Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Kilmurrily Church (in ruins). Only the four walls of this church now remain, and in a bad state of repair. It is badly overgrown with ivy, so that some of its features are difficult to see. A rectangular building, measuring 17m x 8m externally, with walls just over 1m thick, the church is constructed of small irregular stones with lime-and-sand mortar. The N wall contains a rectangular window, 1m x 1.8m, situated 2.4m from the E gable. The S wall is much destroyed and 7.5m of the middle section of the wall has fallen in. The doorway was originally on this side, but it is now gone. The only feature on the S wall is a rectangular window, 1m x 1.6m, situated 2.2m from the E gable. The E and W gables contain one window, the E being pointed, measuring .7m x 2.2m, and the W being rectangular and measuring .5m x 1.8m.
This was an ancient Termon, where the canons and high dignitaries of the church lived. When the dioceses were established in the 12th-13th century, the Termon was placed under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Limerick, even though it was in Co. Kerry. This church was being used up to 20 years ago for the interment of unbaptised children (KE003-029001-).

The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 932. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 3 August 2013

References

ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).