Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On gently-undulating terrain. Ovoid area enclosed by stone wall (H 1.5m) with access via tree lined avenue to S. Church of Ireland church depicted on 1923 OS 6-inch map in NW quadrant has been demolished; sub-rectangular platform (8.8m N-S; 20.5m E-W) now visible with remains of |NW corner wall (1.05m N-S; 4.55m E-W; H 1.10m). Earliest headstones to S of church date from mid-nineteenth Century. No visible surface remains of earlier church known in the 15th century as Chapel Russell.
In 1840 the Ordnance Survey recorded the following; 'Of the old church of this parish not a vestige now remains. The modern church is situated in the North side of an old graveyard in the townland of Pallas on rocky ground' (OSL vol. 2, 6).
Westropp gives the following details on Pallaskenry also known as Chapel Russell; 'Formerly part of Killenalotar. "Cap. Russell spect. ad Com. Kildare," 1418; Capella Russell, 1615. It is, however, stated to have been only made a parish by Bishop Elrington. Site - Modern I. C. church on site; a gold fibula was found near it in 1834' (Westropp 1904-5, 387).

Compiled by: Denis Power

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 4 October 2018

References

OSL - Ordnance Survey Letters. Letters written by members of the Ordnance Survey's 'Topographical Department' (T. O'Conor, A. O'Curry, E. Curry, J. O'Donovan and P. O'Keeffe) sent to headquarters from the field (1834-41). MSS in Royal Irish Academy.

Westropp, T.J. 1904-5 A survey of the ancient churches of Co. Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 25C, 327-479.