Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Only the SE angle of the medieval church of Ballybrood is visible in in S quadrant of graveyard (LI023-053001) and S of 19th century C. of I. church ruins. Rectangular structure (3.2m N-S; 5m E-W) of which part of E gable (ext. L 5.6m; T 1.1m; H c. 3.5m) and two fragments of S wall, one at E end (L 2m; H c. 3m) and one at W end (H 1.3m), are all that now stand. These are completely encased by ivy. Fabric of wall is of mortared limestone with a rubble core. W and N walls reduced to sod-covered mounds (Wth c. 0.5m; H c. 0.55m). A window ope in E-wall is covered by ivy; the embrasure (Wth 1m; D 0.9m; H 2.15m) has splayed ingoings. Interior generally level and grass covered. Level rectangular area (6.4m N-S; 8m E-W) to immediate W of church contains numerous uninscribed gravemarkers. Remains of parish church of Ballybrood that was already reduced to present state in 1840 (Westropp 1904-5, 443).
Westropp (ibid.) recorded the following details about Ballybrood; 'Perhaps the chapel of Bourewode, in Wethney, 1291; Ballybrood parish, 1657 (D.S. (A), 20 ; and Petty, 66), granted to J. Maunsell, 1667 (Act Sett.). Fabric - A small portion of the east end stood in 1840. The I. C.
church was built, 1807; burned by Rockites, 1822; and rebuilt, 1823. Mr. E. B. Fennessy, in a letter to Mr. J. Grene Barry, says that the old church was an oblong heap, like that at Milltown'

Compiled by: Denis Power

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 04 January 2019

References

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