Clonamery Church Explained

Clonamery Church
Native Name:Cill Chluain Iomaire
Native Name Lang:ga
Pushpin Map:Ireland
Relief:yes
Coordinates:52.4669°N -7.0317°W
Location:Clonamery, Inistioge, County Kilkenny
Country:Ireland
Denomination:Church of Ireland
Previous Denomination:Pre-Reformation Catholic
Functional Status:inactive
Embedded:
Embed:yes
Designation1:National Monument of Ireland
Designation1 Offname:Clonamery Church
Designation1 Number:77
Style:Celtic Christianity
Years Built:9th or 10th century
Length:23m (75feet)
Width:10m (30feet)
Floor Count:1
Materials:stone
Diocese:Ossory

Clonamery Church is a medieval church and National Monument in County Kilkenny, Ireland.[1]

Location

Clonamery Church is located 3km (02miles) southeast of Inistioge, on the north bank of the River Nore.[2]

History

St Broonahawn (pattern day 16 May) founded a monastery at Clonamery. The present church was built in the 9th or 10th century.[3]

The Romanesque chancel was added in the 12th century, while the out-building (sacristy) be 15th/16th century, and a bell-cote was added at the same time.

Tradition states that the church continued in use until 1691, when Edward Fitzgerald of Cloone Castle died at the Battle of Aughrim.

Church

Clonamery is a nave-and-chancel church with a sacristy built of roughly dressed stones not laid in regular courses with a slight batter. There is a flat-headed west doorway with a cross pattée above the lintel and antae in the west gable.[4] The bell-cote had room for two bells: a sanctus bell and a bell for calling the people to prayer.[5]

A pillar-stone of early date was found at Clonamery. It is made of greenish slate and bears three crosses and two cup marks. There are some cross slabs and a grave slab also.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Saints' Cults in the Celtic World. Steve. Boardman. John Reuben. Davies. Eila. Williamson. 15 August 2013. Boydell Press. 9781843838456. Google Books.
  2. Web site: Irish Art in the Early Christian Period. Françoise. Henry. 1 January 1940. Methuen & Company, Limited. Google Books.
  3. Web site: Clonamery, County Kilkenny.
  4. Web site: Early Monastic Churches.
  5. Web site: Clonamery Church.
  6. Web site: THE HANDSTAND.