Church

The National Monuments Service's description

To NE-of-centre in graveyard (LI045-009002-). Roofless ruin of rectangular (int. dims. 15m E-W; 6.15m N-S) gable-ended church, built of random-coursed sandstone rubble, with well-cut quoins. Walls stand mostly to full height but are heavily ivy-clad. Interior packed with 19th and 20th century burial plots, and at E end, built against E wall is gabled tomb of William de Massy, dated 1848 (Spellissy 1989, 234); interior divided by wall, just E-of-centre, probably same age as tomb.
In centre of W gable is ruined doorway; there is another ruined doorway near W end of S wall (outside ground level here c. 1.5m higher than inside), just above ground level outside, on W side, is topmost jamb-stone and single arch-stone of late-medieval door surround. There are three rough-edged window embrasures in N wall, one in centre of E wall and two in E half of S wall; latter two have chamfers on inside edge of embrasures. Near E end of S wall is a piscina (Wth 0.47m: D 0.47m); surround of opening has pointed arch and jambs rebated and chamfered; rosette-shaped drain in centre which is damaged. Small aumbry at S end of E wall. Remains of parish church of Kilmeedy (Westropp 1904-5, 416). Core of church appears to be late-medieval in date; according to Lewis (ref.) Protestant church erected here in 1665, but this probably dates renovation of existing church with insertion of W door, N windows and alteration of existing door and windows. Lewis (ibid.) states church about to be rebuilt in 1837 but this must not have taken place as church is 'in ruins' on 1841 OS 6-inch map and tomb built at E end in 1848.

Compiled by: Denis Power

Date of upload: 26 August 2011

References

ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).

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

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

Spellisy, S. 1989 Limerick, the rich land. The Celtic Bookshop.