Clonkeen Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clonkeen Church |
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Teampall Chluain Caoin
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 Clonkeen Church
Location in Ireland
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| 52°38′38″N 8°27′36″W / 52.6439°N 8.4599°W | |
| Location | Clonkeen (Barrington), Murroe, County Limerick |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Catholic (pre-Reformation) |
| History | |
| Founded | c. AD 600 |
| Founder(s) | Saint Mo-Diomog |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | inactive |
| Years built | 15th century AD |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 14.6 m (48 ft) |
| Width | 5.5 m (18 ft) |
| Number of floors | 1 |
| Floor area | 80.3 m2 (864 sq ft) |
| Materials | stone, mortar |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Cashel and Emly |
Clonkeen Church is an old church building in County Limerick, Ireland. It was built a very long time ago, during the Middle Ages. Today, it is protected as a National Monument, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
Where is Clonkeen Church?
This historic church is found along the R506 road. It's close to a place called Barringtonsbridge. You can find it about 6 kilometers (about 3.7 miles) southeast of Annacotty. It sits just north of the River Mulkear.
A Look at Its History
Early Beginnings
A long, long time ago, around the 6th or 7th century AD, a special religious community called a monastery was started here. It was founded by a person known as Saint Mo-Diomog. A monastery is a place where monks or nuns live and work together, dedicating their lives to religious practices.
The Church We See Today
The church building you can see now was built much later. It dates back to the middle of the 12th century. Experts believe this because it looks very similar to another old church, Aghadoe Cathedral, which was built in 1158.
Sadly, by the year 1657, the church was already in ruins. This means it was no longer a complete building and had fallen apart over time.
What the Church Looks Like
Clonkeen Church is a small building shaped like a rectangle. It has special parts called antae at both its east and west ends. Antae are like thickened walls or pillars that stick out a bit from the main building.
Romanesque Style
The western part of the church, which includes the main entrance, is built in a style called Romanesque. This style was popular in Europe from about the 6th to the 12th century. Buildings in this style often have thick walls and round arches.
The church walls here are made from large stones, mostly sandstone, that were laid in rows. The stones are "roughly coursed," meaning they are placed in layers but not perfectly smooth or even.
The West Doorway
One of the most interesting parts is the well-preserved doorway on the west side. It has an arch with three "orders." This means the arch has three layers or steps, creating a decorative effect. Around the sides of the doorway, called the jambs, you can see beautiful Romanesque carvings.
The tops of the columns, called capitals, and the columns themselves have a zigzag pattern known as chevrons. These designs are very similar to those found at Aghadoe Cathedral, which helps historians understand when Clonkeen Church was built.
