Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Depicted standing in the N quadrant of Ballysimon graveyard (LI013-026002-) on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map though there is now no surface remains visible of a church here. This was the medieval parish church of Derrygalvan. Ballysimon Well (LI005-036----) located 50m to NE.
According to Westropp (1904-5, 365) this church was referred to in 1291 as Derigavun, as Dalgarvun in 1302 and as Derighealvain in 1410 when it was dedicated to St. Nicholas (Dec. 6th); its rectory was granted to John, Abbot of Wethnia (Abington/Abbey Owney LI014-014002-), under the name of "The Church of the Blessed Virgin" in the 15th century; the church is depicted on the 17th century Down Survey map and fragments were still evident in 1840 (ibid.).
In 1840 the Ordnance Survey described the church remains as following; 'Small fragments of the walls of a Church are visible among the luxuriant weeds in this burial ground, but they are not so distinct as to give one any idea of the extent or characteristics of the building' (OSL 1840, 9).

Compiled by: Denis Power

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 27 November 2018

References

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

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.