Late Medieval:The chancel was extended and the east window was moved yet again. Collapsed architectural fragments from the window were found at the base of the extended gable wall. A second window was inserted at the south-west end of the chancel. A late medieval chamfered limestone sill, which was found lying in the graveyard, was probably taken from this window for re-use as a gravemarker. A Gothic arch of rough stonework, of which only the springers of the south side survive, was also inserted in place of the original Romanesque chancel arch. Indeed there is evidence of late medieval stonework throughout the fabric of the church building. Phase 4: Modern (non-ecclesiastical):This phase post-dates the burning of the church which is recorded in the year 1779. The ruins of the building appear to have been converted into an outhouse or barn sometime after this date. The fire damage was extensive and a considerable amount of rendering and repair work was required to stabilise the building prior to use. The west door was repaired and blocked and a new door was inserted at the south-west end of the church. The north and south windows of the nave were also widened at this time. Archaeological excavation carried out in 1993 by Dominic Delany under excavation licence no. 93E0142. Archaeological excavation continued in advance of the ongoing F.Á.S. sponsored conservation project at Coolbanagher church and graveyard (Delany 1994, 50), carried out in 1994 by Dominic Delany under excavation licence no. 93E0142. Land in the vicinity of the church was excavated by Thaddeus Breen in 1996 under licence no. 96E0313. Excavations were carried out along the line of the Portlaoise Water Supply Improvement Scheme where it passed close to four monuments, in this case the church and castle at Coolbanagher. Outside the churchyard two irregular pits were found, co