churches historical ireland

St Macartin's Church of Ireland Cathedral and graveyard. Set against the tower of an earlier church built in the 1620s the present building, opened in 1842, is characteristic of early Victorian architecture. In 1923 it was promoted to cathedral status of the diocese of Clogher....

This friary was founded around 1351 by Sir Raymond de Burgo for the Franciscans. It is the most extensive and best preserved of the Franciscans friaries in Ireland. The church consists of a nave and chancel and has a double south transept with a later chapel added to it.

In 1470 the friars changed over to the Strict Observance. The community remained on intermittently in the friary until as late as 1753 although they no longer legally owned the buildings....

A 96 foot high Round Tower, missing original conical top, dominates this old monastic site whose early history is unknown. Near it stands a ruined church with flat-headed doorway and antae. The chancel and the rounded arch are later additions. The church may have been put to secular use in the 17th century tomb. In a field to the west stands a much work High Cross, possibly of 9th century date. Much of the cross is decorated with geometrical motifs. On the east face are representations of...

St. Mary's Church was founded probably by William, Earl Marshall, and his wife Isabella between 1207 and 1220, and is possibly the largest medieval parish church in Ireland. It had a nave, chancel, and two transepts, but a 19th century church now occupies the site of the nave and the crossing. The south transept may have been built later than the other parts of the church.

There are three graceful lancet windows in the east gable, and a number of other lancet windows still survive in...

Only one wall and a ruined west gable are left of this possibly medieval church. Next to this ruin is a very old graveyard, possibly medieval or later, which has also been used in more recent times as a children's burial ground.

What looks like a mere jumble of stones begins to take on a pattern the more carefully it is examined....

Fethard is a small town which retains a remarkable number of medieval remnants. The exterior of Holy Trinity Church off the main street incorporates parts of a 15th century church, including windows, the west tower and part of a transept. In the wall of the churchyard are some tower houses (15th century?); in all about 4 tower-houses (none really accessible) are preserved in the town.

In the fire-depot beside the entrance to the church, remnants of a 16thg century house can be seen,...

The First Derry Presbyterian Church was built with the help of a large sum of money donated by Queen Mary as a reward for the bravery of the Presbyterians during the Siege of 1689.

It has a chaste and handsome front made of Dungiven sandstone a fine portico of four fluted columns with corinthians capitals entablature and pediment and is approached by a broad set of steps. Inside the main space is lofty with a fine coffered timber ceiling and behind the pulpit are stained glass windows...

Built into the modern Church of Ireland Cathedral of St. Feighlimidh is a fine 12th century Romanesque doorway which was removed from an early monastery on Trinity Island in Lough Oughter, three miles away.

In the rebuilding of the doorway in its present position, some of the stones have been incorrectly replaced....

This small church boasts a well-preserved Romanesque doorway dating from the 12th century. Much of it from the 15th century. It was already in ruins by 1657....

A mote-and-bailey can be seen near the gate of the fifteenth-century St Finian's Church, which is of the nave and chancel type with a three-storey fortified tower. The tower was  where the priest used to live.Its fine tracery east window, is English in design and is one of the best of its kind in the country.

The church is still used for worship. This is a Roman Catholic Church

A thatched cottage in the village, now a public house, is at least two hundred year...