Church Ruins

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An ivy clad ruinous church measuring 25 metres X 6 metres externally i.e. a very long low hall of plain proportions of 4:1 and narrow width. There are six pointed windows on south side and five on north with square headed door in east gable and another door at the west end of the north wall. The walls remain to wall plate level though in parts of the north wall these are 1200mm high. The north door and most of the windows on that side have lost their heads. The pointed windows on the south have brick framed pointed arches one brick deep. Both gables remain to the apex level. Walls are constructed of basalt, with large roughly squared quoins. A lot of the stone appears to have been gathered from the fields rather than quarried particularly at tops of walls. Some wide vertical joints show a little galleting but whether this is contemporary with the original building it is difficult to assess. A line of brick runs along at eaves level above the pointed arches.The building sits close and parallel to the county road, a mere three metres and a stone wall separates it from the highway. Behind the church a generous graveyard with some headstones.

Historical information

The Ordnance Survey Memoir states; “the Roman Catholic chapel is situated in Drumsurn Lower, on the east side of the high road. It was built in 1796 at an expense of 166 pounds 5 shillings, raised by subscription’. Including the yard which surrounds it, it occupies one rood of Irish plantation measure, which was given in perpetuity by the Marquis of Waterford. This building, which is plain and rectangular, measurers 70 feet by 17 and lies north west and south east parallel to the road. It is lighted on the south western side by six windows and on the north west by five, and there is an entrance in each of the gables. It accommodates about 400 persons”. There is no evidence of a door in the east gable.

Bishop J K O’Doherty records: “In this parish there were 4 churches, 2 of which were in rather close proximity to each other, and one of which was in a very dilapidated condition. It was impossible for the priest attending these 2 churches to give instructions as he should on Sundays. Moreover the congregations were small and the 2 united would not do more than form one fairly sized congregation. The bishop therefore directed the parish priest Father Loughery to secure a site as central as possible between the two old churches of Drumsurn and Gelvin and to get a new church erected upon it. The new church is to take the place of the 2 existing ones. Many of the people did not care for this change but the new church had to be built. Father Dan O’Doherty CC of the parish collected funds throughout Ireland for it for an entire year”. Father Loughery did not get a site central between Drumsurn and Gelvin. St Matthew’s is only a few hundred yards from the ruins of Drumsurn.

References:

Ordnance Survey Memoir Vol. 9.
Notes of Bishop J K O’Doherty.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A ruinous pre-emancipation Catholic Church or Mass House and associated graveyard. Abandoned as a church in 1902 and now a picturesque ivy covered ruin. Important as a historical remnant in the local community. Interesting very long plan form.