Saint Mary's Church (Thurles)

Freestanding Board of First Fruits style single-cell Church of Ireland church, built c.1825, with three-bay gable-front, five-bay side elevation and three-stage crenellated tower with spire to west end. Pitched slate roof and ashlar limestone to spire. Exposed limestone rubble walls with dressed quoins and plinth and some roughcast render panels. Ashlar limestone spire and carved finials and crenellations to tower. Carved limestone panels and clock to west elevation. Chamfered lancet windows. Pointed-arch doorway with roll-mouldings and timber battened door with wrought-iron strap hinges. Graveyard around church, bounded by stone walls with dressed limestone gate piers and cast-iron gates.

This is an interesting example of a typical Board of First Fruits church, a notable counterpart to the later and more elaborate Catholic cathedral nearby. Like many Church of Ireland churches, this church is of historical interest for its graveyard, tombs and memorial windows. It is now in use as a Famine memorial museum.