Kilfane Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kilfane Church |
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| Cell-Phaain | |
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Cill Pháin
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 Kilfane Church
Location in Ireland
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| 52°33′15″N 7°07′06″W / 52.554167°N 7.118333°W | |
| Location | Kilfane Demesne, Kilfane, County Kilkenny |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Church of Ireland |
| Previous denomination | Pre-Reformation Catholic |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Cantwell family |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | inactive |
| Heritage designation | |
| Official name | Kilfane Church |
| Reference no. | 300 |
| Style | Late Gothic |
| Years built | 13th century |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 22 m (72 ft) |
| Width | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Materials | stone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Ossory |
Kilfane Church is a very old church located in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It's considered a special historical site, known as a National Monument. This means it's protected because of its importance to Ireland's past.
Contents
Where is Kilfane Church?
Kilfane Church is found about 3.4 kilometers (a bit over 2 miles) north of Thomastown. It sits in a quiet area called Kilfane Demesne.
A Glimpse into Kilfane's History
The name "Kilfane" might come from an old saint named Phian. This church was built a very long time ago, in the 1200s.
The Cantwell family were important rulers, or 'Lords,' of Kilfane and nearby lands. They lived here for many years after the Normans came to Ireland. They lost their lands much later, after a big conflict called the Confederation.
A poet named Deirdre Brennan even wrote a poem about Kilfane Church in 2001, showing how inspiring this old place can be.
Exploring the Church Building
Kilfane Church is shaped like a long rectangle. Inside, you can still see some old features. These include special seats called sedilia, an altar where services were held, a book rest, and a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels). The sedilia are thought to be from an even older church and still have traces of medieval paint!
You can also see three original doorways in the north and south walls. These doorways have unique ogee stones at the top, which are shaped like an 'S' curve.
At the east end of the church, there's a tower house with a castellated (castle-like) top. This tower might have been where priests lived or where church items were stored. It also offered living space on its upper floors.
When a newer church was built across the road, this old Kilfane Church found a new purpose.
The Cantwell Fada: A Knight's Statue
The most famous feature inside Kilfane Church is the Cantwell Fada. This is a stone statue of a knight from the 1320s or 1330s. 'Fada' means 'tall' in Irish, and the statue is quite large.
Originally, this statue would have been placed flat on top of the knight's tomb. But today, it stands upright and is protected by a clear cover. Long ago, when the church was used as a school, children who misbehaved were sometimes asked to kiss the statue as a form of discipline.
Later, the statue was covered with soil to keep it safe. In 1840, a person named James Graves uncovered and cleaned it.
Four copies, or 'casts,' were made of the Cantwell Fada. One of these copies is now on display at the National Museum in Dublin, so more people can see this amazing piece of history.
