Church (in ruins) — Cloontemple

Only the S wall and part of the E gable of the medieval church ruins of Ballingarry survives upstanding in the graveyard (LI029-107002-) immediately S of the C of I church. No surface remains visible of the N wall and W gable. Westropp (1904-5, 408-9) recorded the following details on Ballingarry; ‘It is said that a templary was founded here, 1172, suppressed and given to the Hospitallers, 1304; that a Cistercian cell was founded, 1198, at Kilson, or Kilshane, and given to the Abbey of Corcomroe, "de petra fertili," in Clare, and lastly a cell of Augustinian nuns at some unknown site near the village (Lewis, i., p. 114). For these I find no old authority. The church is Garthe or Le Garth in 1291, 1302, and 1400. It belonged to Keynsham, 1418. Ballingharry dedicated to St. Euanganus, Aug. 1st, 1410. Pardon to the church of Sir Thomas de Lees, of Le Garth, 1346 (Pat. R.); Garthe in Lym, 1395 (Mem. R., m. 35). Henry IV. to the bailiffs and commons of the vill of Garth, "whereas the greater part had been destroyed by Irish foes and English rebels," grants certain customs to wall the town, 1408 (Pat. R.); Malachi Nadde was vicar, 1550 (Fiants, 491); Ecc. Garie, 1591; Ballingarry, 1586 (Peyton, p. 56) and 1615 a., " Ballengarie, Gare, or Garrestown, the advowson being part of estate of the dissolved abbey of Kensam," granted to Sir Robert Boyle, 1603 (Pat. R.) Fabric - Part of the east gable with two round-headed windows remained. It was disused in 1810; near it is the well of SS. Peter and Paul (O.S.L., 8, p. 60). Parts of the north wall and of a tower used as the McCarthy vault also remain. The I. C. church was built 1820'. Church ruins described in 1840 as following; 'Part of the east gable of the old Church of this Parish, which fell and so became disused about thirty years ago [1810], remains in a grave yard still in use, which adjoins the modern Church, but is separated from it by a stone wall. The window on this gable consists of two parts, is round arched and formed of cut stone. The traces of the foundation of other parts of this building are observable' (OSL, 22). Molony (1905, 258) described the building as following; 'The old parish church of Ballingarry stood in the village within 14 feet [4.25m] of, and parallel to, the modern structure. Only part of its eastern gable and northern side wall remain, the side wall now forming part of the boundary wall between the old and new graveyards. About 17 yards from the old church, in a south-eastern direction, is a tower of comparatively modern appearance, now a mausoleum, but, according to tradition, once used as a vestry'. C. of. I Church described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as a 'Freestanding Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland church, built in 1820. Comprising four-bay nave and three-stage square-profile tower to front (west) elevation having sandstone crenellations' (www.buildingsofireland.ie; Reg. No,. 21827008). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 22 January 2019