Church

The National Monuments Service's description

The medieval ruins of the church of Kilbride [Cill Bhríde], known locally as ‘St. Bridget’s Abbey’ forms the N boundary of Kilbride graveyard (OF008-009003-) with the site of a possible convent/nunnery (OF008-009002-) 60m to S (OSL 1840, 134) and a second church site (OF008-009004-) also 60m to S. According to local tradition this parish was founded by St. Brigid before she founded Kildare (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0807, Page 203; Cogan 1867, 496). The ruins of two ecclesiastical buildings are shown at this location in the townland of ‘Kilbride & Killocollni/Killecolline’ on the 1654-57 Down Survey map of Kilcoursey Barony (NLI MS 716). The terrier of the Down Survey map of Kilbride parish recorded that in Kilbride there were ‘the Ruines of two Churches’ which stood on lands belonging to Hubert Fox in 1641 (ibid.). In the 19th century the stones from both ecclesiastical buildings were used to construct the Sisters of Mercy Convent (Saint Brigid’s, Kilcoursey) located 1km to the S. This event was described as following; ‘There are still some remains of an old monastery (OF008-009002-) and chapel; and the fragments of a church (OF008-009001-) in the cemetery, quite contiguous, measure fifty-two [15.85m] in length by twenty-four [7.3m]. Some years back, with the permission of the church-warden of that day, many of the stones of convent and church were carried away to build a house, and, by the providence of God, this house has been converted into a convent the Sisters of Mercy are living there to-day’ (Cogan 1867, 496).
The present remains consist of a single-cell rectangular church (ext. dims. 8m N-S; 12.3m E-W, wall T c. 0.95m) with two storey vaulted priests residence inserted into W end of church. The walls W, N and E walls (H 2-2.5m) survive intact and are built of uncoursed rubble. Only the W end of the S wall (L 4m) survives. A barrel vaulted chamber (int. dims. 5.5m N-S; 2m E-W) at the W end of the church is a later insertion with evidence of a blocked up doorway at the W end of N wall which gave access to a chamber on N side of church. Only the lower walls of this chamber survive on the W end of the N wall of the church. A flat headed slit ope window located off centre to E is visible in S wall of barrel vaulted chamber. This off-centre window predates the insertion of the vaulted chamber and is contemporaneous with the first phase of the church building. A doorway now missing its cut stone surround at N end of the E wall of the barrel-vaulted chamber gives access to the church. At first floor level there is a broken out single light cusped ogee headed window set into a wide segmental-arched embrasure with a stone seat on either side. To the S of this window embrasure are the remains of a flat-headed aumbry or wall cupboard. The lower section of the E window embrasure is visible in the E gable. No architectural features visible in N wall of church, while the majority of the S wall no longer survives.
Church described in 1942 as following; ‘The 'abbey' lies at N end of graveyard on a level extension without graves. Its side alone suggests that it is not a very ancient building, and it looks as fitted into a pre-existing grave yard. It has no architectural features. The walls are much clad with ivy; the N and W walls are fairly well preserved, the E wall to about 8’ [2.4m] high, with traces of a fairly wide E. window. S wall gone. The W end is occupied by a large barrel-vault which extends the whole width of church and is incorporated in W wall (how I cannot see owing to ivy); it seems to have been built separate from the N and S walls of church, were probably demolished for its erection. There a broken door on E with horizontal masonry arch, and a slit window on S; in both opes are ashlar blocks used irregularly and probably taken from an older building. Int[ernal] dimensions of church 19’ [5.8m] x 37’ 6” [11.43m] (incl. 11’ [3.35m] width of barrel-vault and its E wall’ (Oliver Davies, ITA Survey 1942).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 02 May 2019

References

Cogan, Rev. A. 1862-70 In John F. Fowler, Joseph Dollard (eds), The diocese of Meath, ancient and modern, 3 vols. Dublin. Dollard Publishers.

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.

Irish Tourist Association. Surveys undertaken in the 1940s for the Irish Tourist Association (now Fáilte Ireland) relating to ‘Natural features, antiquities, historic associations etc.' Extracts from these surveys were copied into the Topographical files of the Office of Public Works and these have been incorporated into the Sites and Monuments Record files (National Monuments Service).

NLI, MS 716 - National Library of Ireland, The parish maps of the Down Survey, of Offaly attested by W. Petty, in 1657. Copied by Daniel O'Brien. A set of 33 maps with accompanying terriers in two volumes, 1786-7. Dublin.