Monastery (in Ruins) — Course

Reference to a large quadrangular area (dims. c. 80m NNW-SSE, 70m ENE-WSW) enclosed by an earthen rampart, and traditionally believed to be the site of an ancient monastery (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 222). In 1901 Lord Ashbrook and others cleared the site exposing the remains of the foundations of a group of buildings consising of a possible refectory (L c. 19m N-S) and church (L c. 9m) running W, from N end of buildings (Ibid., 222-3). Situated in a wooded area. No visible surface remains survive. Described by Carrigan as 'In the Course Wood, half a mile north-east of Durrow, there is a quadrangular area, about half an acre in extent and enclosed by an earthen rampart, to which tradition has always pointed as the site of an ancient Monastery or, as some say, Nunnery. Very faint traces of foundations in the smooth surface of the east side of the enclosures, gave confirmation to the popular belief. The main building ran north and south, and was 62 ft. in external length. Its northern end was hollowed out to a considerable depth, so as to form an underground room 19 and a half feet long, on the inside, by 15 ft. - the floor, which was tiled, being fully 8 ft. lower than the original level of the ground; the wall contain four square-shaped recesses, three large and deep, and one small, all evidently intended for cupboards. This room must have served the purposes of a refectory. Leading up out of it on the south side, and communicating above with the room opposite, which was presumably a kitchen. The stairway branches off at either side, near the top, into another small, narrow stairway of three steps, one leading towards the west, the other towards a small passage off [what we suppose to have been] the kitchen communicating probably with an upper storey of the building. Running west from the underground room, and adjoining it, may be traced the outlines of the foundations of another house, 29 ft. long, internally, from east to west, and 19 and a half feet from north to south. That this was the chapel there can be no doubt. One small piece of the masonry remains, showing that the entrance door was in the south side-wall, 6 ft. on the outside, from the angle of the west gable' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 222-3). 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