Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a sea-stack, c. 90m from the mainland. The name ‘Templeobrick’ indicates the site of a church associated with the name O'Bric, who were an important section of the Desi. Oileán Ui Bhríc is mentioned as a cardinal point in a mythological division of Munster (Comyn 1902, vol. 1, 127). Ilanobrich was granted by Henry Power of Dunhill (WA025-045001-) to John FitzWalter in 1250-60, but it remained with a branch of the Powers into the late 16th century when it came into the possession of the Earl of Ormond (Westropp 1914-16, 219-221), who still owned TempleIbrack in 1641 (Simington 1942, 118). John O’Donovan (O’Flanagan 1929, 26-7) refers to the foundations of a building which were still evident on the sea-stack in 1840, but suggests that the church was more likely to be on the mainland in Templeyvrick (WA024-070----), c. 1.2 km to the NE. The sea-stack is inaccessible, but it might be the last remnants of a promontory fort. (Mulholland 1976)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 26th September 2011

References

Mulholland, J. 1976 The vanished medieval settlements of Templeybrick. Decies, no. 2, 5-8.

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1942 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol VI: county of Waterford. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Westropp, T.J. 1914-16 Fortified headlands and castles on the south coast of Munster: Part II, from Ardmore to Dunmore, Co. Waterford. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 32C, 188-227.

Comyn, D. (ed.) 1902 The History of Ireland by Geoffrey Keating, D. D. London. David Nutt for the Irish Texts Society.

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