churches historical galway

Completed in 1819, this almost Spanish-looking church was built on land donated by James de Basterot of Duras....

The original monastery situated about 6.5km north-east of Eyrecourt was said to be founded by Saint Brendan the Navigator in 563. It was twice destroyed by the Vikings, and four times by fire, between 844 and 1179.

It became a diocesan see and Augustinian priory in the 12th century. Its doorway, dating from 1160/70, is not withstanding the later limestone attempt at - restoration - a striking example of Irish Romanesque decorative work in sandstone....

Only one wall and a ruined west gable are left of this possibly medieval church. Next to this ruin is a very old graveyard, possibly medieval or later, which has also been used in more recent times as a children's burial ground.

What looks like a mere jumble of stones begins to take on a pattern the more carefully it is examined....

Situated 3km north-west of Kilmurvey, the miscalled - Seven Churches - mark an ancient site dedicated to Saint Breacan. The name is loosely applied to the remains of two small churches, Teampall Bhreacain and Teampaill an Phoill. Close to the churches, on the south-west, is Leaba an Spioraid Naoimh (bed of the Holy Spirit), a penitential station with fragments of a figured high cross. Nearby, to the south-east, is Leaba Bhreacain, another station.

To the north of Leaba an Spioraid Naoi...

Situated 3 miles south of Eyrecourt, this church is the re-roofed nave of the 17th century Franciscan Friary....

Dominated by St. Kierons statue, an enclosure is made by the positioning of several large stones, possibly the remnants of a vanished megalithic tomb. The shrine was the site of an all night vigil on the last Sunday in July, culminating with a Feis at Tracht....

Teallach Eanna situated slightly east of the village of Cinn Eanna (Killeany) is regarded as the holiest place on Aran, with, according to tradition, the graves of 1200 saints.

All that remains here is a small early church, and the shaft of a finely-carved high cross. A few yards to the north-west of the doorway is a leac or flagstone, which is said to cover the grave of Saint Eanna....

The saint's festival is on 16 July, when pilgrims come to the island from the mainland. The saint was venerated so much by sailors that they lowered their sails in his honour when they passed the island. The church is a small rectangular structure built of very large stones. It has a flat-headed doorway and a round-headed east window.

The most unusual feature of this church is that the antae continue right up the gable and meet at the top, thus suggesting that this is a feature copie...

A roughly square enclosure surrounded by a 6 ft high wall having, at two opposing corners, rounded bastions with arrow-slits. Remains of the gateway to the enclosure are preserved.
The wall resembles castle bawns, but inside, instead of a tower, there are just the remains of one central rectangular house and a number of subsidiary rectangular buildings.

Nothing is known about the history of the place, but it was possibly built by a retainer of the de Burgs as a fortified homestead...

Not the usual - Mass rock - this altar has been venerated in the area for a very long time. Originally a flagged path led to it.
According to local tradition and folklore studies, there was long ago a - college - near the site and the students most likely monks, were killed during Cromwellian times, and their heads thrown into a nearby chasm....