St Finian's Esker church and graveyard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Finian's Esker church and graveyard |
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West gable end of St. Finian's church ruin, Esker, Co. Dublin
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 St Finian's Esker church and graveyard
Location in Ireland
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| 53°21′00″N 6°26′16″W / 53.3498953°N 6.4378233°W | |
| Location | Esker, Lucan, Dublin |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Pre-Reformation Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 13th century |
| Architecture | |
| Years built | 17th century |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | stone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Dublin |
St Finian's Esker church and graveyard is an old and important historical site. It is located in Esker, a place near Lucan, Dublin. This site has the remains of a medieval church and a graveyard. The graveyard has more than 50 old gravestones. These gravestones date from the early 1700s to the early 1900s. Both the church and the graveyard are special "protected structures." This means they are important historical places that are looked after by South Dublin County Council.
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Discovering St Finian's Esker
This historic church and graveyard are found in Esker, County Dublin. It is close to Lucan village. The site sits on a hill, giving great views of the area around it. This spot is very important because it is on the Esker Riada. This was part of the Slighe Mhór, one of Ireland's five main ancient roads.
Esker was once one of four special Royal Manors in Dublin during the Middle Ages. The church is near where the original Manor House of Esker used to be. There is also an old stone bridge nearby. This bridge was built when King John of England was king. People in the area still call it King John’s Bridge. The church and graveyard are listed by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. They are also recorded by the National Monument Service of Ireland. This church is a parish church built in the nave and chancel style. It has been rebuilt many times over the years.
What Makes the Church Special?
The church building is long and narrow. Records show that a new roof was put on in the 1500s. However, by the early 1600s, it was already a ruin. The west wall, called the gable wall, has strong supports called buttresses. These supports likely held a double bellcote, which is a small structure for bells. This wall also has a long, narrow opening called an embrasure.
On the south wall, there is a window with a double ogee arch shape. Only the very bottom parts, or foundations, of the east wall are left. The north wall has a short section of special brickwork called herringbone masonry. This type of brick pattern is quite rare in old Irish churches.
Important Gravestones and Stories
The graveyard has several interesting gravestones. One of them belongs to a priest named Father James McCartan. He was buried here after he was sadly killed in Lucan in 1807. Another unique gravestone shows a carved skull and crossbones. This is a special symbol called a memento mori, which reminds people about death. In 1989, a book was published that listed all the details from about 60 gravestones here.
Protecting This Historic Site
In 2019, St Finian's Esker was chosen for a special project. It was the first monument in Dublin to join the Heritage Council's "Adopt a Monument" scheme. This scheme helps to look after important historical places. In October 2020, work began to make the church structure stable. Money for this work came from the National Monuments Service Community Monuments Fund. This fund is managed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. South Dublin County Council also helped to support the project.
