St. Patricks Church (in ruins) — Knockpatrick

On the summit of Knock Patrick (Cnoc Pádraig) also known in medieval times as 'Knocklaboskor’ (Westropp 1904-6, 384; Murphy 2013, 82), with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. River Shannon and County Clare visible from W-N-NE with views of Foynes and Aughinish Island to N. St. Patrick's Seat (LI010-059----) 100m to E and St. Patrick's Well (LI010-056----) 400m to SW. Church depicted standing on the summit of Knockpatrick on Jobson's 1589 Map of Munster (TCD, MS 1209/36). Medieval church ruins described by John O’Donovan as follows; ‘On the summit of Knockpatrick Hill, and in the Townland of the same name, are the ruins of Saint Patrick’s Church, of which both the gables have disappeared; forty one feet [12.5m] of the south wall and forty six [14m] of the north wall remain. On this north wall there are two doorways, the one nine feet [2.75m] from where the wall is broken on the west end, the arches (inside and outside) being pointed and formed of thin flags. This doorway is filled with old masonry. The other is nine feet [2.75m] from the east end; its arches are broken. No cut stone appears in either side of these doorways. There was another doorway on the south side wall opposite the western one on the north; no cut stone appears in this doorway, of which only one side remains. The walls of the Church are about twelve feet [3.65m] high by three feet [0.9m] in thickness and built of regular sized quarry stones regularly laid with lime and sand mortar. It has not the appearance of great age. On the top of these walls inside runs a cornice of cut stones. There is a very large graveyard much in use attached to this Church’ (OSL Robertstown Parish, 5-6). In 1336 in the Black Book of Limerick the church was listed as ‘Desert Alysbokan’ (Westropp 1904-6, 384). In 1419 the site was described in church taxation records as ‘ecclesia St. Patricii de montan’ [church of St Patrick of the mountain] (ibid.). According to Begley (1915, 245) the coarbship of Knockpatrick was vested in the O'Nea family, now anglicised Neville. In 1587, Queen Elizabeth granted William Trencherd [Trenchard] lands in Limerick which included 'the church and lands of Knockpatrick' which he was to hold 'by the name of Mount Trenchard, for ever, in fee-farm, by fealty, in common socage. Rent £150 English from 1594 (half this rent for the preceding 3 years); also W[illiam]. yearly for each acre of bog or waste enclosed or tilled. If found on measurement to contain more than the estimated number of acres, grantee shall pay 3d. rent for each English acre in excess. Grantee to erect houses for 95 families, of which one for himself, 6 for freeholders, 6 for farmers, 42 for copyholders. Other conditions usual in grants to undertakers in Munster' (Nicholls 1994, 34-5). Sate papers recorded that in 1588 ‘Shane Onia [O’Nea/Neville] of Knockpatrick, in the parish of Robertstown and county of Limerick, claims the lands of Knockpatrick, in the possession whereof he has been disturbed by an Inquisition taken at Kilmallock 26th Oct., 26th Eliz. He allegeth by his Bill no title in Her Majesty’ (Cal. S.P. Ire. Vol. 4, 21). Present remains consist of a medieval church ruins in centre of graveyard (LI010-058002-). Only lengths of N (L 16.7m; Wth 0.95m) and S (L 6.8m) walls now stand; described in 1827 as 'in good preservation' with a west door, by 1840 had been reduced to present state (OSL vol. 2, 13). Surviving walls have recently been crudely re-pointed and repaired. South wall is featureless apart from plain corbel with socket hole directly above. There are two door openings in N wall: near W end is narrow opening covered by pointed arch of undecorated voussoirs, and floored by two concrete steps; and near E end is round-arched opening which appears to have recently been rebuilt. Midway along N wall, on its outside, is short projection which appears to be of same build as N wall but has now been incorporated into a recently-built wall forming a triangular abutment against the N wall. Extending S from E end of N wall is low abutment (largely concealed by concrete) incorporated into tomb; this might be section of E wall. The top of both walls have been rebuilt using dressed limestone blocks, including a number of corbels with inverted-pyramid profiles, and a projecting 'cornice' course; Westropp (1904-5, 396) considered these 'evidence of a 15th century rebuilding. Westropp (ibid.) mistakenly suggested that the place called 'Ardpatrick' which was burnt in 1114 (AFM, 999) was the same site as Knockpatrick. However, O'Donovan identified this Ardpatrick as the 'small village at which are the remains of an ancient Irish cloigtheach, or round tower (LI056-002003- ), in the barony of Coshlea' (AFM, 998). Westropp recorded the following details about Knockpatrick; '1410. Gerald f.[itz] Philip, rebel, held "dom., relig. voc. Taremon de Cnock Patrick in p'och de Robertstown," 1584 (Inq.). It is probably the height to the west of Donaghpatrick and Finnine, whence St. Patrick blessed Thomond, for the "islands and territories" of the latter, and Iniscatha, "the green island in the mouth of the sea," were visible, which is true of it, and not of the alleged eastern sites (see Trip. Life, vol. i., p. 207). Fabric - The gables had fallen before 1840; the sides, 41 feet [12.5m] to south, and 46 feet [14m] to north, remained. In the latter were two doors, the west pointed and closed, the other broken and nearly demolished. The walls were 12 feet [3.65m] by 3 feet [0.9m]; the upper part rebuilt with corbels and cornice in fifteenth century; the south door has since fallen; part of a south window, the shaft of another, and parts of the pointed door remain. The Gothic west door stood in 1827 (Fitzgerald vol. 1, 366). The monuments of the Burkes and Griffins, 1777 and 1798, stand to the west. This stands on a high hill overlooking the Shannon from Cratloe to the sea, and the plains of Clare and Limerick. Down the slope is "Suidheachan Phatruic" or "Patrick's seat," [LI010-059----] the remains of a small cist of six stones, evidently prehistoric, though this is denied (O.S.L., 8, p. 13). A relic "Mias Phadruig" was pledged to Roche of Limerick by "Mary (Neville) of the dish," its hereditary keeper, long before 1840' (Westropp 1904-5, 395-6). Oblique aerial photograph (CUCAP AVQ071) taken 17/07/1968 of Knockpatrick shows church and graveyard standing on top of prominent hill with extensive views of the surrounding countryside with ringfort (LI010-003----) visible to N of church and graveyard. Compiled by: Denis Power Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 20 January 2021