Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

The medieval parish church (LI048-058----) of Kilfinnane, dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle, whose feastday falls on the 30th of November, lies in the parish of Kilfinnane, medieval deanery of Kilmallock (Killocia), in the diocese of Limerick and the barony of Coshlea (Cois Sléibhe). The 1654-56 Down Survey map of Kilfinnane parish shows a tower house (LI048-057----) standing adjacent to a medieval road and to the W of the ruins of Kilfinnane (Chill Fhíonáin/the church of Fíonán) parish church and glebe land (NLI, MS 718). The terrier of the 1654-56 Down Survey parish map of Kilfinnane recorded that the parish 'hath also the convenience of a Markett at Kilfinane where is a good Castle and the walls of a Church and an Irish Towne' (NLI, MS 718). The church ruins and graveyard stands on NE edge of the historic town of Kilfinnane (LI048-127----) with Kilfinnane Castle (LI048-057----) to the W. The 9th century Kilfinnane brooch discovered at 'Kilfinan Abbey, Co. Limerick', may have been found in this church and graveyard although it has been suggested that it was discovered on the site of St. Andrew's R.C. Church located 70m to the NW (Ó Floinn 1993, 10). In 1837 it was recorded that 'the church was rebuilt in 1760, and is a large plain edifice' (Lewis 1837, Vol. 2, 94).
Multi-period church ruins stands in centre of large polygonal shaped graveyard (approx. dims. 49m N-S x 62m E-W) with town house property boundaries forming S side of graveyard boundary wall. Architectural fragments of the medieval church have been reused as grave-markers which are visible to the S of the church ruins. The S boundary wall of the graveyard is shown incomplete where it borders onto town house plots on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map with entrance at S opening onto the Main Street of Kilfinnane town. A second possible entrance into the graveyard at SE corner is visible on 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map. The 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map shows the opening to the Main Street on S side of graveyard with second entrance located off centre to N on W wall of graveyard which opens onto Castle Lane. The S entrance has been blocked up and the graveyard is now entered through an iron gateway at N end of W wall as depicted on 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map.

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 31 July 2019