Church (in Ruins) — Dysart

Situated on high ground with commanding views of the surrounding countryside to W. Piggott's Castle (LA013-061001-) 530m to NNE and Fair Green (LA013-060----) 175m to ENE. Early Christian church associated with Aonghas of Tallaght who gave his name to this foundation known as Díseart Aonghasa anglicised as Dysart Enos. Aonghas was a ninth century bishop who died c. 830 and was author of Féilire Aonghasa (Martyrology of Aonghas) which was reputedly started at his church in Dysart and finished in the monastery of Tallaght, Co. Dublin (Ó Riain 2011, 79). He was educated by Maol Ruain, founder of the monastery at Tallaght and according to the saint’s genealogy was descended from the Uí Eachach Cobha of south-east Ulster. During his lifetime he also wrote the Martyrology of Tallaght. A medieval poem possibly of 12th century date states that he was reared at Clonenagh, Co. Laois and later buried in the monastery of Clonenagh. The 11th of March is listed as his feastday in the Martyrology of Tallaght. In 1801, Sir Charles Coote, described Dysart church as standing on a lofty hill with a square tower or steeple (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, 229). Remains of an earlier church beneath the present church ruins was mentioned in the 19th century when it was recorded that Dyscart Church 'remains unroofed, but within the enclosure of its standing walls, the traces of a still older foundation are manifestly discernible; having been levelled and concealed under the timber flooring of the dilapidated modern church' (ibid.). In 1810 it was recorded that there was ‘a Church, in repair, at Dysart Enos’ (Carlisle 1810). In 1837 the following account was given; the ‘church, towards the repair of which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted £333, is a small edifice with a square tower, forming a very picturesque object, on the summit of one of the Dysart hills’ (Lewis 1837, 592). Present ruins consist of a post-medieval single-cell rectangular church with crenellated bell-tower at W end standing in centre of rectangular-shaped graveyard (LA013-059003-). The church is entered though a round-headed doorway in the centre of the W wall of the square-shaped bell tower at W end of church. The crease line of two roofs is visible in the E face of the W tower showing that the present roof is lower than earlier steeply pitched roof which ran onto the E wall of the bell tower. The joist holes of a wooden floor of a post-medieval gallery over the W end of the church is visible in the internal E face of the W gable of the church. A flat headed opening in the E wall of the tower at first floor level gave access to this gallery area. A second flat heade opening now partially blocked up in visible high up in the apex of the gable. The internal faces of the church walls are partially covered with lime render. The interior of the present church is lit by three round-headed red-brick lined windows in the N and S walls of the building. A tall round arched opening the centre of the E gable has the appearance of a chancel arch and is now partially blocked up and covered with lime plaster. the external walls of the church and bell tower are covered with external render. This round-headed archway may have given access to chancel belonging to the medieval church of Dysart which may have been later reused as a burial vault in the post medieval period. It is possible that the present church ruins incorporated fabric from the medieval church although this fabric has not been identified. 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. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revision: 2 October 2014