Church (present location)

The National Monuments Service's description

Originally located on Friar's Island, Co. Tipperary, on the River Shannon (TN025-022001-) until its removal and re-erection in the grounds of Killaloe RC church in 1929. St. Molua's oratory (built around the 10th/11th century) was moved due to flooding of the River Shannon by the ESB for the Ardnacrusha power station. The church was called after St Molua of Clonfert-mulloe (Co. Laois) who is said to have had a church in the Killaloe district and who died in the early 7th century. Present remains consist of a nave (ext. dims. nave 5.57m N-S ; 8.2m E-W; wall T 0.8m) and chancel (4.2m N-S; 4m E-W; wall T 1.05m) church, the nave of which is the earlier building with the chancel being added later (Leask 1930, 130-35), as revealed when the church was being moved to its present location. The nave walls are constructed with uncoursed cyclopean sandstone masonry while the chancel walls are constructed with roughly squared stones of smaller size. The chancel has a single-light round-headed E window with stepped sillstone and unusual flat-headed doorway in the S wall. The round-headed chancel arch has curious jambstones which are not flush with the chancel arch and project inwards. The triangular-shaped stone chancel roof is bonded with lime mortar and is well preserved. The nave walls are poorly preserved and only survive several courses high with a poorly preserved trabeate doorway in the W wall. Excavations at Friar's Island prior to the removal of the church revealed that the church was constructed on a stone platform enclosed by a possible cashel with a revetment wall of unknown purpose. A second stone platform (22ft (6.71m) N-S; 50ft (15.25m) E-W) was located to the S of the church and eleven skeletons were uncovered under or close to the foundations of the N wall of the church (Macalister 1929, 16-24). The stone-roofed chancel of this church may have been constructed to house some relic of St. Molua, an earlier saint than St. Flannan who probably lived in the 8th century (Harbison 2005, 72). St. Molua's church is a National Monument in State Care, no. 279.

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

The following images have been uploaded:

CL045-033015-_01.jpg View of church from SW.
CL045-033015-_02.jpg View from SSW.
CL045-033015-_03.jpg View from SE.
CL045-033015-_04.jpg View of E gable.
CL045-033015-_05.jpg View through chancel arch from W.
CL045-033015-_06.jpg View of trabeate doorway in W wall.
CL045-033015-_07.jpg Interior of roofed chancel showing stepped sill.

Revised by: Mary Tunney

Date of revision: 10 January 2018

References

Macalister, R.A.S. 1929 On some excavations recently conducted on Friar's Island, Killaloe. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 59, 16-24.

Leask, H.G. 1930 The Church of St. Lua or Molua, Friars Island, Co. Tipperary, near Killaloe. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 60, 130-35.

Large, S. 2011 A church and graveyard survey in County Clare. Database and photographic record. Clare County Council. Clare Heritage Forum. The Heritage Council.

Harbison, P. 2005 Friar's Island Oratory, Killaloe, and its fascination for James Gandon and others. The Other Clare 29, 70-77.