Clonkeen Church (in ruins) — Clonkeen (cullenagh By.)

Depicted as 'Cloekine' church on the 1563 map of Laois-Offaly where it is shown standing on lands annotated as ‘Franamanagh’ or monastic lands. Church site associated with St Fintan who was supposedly born at Clonkeen (Comerford 1886, 107). Building recorded in the 19th century as a possible nave and chancel church (Comerford 1886 vol. 3, 106-7). The Martyrology of Donegal records under the date 7th of February the death of ‘Fiontain, Priest, of Cluain-Caoin [Clonkeen]’ (Comerford 1886, 107). It is possible that this structure was originally built as a single cell undivided rectangular church with a second structure built on to the E gable of the church at a later date giving the building the appearance of a nave and chancel church. Present remains consist of the ivy-clad remains of a church standing in the N quadrant of a graveyard (LA029-025001-). The church appears to consist of a single cell rectangular structure that has been recorded as a possible nave (int. dims. 6.45m N-S; 12.1m E-W; wall T 0.8m) with the remains of a broken out doorway (Wth 2.3m; H of opening 2.65m) located at W end of S wall. This possible nave was lit by a broken out single light window in the centre of the N wall and by a larger broken out window in the centre of the S wall. The remains of a small wall cupboard survive at the E end of the S wall. There are no windows or openings visible in the ivy-clad W wall. A small narrow ope (Wth 0.45m; H 0.5m) in the centre of the E wall is all that survives on this ivy-clad wall. The ivy-clad walls of the possible nave survive to full height (H c 3.5-4m) and are constructed with rubble masonry which is different from the rubble masonry used to construct the structure added on to the E end of the church that has been identified as a possible chancel. There is good evidence of internal plaster which is well preserved on the S wall and particularly around the S window. The remains of a poorly preserved possible chancel (int. dims. 5.35m N-S; 7.5m E-W) survive on the E end of the upstanding church, there are no visible remains of a blocked-up chancel arch and no evidence of any blocked up doorway connecting the nave with the chancel. The masonry style of the chancel walls are different from the nave and the presence of a butt-joint at the NW and SW angles of the chancel suggests that this structure was added on to the E end of the church at a later date. A dressed limestone corbel can be seen in the NW angle of the N wall. Only the lower courses survive of the walls of this structure, except the W ends of the N and S walls where they meet the NE and SE angles of the so-called nave. The interior of the chancel is now covered with broken memorials and appears to have been used as a private burial area of some local families. Described by Comerford in the 19th century as a church that was 'divided into two portions that would represent nave and chancel, except that there is a solid wall seperating them apparently as old as the rest of the building, and only pierced by a window high up. Dimensions: nave 45 feet [13.7m E-W] by 22 feet [6.7m N-S]; chancel (if it may be called so), 25 feet [7.6m E-W] by 18 feet [5.5m N-S]. In 1731 it is stated that in the parish of Clonkeen there was 'one Mass house, a wooden covering in ye fields - one schoolmaster; the popish priest, William Keating'. (Ibid. 106-07). 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 by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 09 October 2013