Bonahum Church (in ruins) — Derry (dorrha Par.)

Situated on a slight rise of ground with extensive views. Listed in the ecclesiastical taxation of the Diocese of Killaloe in 1302 (Sweetman 1886, vol. 5, 302). The Royal Visitation of 1615 described the 'Rectory of Bonohum' as a 'church up and chancel' which was valued at £3 and was held by Patrick Hogan, a cleric (Murphy 1914, 221). The tithes or property of this church wa held by the Augustinian Priory (TN004-010006-) at nearby Lorrha (Murphy 1914, 211). In the Civil Survey of Tipperary 1654-6 (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 320) an enclosure around the graveyard is described as enclosing 'three acres belonging to the Parish of Bonocum being situated on ye North by the Churchyard (TN001-013002-) of ye church of Bonocum are fenced about with a ditch' (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 320). Medieval church ruins of 'Bonocum' depicted on the 17th century Down Survey map of the untied parishes of 'Durra [Dorrha] & Bonocum [Bonahum]' (NLI, MS 721). The terrier of the Down Survey parish map recorded in Bonocum there was 'the ruines of a Church' (ibid.). In 1840 the Ordnance Survey described ‘Bonahum old Church’ as following; ‘The East and West gables are reduced to the same height with the side walls with the exception of a little bit at N. extremity of West gable, 4 [1.2m] or 5 feet [1.5m] in height, a bit of outer surface of E. gable immediately at the window on it and between the window and N sidewall. There was a window of masonwork on E. gable, now opened at top, wall being broken above. It reached to near the ground and sides were levelled off inside. On S. wall near E. gable, was placed a window, which is now opened at top, wall being broken. It was masonwork and its sides were levelled off inside. Between the window and the gable, is placed in this wall near the ground, a quadrangular recess. An arched doorway of mason work is placed on S. wall, at the distance of 14 feet [4.25m] from the west gable. The stones are removed out of all parts of it, on the exterior. The interior is nearly circular rather inclining to a point. Height on the interior is 6 feet 10 inches [2m], breadth is 5 feet 6 inches [1.67m]. Length of the building is 40 feet 7 inches [12.4m]. Breadth is 21 feet 10 inches [6.65m]. Height of the sidewalls, is 10½ feet [3m], Thickness is 3 feet [0.9m]. The whole building is of limestone and lime and sand mortar. The stones are for the most part shapeless and a great portion of them large sized. The structure is rough’ (O’Flanagan 1930,vol. 3, 31). Present remains consists of an ivy-clad rectangular church (ext. dims. 8.2m N-S; 15m E-W; wall T 0.9m) built with roughly coursed limestone boulders located in the N sector of an irregular-shaped graveyard defined by an earthen bank from W to NW and elsewhere by a stone wall. A doorway lies off-centre to the W along the S wall, with a destroyed single-light window at the E end of the S wall. There is a destroyed window at E with no other features visible due to the dense cover of ivy on the walls. An architectural fragment consisting of the head of a twin-light ogee-headed window with decorated spandrels is located in the SE sector of the graveyard. There are no visible remains of a corbelled chamber at the W end of the church or of an E door as described by Gleeson (1951-2, 104). The OS Letters describe a quadrangular aumbry at the E end of the S wall which is now obscured by ivy (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 3, 31) . The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). 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 upload/revision: 12 October 2020