Ecclesiastical site

The National Monuments Service's description

The present Church of Ireland on Church Avenue was rebuilt in 1717, probably on the site of the monastery founded by St. Mobhi (d. 544 AD). The 16th century life of St. Columba by Manus O'Donnell describes a miracle whereby the huts and church of St Mobhi ended up of on the east bank of the Tolka (Killanin & Duignan 1967, 251). During the 13th century this church was part of the homefarm for the Priory of the Holy Trinity, Christchurch (Ball 1920, 124-147). The N wall is thicker in the W tower indicating that it may be earlier than the existing church. In 1941 two skeletons were discovered when a path was being laid in Church Lane and in 1956 a number of skeletons were discovered on a site N of Mobhi Lane, just E of the church. Finds included animal bones and a knife-like iron object (NMI 1956-16). These burials suggest that the burial ground associated with the Early medieval foundation extended much further than the present graveyard wall.

Compiled by : Geraldine Stout
Upload date: 28 September 2011

References

Killanin, M.M. and Duignan, M.V. 1967 (2nd ed.) The Shell guide to Ireland. London. The Ebury Press.

Killanin, M.M. and Duignan, M.V. (3rd edition; revised and updated by Harbison, P.) 1989 The Shell Guide to Ireland. Dublin. Gill and Macmillan.