Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Dysert Aenghusa (Diseart Aonghasa) was a monastery belonging to the 'Céile Dé' or 'Client of God' (Ó Carragáin 2010, 308). The monastery was dedicated to St. Aonghas who is also associated with Dyasrtenos (LA013-059001-), Co. Laois (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 383). In the year 1033 the Annals of the Four Masters recorded the death of ‘Conn, son of Maelpadraig, airchinnech [erenagh] of Mungairit [Mungret] and Disert-Oenghusa [Aonghasa]’ (O’Donovan 1856, 827). This reference links the monastery of Mungret (LI013-009001-), Co. Limerick located 13km to the NNE with Dysert-Aonghasa. This Aonghas appears to have been the Aonghas of Tallaght monastery (DU021-037002-) who wrote the metrical martyrology known as Féilire Aonghasa (Ó Riain 2011, 79). The preface added to the Féilire Aonghasa in the late twelfth century recorded details in his life which bring him from a church named after him at Dysert (Diseart Aonghasa), to Coolbanagher (Cúil Bheannchair) (LA008-014001-), a little north of Dysartenos (Diseart Aonghasa), in Laois, where he allegedly began his metrical martyrology, and finally to Tallaght, where he finished the Féilire Aonghasa (ibid.). Aonghas was reputedly buried at Clonenagh (LA017-003001-), Co. Laois, after his death some time between 815-830, his feast day was the 11th of March (Stokes 1905, xxvi).
Present remains consist of a multi-period church (LI030-018002-) with round tower (LI030-018004-) immediately to N with graveyard (LI030-018003-) to S of church as depicted on the 1st ed. OS 6-inch map. Dysert Church incorporates part of a pre-Norman church which appears to have stood inside a small square shaped cashel. This ecclesiastical enclosure was described in 1826 as following; 'The entire was surrounded with a strong square wall, parts of which still remain’ (Fitzgerald and MacGregor 1826, 332). In 1868 the enclosure was described as 'Some remains of the foundation of a massive wall which once inclosed the precincts of the church and tower are still in existence' (Brash 1868, 60-1). This square wall surrounding the pre-Norman church of Dysert Aonghusa may have served as a monastic cashel of pre-Norman date contemporaneous with the church.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 24 April 2018

References

Brash, R.R. 1868 The Round Tower and Church of Dysert, County of Limerick. The Journal of the Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland 1, 54-61.

Stokes, W. 1905 The Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee. London.

Fitzgerald, P. and McGregor, J.J. 1826 The history, topography and antiquities of the county and city of Limerick. Dublin.

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

Ó Riain, P. 2011 A dictionary of Irish Saints. Dublin. Four Courts Press.

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