St. Patrick's Church, Duleek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Patrick's Church, Duleek |
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| St. Cianán's Church | |
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Daimhliag Chianáin
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9th century high cross associated with St Patrick's Church
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 St. Patrick's Church, Duleek
Location in Ireland
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| 53°39′19″N 6°25′12″W / 53.655268°N 6.420018°W | |
| Location | Church Lane, Duleek, County Meath |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Celtic Christianity |
| History | |
| Status | Ruins |
| Founder(s) | Saint Patrick |
| Past bishop(s) | Cianán |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | |
| Official name | St. Patrick's Church |
| Reference no. | 179 |
| Years built | 6th–7th centuries |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 12 m (39 ft) |
| Width | 6.4 m (21 ft) |
| Height | 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in) |
| Number of floors | 1 |
| Floor area | 52 m2 (560 sq ft) |
| Materials | limestone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Meath |
St. Patrick's Church in Duleek is a very old church located in County Meath, Ireland. It's also known as a National Monument, which means it's a special historical site protected by the country. Many people believe this church was the very first one in Ireland to be built using stone instead of wood!
Contents
Where to Find St. Patrick's Church
St. Patrick's Church is in a town called Duleek in Ireland. You can find it just north of Church Lane. It's about 400 meters northwest of the Nanny River.
A Look Back at History
How Duleek Got Its Name
The name Duleek comes from an old Irish word, damhliag. This word means "stone house." This name was given because people believed St. Patrick's Church was the first church in Ireland made of stone. Before this, most churches were called dairthech, meaning "oak house," because they were built from wood.
Early Days with Saint Patrick
Tradition says that Saint Patrick himself started a church here around the year 450 AD. He then put Cianán, a saint, in charge of it in 489 AD. This shows how important this place was even in ancient times.
Attacks and Important Events
Over the centuries, Duleek faced many challenges.
- In 830 AD, Vikings attacked and robbed the area.
- A very famous Irish king, Brian Boru, and his son Murchad, had their bodies brought to Duleek in 1014 AD. This happened after they died in a big battle.
- The Vikings attacked Duleek again in 1149.
- Later, in 1171, the Normans also plundered the area.
What the Church Looks Like Today
St. Patrick's Church in Duleek is a simple building shaped like a rectangle. Today, it is mostly in ruins. Part of its northeast wall is missing, and the entire southwest wall is gone.
You can still see a pointed doorway in the southeast wall. It's made of rough, natural stone. Inside the wall, there's a limestone slab with old writing on it. It says "ÓR DO SCANLA_N," which means "pray for Scanlain." This shows us a little bit about the people who lived here long ago.
