Church

The National Monuments Service's description

National Monument No. 57. Ratass (Ráth Teas/Ráth Mhaighe Deiscirt/Fort of the Southern Plain) in the parish of Ratass, diocese of Ardfert, barony of Trughanacmy was chosen as the Episcopal see of Kerry at the synod of Rathbreasail (1111), but was replaced by Ardfert by 1117 (Gwynn & Hadcock 1970, 95). Leask (1955, 69) suggested that the western part of the church dated from the rebuilding by Abbot Cormac O Killeen who died in 969. Harbison (1972) dated the nave to the 10-11th century. The church was described by Petrie (1845, 185) as follows; 'In these primitive structures the windows, like the doorways, are most generally without an architrave or ornament of any kind; but when the doorways present an architrave, or a bead moulding at their angles, the windows are generally decorated with a similar ornament, as in the annexed example, which represents the east window of the very ancient and interesting church of Ratass, near Tralee, in the county of Kerry, of the doorway of which I have already given a drawing. This window, which is much injured, is of greater size than is usual in Irish churches of the earliest age, the height, externally, being three feet six inches [1.06m], and the breadth at the base ten inches [0.25m], and at the top eight inches [0.2m]: the external measurement is above eight feet [2.4m] in height, and four feet three inches [1.3m] in breadth'.
According to Brash (1875, 22-3) the east window of Ratass Church was one of the first 'when mouldings came to be employed, principally in the window opes. One of the earliest examples will be found in the east window of the church of Ratass. When originally finished it was a splendid specimen of the mason's craft, being built of large blocks of red sandstone, brought a considerable distance from the mountains. The west gable is particularly noticeable for the massiveness and excellence of its masonry, its cyclopean doorway, and the ante on its quoins. The east end of the church would appear to be an addition; the east window is semicircular-headed, having large inward splays. The external head is cut out of a block, but, internally, it is carefully arched. The external and internal jambs are finished with an arris moulding,which is continued on the sills. A couplet window, somewhat similar in design, but of more elaborate finish, is to be seen in the east gable of Temple Righ, or, as it is sometimes called, Melaghlin's church [OF005-007001-], at Clonmacnoise'.
The church of Ratass was described by Hickson (1884, 298) as follows; 'The ancient church of Ratass, built of brown stone, although in a limestone district, and with an enormous lintel over the little doorway sketched by Petrie, is too well known to need much notice here. It had a narrow escape of being "restored" like the neighbouring church of Tralee. The owners of great part of Ratass until the first quarter of the present century were the Morris family, who resided in a fine mansion now swept away, near the ancient ruined castle [KE029-123----] of Walter Hussey at Ballybeggan, a little to the north of the old church. In the will of Samuel Morris, Esq., of Ballybeggan, who died about 1700, the testator solemnly enjoins his son to repair the ruined church of Ratass, and requests his neighbour Colonel Edward Denny, of Tralee Castle [KE029-119030-], to assist in this work, as he, testator, had "assisted to repair the church of Tralee [KE029-119002-]." Mr. Morris had taken an active part against James II., and he seems to have been alarmed lest the death of Queen Anne might bring back the Stuarts, for to his directions about Ratass church he added this clause : "if the Act of Settlement be not repealed in twenty years," intimating that such a contingency might make the repair of Protestant churches an impossibility'. In 1906 the church was described as; 'This interesting little church consists of a nave and chancel; the former measures 36 feet [11m] in length by 25 feet [7.6m] in width. There are square pilasters at each of the four angles. The principal feature is the western doorway, which is square-headed, with sloping jamb; width at bottom, 2 feet 10½ inches [0.87m], and at top, 2 feet 7½ inches [0.8m]; height, 6 feet 6 inches [1.98m]. The whole of the space within the walls is taken up with vaults and graves, with weeds and tangled vegetation in profusion. The ancient doorway, described and illustrated by Petrie, has recently been built up, and in it a headstone has been inserted, which should be removed. Petrie describes the church as built in a style of masonry perfectly cyclopean, the stones of the doorway in most instances extending through the entire thickness of the walls. The stone, he observes, is of Old Red Sandstone brought from a great distance, although there were fine quarries of limestone on the spot. The original name of Ratass was Rath Muighe deiscirt, or the rath or fort of the southern plain, and was probably of contemporaneous origin with Rattoo, which was erected by Bishop Lughach, one of the earliest propagators of Christianity in Kerry' (Anon. 1906, 345).
Ratass Church was described by Ó Carragáin (2010, 313) as follows; 'This mortared stone church (int. dims. 9.85m x 5.75m) with antae is on the site of an establishment [KE029-157----] reputedly founded by Bishop Lughach. Its trabeate west doorway has a plain-relief architrave, and a monolithic window head incorporated into the Romanesque chancel may belong to the original east window'.

See attached plan of multi-period church taken from Harbison 1972, Fig. 1 and elevation drawing of east window taken from Brash 1875, Plate VII and illustration of W doorway taken from JRSAI 1891, 622.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 27 April 2022

References

Brash, R.R. 1875 The ecclesiastical architecture of Ireland to the close of the twelfth century. Dublin. W.B. Kelly.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.

Leask, H.G. 1955 (Reprint 1977 and 1987) Irish churches and monastic buildings, vol. I. The first phases of the Romanesque. Dundalk. Dundalgan Press.

Petrie, G. 1845 ( 1970 2nd ed.) The ecclesiastical architecture of Ireland, an essay on the origins and uses of the round towers of Ireland. Shannon. Irish University Press.

Ó Carragáin, T. 2010 Churches in early medieval Ireland: architecture, ritual and memory. New Haven and London. Yale University Press.

Harbison, P. 1972 The Building History of Ratass Church, Tralee. Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society Vol. 5, 5-13.

Anon. 1891 Proceedings and Papers. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 1, 599-631.

Anon. 1906 Proceedings. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 36, 327-46.

Hickson, M.A. 1884 Notes on Kerry Topography, ancient and modern. In Proceedings and Papers. The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland Vol. 6, No. 58, 295-305.

Dunne, L. 2012 Archaeological GPS Survey, Ratass Graveyard, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Unpublished report for The Heritage Office, Kerry County Council (SMR file).