Church

The National Monuments Service's description

The medieval church ruins of Kilmurry in the parish of Kilmurryely (Chill Mhuire Éile/ St Mary's Church in Ely), diocese of Killaloe, in the barony of Clonlisk stands in the N quadrant of a sub-circular shaped graveyard (OF042-014001-), on slight elevated grassland overlooking a stream and bog to the S. The straight sided-graveyard boundary at W forms the townland boundary with Kilmurryely. The 1305 inquisition of the Anglo-Norman settlement of Ely O’Carroll recorded that John de Barry was in possession of ‘one ploughland in Kyllorly [Kilmurryely]’ (White 1932, 151). In 1471 Rory Odroblan, perpetual vicar of the parish church of Birr [OF035-012001-], wrote to the pope complaining about ‘Philip Ohyynayn [O’Heenan], perpetual vicar of the parish church of Killynure [Kilmurry] in the same diocese’ who was described as ‘a notorious fornicator, has sold and alienated the immovable goods of the said vicarage of Killinure [Killinmure], and has by his negligence allowed a parishioner to die without confession and other sacraments and has neglected to celebrate divine offices in his church’ (Cal. papal letters, 359). The vicar of Birr church requested in his papal petition that the ‘vicarage of Rouscrurnog [Roscomroe OF039-055----] are too slight for the maintenance etc. of its holder, and that if the said vicarage of Killinure [Kilmurry] and his said vicarage of Birra, which is of the patronage of laymen, were united and annexed for his lifetime only to that of Roscrurnog he could be more decently maintained etc. and attend better to the repair of the said churches’ (ibid.). The parish of Kilmurry appears to have been joined to Birr during the lifetime of Rory Odroblan as requested in the papal letters, for in 1471 the church taxation of the diocese of Killaloe, collected the tithes from Rory Odroblen who is described as the perpetual vicar of the parish church of Birr, Roscomore and of 'Kyllmure' [Kilmurry]' (Gleeson and Costello 1943, 47). The Royal Visitation of Killaloe diocese carried out in 1615 recorded that the rectory of 'Kilmurry' was served by the vicar of Shinrone and was worth 40 shillings per annum, the building was described as 'Church and chancell up' (Murphy and Ormond 1914, 223). The 1654-56 Civil Survey recorded that there were six entire parishes in the barony of Clonlisk in which stood the parish of 'Killmurry and Synrone [Shinrone]' (Simington 1961, 33). The terrier of the Down Survey map of the parish of 'Killmurry' recorded that in the townland of Galbally there was 'Gleab Land' belonging to the church which measured six plantation acres in size (NLI Ms 716 (25). On this map the church which is not depicted appears to have stood on the townland of Ballaghboy which was unforfeited Protestant lands.
Rectangular undivided church (ext. dims. 23.1m E-W; 8.6m N-S; wall T 0.85m) built with uncoursed sandstone rubble with S, E and W walls surviving and grass covered wall footings of the N wall. At the E end of the S wall there are two blocked up sandstone windows either side of a surviving window with limestone jambs with arch missing. At the W end of the S wall there is a destroyed doorway with only the bar slot surviving. On the E wall there is evidence of a destroyed window. At the base of the S wall at the E end there is a circular shaped stone (diam. 0.75m) with central socket (diam. 0.12m; D 0.21m) which has a bulbous shaped convex base. The stone is now used as part of the fabric for the wall construction. The socket has votive offerings placed inside it by people visiting the church and is known locally as the 'Headache stone'. It may have been a possible base of a cross. The graveyard (OF042-014001-) is enclosed by a circular earth and stone bank (Wth 2m: ext. H 1.3m) possibly an Early Christian enclosure. The evidence from the church would suggest two building phases possibly an early medieval phase represented by the two blocked up windows and a later medieval phase represented by the surviving limestone window. The possible cross base and circular enclosure may represent an Early Christian period.

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: 21 March 2022

References

Murphy, A.M. and Ormond, W. 1914 The Royal Visitation, 1615, Diocese of Killaloe. Archivium Hibernicum 3, 210-25.

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.

Gleeson, D.F. and Costello, M.A. (eds.) 1943 Obligationes pro Annatis Diocesis Laoniensis 1421-1535. Archivium Hibernicum 10, 1-103.

Cal. papal letters - Calendar of entries in the papal registers relating to Great Britain and Ireland: papal letters, 1198-1484 [etc.] (London, 1893-)

White, N.B. (ed.). 1932 The Red Book Of Ormond. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1961 The Civil Survey A.D. 1654–56. Vol. X: Miscellanea, including a map showing changes to the county and barony boundaries since the Civil Survey (1654–56), 10 vols. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.