Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Church ruins described in 1840 as following; 'It is a mere ruin, only fragments of its walls remaining. It is seventy three feet four inches [22.35m] in length and twenty two feet three inches [6.8m] in width on the inside. Its east gable is destroyed to the very foundations as is also the north wall, with the exception of a small fragment near the east end. A good deal of the west gable remains, but it contains no feature. A considerable part of the south wall remains, but it contains no feature. A considerable part of the south wall remains, but where the doorway was placed is reduced to a shapeless breach. The south wall is two feet ten inches [0.86m] in thickness and the north one two feet seven inches [0.78m]' (OSL Bruree Parish, 93).
Westropp (1904-5, 431-2) recorded the following details about Temple Colman; 'The place is
the old Ballysiward and Culballysiward (Cooleen). Another Ballyhubbarde, or Bollyhy ward, Church lay in Adamstown (supra, 270),and a third Sywardstown, in Oconyll, 1452, near Beyns and Bathkeale; Culballysiward was held by Keynsham, 1230 (B.B.L., 75). Bruree and Ballysyward Churches granted to deanery, 1250 (ib., p. 73). In 1284 Alex. f. Godfred, of Anud, granted Culbalysiward to John de Sandford, Archbishop of Dublin, to which bishoprick they had been formerly granted about 1210 by Hamo de Valoignes, Lord of Iniskefty (Plea R. 14 of xviii Ed. I., m. 15, Lib. Niger Alani, mss. 1061, T.C.D., p. 828). Culbalisiward, in Ocarbry, was taken unjustly from John Dondon, by M. f. Gerald, 1289 (Plea R. l.c., m. 10). John, son of Peter Daundon, broke into and robbed the church, 1318 (ib., 124 of xi Ed. II, m. 43). Balieyward was held by "the late Peter Daundon," 1319 (L.M.H. Estates R., 13, p. 36). Ballisheward, Ballihaward, or Bathioward, 1410 ; Balysyward, between Browrye and Athlackagh, 1418. The Dondons still held "Balleheward in Small County," 1586 (C.S.P.I, p. 236). Hewardstown (D.S. (A.), 41). Teampul baile hobairt) (O'Donovan, wrongly). Lewis calls it a templary, built in 1287 (i., p. 228). It is now called Temple Colman. Fabric - It is 73 feet 4 inches [22.35m] by 22 feet 3 inches [6.8m]; the featureless west end, and the north and south walls, the latter with a defaced window, stood in 1840; the gable and one wall have since fallen by 1901'.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 21 May 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.

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.

Lewis, S. 1837 A topographical dictionary of Ireland, 2 vols. London. Lewis and Co.