St Colmans Church

In centre of graveyard (14578); at E corner of Bowen's Court (14893) demesne. Former C of I parish church of Farahy- no longer used for regular worship but furnished and roofed; vestry now used as museum re Elizabeth Bowen. Church comprises of rectangular nave (long axis ENE-WSW), with 3-storey embattled tower at W end, apse at E end, and gable-ended vestry at W end of S wall. Walls are rendered inside and outside. Nave lit by three round-headed windows in both N and S walls: sash windows with switch-line glazing in arch; central round-headed window in apse. Entered through round-arched doorway in W wall of tower; above door is stone plaque commemorating building of church in 1720 (Grove White, vol. 3, 115); nave and tower have early-18th century appearance, apse and vestry are later additions. Lewis (1837, vol. 1, 613) described church as 'undergoing repair'; he also noted 'a small wooden spire' on tower which no longer survives. Church refurbished in 1890s, including a new organ, new heating apparatus, panelling around door, etc. (Cole 1903, 205). Stone plaque lying on ground outside vestry reads 'This Charter School was erected for the Christian instruction of the poor children of the parish of Farahy by M. Fitzbridges of the City of London. AD 1721'; school not shown on 1842 OS 6-inch map but Grove White (ibid.) says it stood in glebe of church. Glebe house is SE of graveyard: 3-bays, 2-storey with hipped roof. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

St Colman's Church, Farahy was likely built in the 17th or 18th century as the Church of Ireland parish church for the area. It is dedicated to St Colman, a common dedication in Irish churches, and retains historical significance as part of the demesne of Bowen's Court, with its vestry now serving as a museum related to Elizabeth Bowen.