Liathmore Churches facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Liathmore Churches |
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Teampaill an Liath Mór
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Foundations of a round tower
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 Liathmore Churches
Location in Ireland
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| 52°40′14″N 7°40′07″W / 52.67055°N 7.66861°W | |
| Location | Liath, Two-Mile Borris, County Tipperary |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Church of Ireland |
| Previous denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | inactive |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | stone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Cashel and Emly |
The Liathmore Churches are two old churches in County Tipperary, Ireland. They are so important that they are protected as a National Monument. This means they are a special part of Ireland's history and heritage.
Contents
Where are the Liathmore Churches?
The Liathmore site is also known as 'Liathmore-Mochoemóg'. It is found in a place called Leigh. This is about 2.8 kilometers (a little over 1.5 miles) east of the village of Two-Mile Borris.
History of the Churches
A long time ago, in the year 655, a saint named Mochoemog started a monastery here. A monastery is a place where monks live and pray.
There are two churches and the base of an Irish round tower at the site. The smaller church is older, built in the early medieval period. The larger church was started in the 12th century. It has several old tombs inside.
What the Buildings Look Like
The larger church has a special carving called a sheela-na-gig. This carving is on the left side of a Romanesque doorway. Romanesque is a style of building that was popular in Europe a long time ago.
The main part of the larger church, called the nave, is about 12.6 meters (41 feet) long and 5.7 meters (18 feet) wide. The chancel, which is the area near the altar, is about 8.2 meters (26 feet) long and 4.9 meters (16 feet) wide. This church was first built as one big room.
There is also a circular stone foundation. This is the base of what was once an Irish round tower. These towers were common in Ireland and were used for protection and as bell towers. We don't have any old stories or records about this tower. This suggests it probably fell down and its stones were taken away before the year 1500. The base of the tower is about 4.7 meters (15 feet) across.
Images for kids
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Liathmore round tower from above
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Liathmore sheela na gig
