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St Mo-Diomog, Clonkeen

Location
(52°38′44″N, 8°27′31″W)
Clonkeen
R 69 55
pre-1974 traditional (Republic of Ireland) Limerick
now Limerick
  • Tessa Garton

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Feature Sets
Description

Small rectangular church with antae at E and W end. (Internal measurements 14.6 m x 5.5 m). Roofless, but with walls fairly well preserved. The W part of the church, incorporating the N window and the fine W doorway is Romanesque, built of roughly coursed large stones, mostly sandstone. The E end was probably rebuilt in the 15thc. of thinner courses of grey limestone with late Gothic windows in the E and S walls.

History

The monastery was founded by St Mo-Diomog, in the 6th-7thc. (Gwynn and Hadcock, 1970). The church was already in ruins in 1657.

Features

Exterior Features

Doorways

Windows

Comments/Opinions

The capitals of the W doorway are similar to those of the chancel arch of St Caimin's, Iniscealtra (Co. Clare). The capitals and columns with chevron are similar to those at Aghadoe, Co. Kerry (dated 1158). Henry dates Clonkeen to the mid 12thc. by comparison with Aghadoe.

Bibliography
R. R. Brash, Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland. Dublin 1875, 66.
A. C. Champneys, Irish Ecclesiastical Architecture. London 1910, 33, 119, 127, 129.
E. Dunraven, Notes on Irish Architecture (ed. M. Stokes). London, 1877, II, 113-115, pl.CLXIX.
A. Gwynn and R. N. Hadcock, Medieval Religious Houses, Ireland. London 1970, 377.
F. Henry, Irish Art in the Romanesque Period. London, 1970, 166.
H. G. Leask, Irish Churches and Monastic Buildings. Dundalk 1955, I, 127-9, fig.70.
T. J. Westropp, 'A Survey of Ancient Churches in the County of Limerick,' Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 25,1904-5, 439-40.