St. Molua's Church, Killaloe
Quick facts for kids St. Molua's Church, Killaloe |
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| St. Lua's Oratory | |
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Teampall Lua
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 St. Molua's Church, Killaloe
Location in Ireland
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| 52°48′25″N 8°26′40″W / 52.807063°N 8.444365°W | |
| Location | The Green, Killaloe, County Clare (formerly Friar's Island) |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Pre-Reformation Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 10th/11th century AD |
| Dedication | Mo Lua of Killaloe |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | inactive |
| Style | Celtic Christian |
| Specifications | |
| Number of floors | 1 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Killaloe |
St. Molua's Church is a very old church located in Killaloe, Ireland. It is also known as St. Lua's Oratory. This special building is recognized as a National Monument of Ireland. This means it is protected because of its important history.
Contents
Where is St. Molua's Church?
St. Molua's Church was first built on an island called Friar's Island. This island was in the River Shannon, south of Killaloe town. In 1929 and 1930, a big project called the Shannon hydroelectric scheme took place. This project raised the water level of the river.
Moving the Church
Because the water level rose, Friar's Island became covered by water. To save the church, it was carefully taken apart. Each stone was moved north to a new location. The church was then rebuilt exactly as it was before. It now stands safely in the grounds of Killaloe Cathedral.
History of St. Molua's Church
A monastery, which is a place where monks live and work, was started on Friar's Island. This happened in the 6th century by a person named Mo Lua. The stone church you see today was built much later, around the year 1000. This was during the time of Brian Boru, a famous High King of Ireland.
Early Stone Roofs
The stone roof of St. Molua's Church is very special. It was one of the first stone roofs built in Ireland. Most buildings from that time had roofs made of wood. Building with stone roofs was a new and advanced way to construct buildings back then.
About the Church Building
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The church building has two main parts. These are the nave, which is the main area where people would gather, and a narrow chancel, which is the part near the altar. The church was built using limestone and mortar.
The Roof's Collapse
The original roof of the church was built without a special curved support called a barrel vault. Because it lacked this strong support, the roof eventually collapsed during a storm. Despite this, the church remains an important historical site.
