Killenny Ch. (in Ruins) — Killenny (stradbally By.)

Situated in undulating countryside. Associated with St Eithne (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 254). In 1615 it was in repair and used for Protestant service. (Comerford 1886, vol. 3, 282-83). The church (L c. 27m; Wth c. 16.4m; wall T. c. 0.9m) was built of roughly coursed limestone blocks. A narrow ope, splaying inwards, is visible in E gable. The S wall is almost completely destroyed and the remaining walls are obscured by ivy growth. Uninscribed grave-markers visible in the surrounding subtriangular graveyard (LA013-018002-). The enclosure (LA013-018003-) visible on aerial photographs (GSI, N 227-8) from NW-NNE is indicated by a low bank. Site re-visited by Caimin O'Brien on the 08 May 2007. In pasture, on a slight rise of ground with poorly drained land to the N of the church, good views in all directions. Site consists of the remains of an undivided rectangular church (ext. dims. 13.6m E-W; 7.25m N-S; wall T 0.8m), constructed with roughly coursed limestone rubble with a slight base batter visible on the E and W gables (wall T 1m). The church has been recently repaired and all four corners of the church appear to have been rebuilt during these repairs. Internally the soil has been removed and replaced with a bed of gravel, the surrounding graveyard has been levelled and all gravemarkers have been removed some of which have been dumped in the SW corner of the graveyard. The church is located in the centre of the graveyard. The church is entered through a rebuilt doorway (Wth 0.75m) located in the centre of the W gable with original drawbar slot (L 1.35m; H 0.1m x Wth 0.15m) visible in the S jamb of the doorway embrasure. There are three nineteenth century memorials inside the church. Evidence of a possible second doorway (Wth 0.8m) or window that has been rebuilt as a doorway during the recent repairs in the S wall located off centre to the W. There is evidence of a destroyed window in the S wall located off centre to the E with no windows present in the N wall of the church. There is a small square shaped niche or wall cupboard (H 0.4m; D 0.4m; Wth 0.35m) in the S wall located near the SE angle of the church. Single light window present in the centre of the E gable, none of he original cut stone surrounds survives from any of the windows or doorways and the quoins appear to be later insertions probably associated with the repairs of the church. During the nineteenth century a walled burial area (ext. dims. 7.25m N-S; 5.85m E-W; wall T 0.55m) was added to the W end of the church, this roofless structure acted as a private burial area for a local family. The sidewalls of the church now stand 2.35m high and the gables survive to their original height. This church has been substantially rebuilt since its last site inspection in 1990. The church and graveyard (LA013-018002-) are situated on top of a circular rise of ground that may have been enclsoed by a roughly circular enclosure (LA013-018003-) of which only the NE quadrant survives incorporated into the townland boundary. A water stoup which may have come from the medieval church has been incorporated into the grotto in the graveyard of the 19th century Roman Catholic church located approx. 200m to the N of the medieval church. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007