I spotted this looming ruin while passing through the small village of Dungarvan in Co Kilkenny.
This tall Church of Ireland church was constructed in 1812 as part of the ambitious first fruits initiative which established a swell of new churches with quite a few of them today lying in ruin. This particular one lasted about 90 years of service before it fell into disuse in the early 20th century. The church is single-celled with a tall four stage tower on the West side. It sits on the site of an earlier medieval church which had a bellcote and while no trace of that church remains there are however some ancient grave markers from the time scattered throughout the site. Most of the windows of the tower are now blocked up including those on the the original level which contained the bell. On the main building there is a large arched window in the East gable and two further windows on the South wall only. The doorway is in the north wall of the tower and while no access is possible to the nave you can see right up through the interior of the tower. The tower itself is architecturally interesting in the way that each level is slightly smaller giving the tower an impression of more height.
The ruin lies in a walled graveyard behind the modern church in Dungarvan village which lies on the R448 between Thomastown and Gowran. You can park in front of the new church and take the gate here in toward the ruin at the rear.
GPS 52° 35′ 11.62″ N, 7° 05′ 39.77″ W
Hi CH, my username might appear different here - I'm usually Kevin Andrew. I've commented on your excellent posts before.
ReplyDeleteI have to comment this time because you've visited the stomping ground of my youth! My parents are both from Dungarvan. My father lived in the first small house on the right of the large "Nore Vale House" (looking in from the road), my mother was raised in the very last house on the right on your way out of the village going towards Thomastown - its derelict now and looks like it was abandoned 100 years ago, but I remember sleeping there in the early 1970's.
My grandmother very dimly remembered a wedding in the church from your post, before it fell into disuse.
My uncle was on a Fas (or AnCo?) scheme restoring the wall between the old church and the graveyard, while working, he found a stone with a face carved into it.
Rather than have it gather dust in a museum drawer, he set it into the wall facing the graveyard - try and spot it if you revisit!
The village also has an interesting motte, 2km away is Tullaherin round tower and about 4km away Neigham Castle, which was built for an illegitimate son of an Butler Earl of Kilkenny Castle C1490. About 5km towards Thomastown is Kilfane castle with the Cantwell Fada statue.
A great part of the country!
Hi Kevin, good to hear from you again! Thanks for sharing your story. I'll be sure next time I'm in the area I'll seek out that stone in the wall!
DeleteOne extra comment - I had a country cousin who was a skilled, strong and accurate stone-thrower. He could stand on the floor in the base of that old church tower (no gate then) and throw a stone up, through, and out of the tower!
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