Church

The National Monuments Service's description

The ruins of Kilquane (Chill Chuáin/church of Cuán) Church were described in 1840 as follows; ‘Kilquan old Church is in ruins at the foot of a high hill called Cahir (Cathair). It consisted of nave and choir [chancel]; none of its architectural features have escaped destruction; only small portions of the walls remain. The choir [chancel] is fourteen and a half feet [4.4m] in length; the breadth is not ascertainable. The nave measures thirty eight feet [11.6m], by twenty two and a half feet [6.8m]. There is a small doorway on the middle gable, of which nine feet [2.7m] in height remains. The doorway is seven feet seven inches [2.3m] from the north wall in (of) the nave and two feet four inches [0.7m] from the north wall of the choir [chancel]. Its height three feet ten inches [1.1m] and breadth at top one foot ten inches [0.55m]; at bottom two feet [0.6m] on the nave side. It is built with chiselled brown sandstone. The lintel and the long stones over it are loosened by ivy that has grown on the wall and inserted itself between them. This lintel is two feet three inches [0.68m] long by five inches [0.12m] thick and enters the wall one foot two inches [0.35m]. There are two other stone flags laid across the door inside this one. The one that crossed the door on the choir side fallen out. The jamb to the right on this side is loosened by the ivy that grows about it. It appears there was no lime used in the cement of this building. The materials are large stones and clay mortar. There is a large grave yard here much in use’ (OSL Kilquane Parish; O’Flanagan 1929, 91-2).
Westropp (1904-5, 424) recorded the following details about Kilquane Church; 'A Parish in Coshlea. Kilcowan, 1291; Keilchuain, dedicated to St. Covan, the abbot, 1410; Kilcoone, Kilcone,
or Kilcauane (D.S. (A), 50, 58 ; and Petty, 74). Fabric - It lies at the foot of the high hill of Caher, and had a nave and choir 38 feet [11.6m] by 22½ feet [6.85m]; the choir was 14 feet [4.25m] long. There was a small door to north side of the middle gable, with double lintel and inclined jambs. Tobereendowney Well [LI055-020----] is in Ballyshaneboy, and Lady's Well [LI055-015----] in Ballyshanedehey' (O.S.L., 8, p. 314).
Several architectural features taken from Kilquane Church lie scattered around the graveyard (pers. comm. Sarah McCutcheon 12/02/2021). Remains of a medieval nave and chancel church which may have incorporated a pre-Norman single cell church which was entered through a trabeate doorway described and illustrated in the Ordnance Survey Letters.

See attached drawing of trabeate doorway taken from Ordnance Survey Letters

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 15 February 2021

References

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.

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

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1929 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Limerick collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1841. Bray