| Church Ruins
© Old Parish Church Ruin
In the abbey grounds, there was a thatched church that
was burned in 1847 when a fire started in the local mill across the road.
The fire burned the mill and spread to the church. Lewis states that the
Knights Templars originally founded this church in 1298. However this
is probably incorrect, as Lewis mistakenly believed that the Knights Templars
built many of the early churches in Ireland. Local tradition claims that
this was one of three churches that were built by three sisters but no
saint or founder is remembered in the parish. The other two churches were
Kileen (in Kilcornan parish) and Cappagh church.
© Beagh Church Ruin
There was a church in Beagh near Beagh castle ruin. This church is occasionally
referred to as Iverus church. The church is in the townland of Ballyaglish.
The ruin is situated on high ground and overlooks the village of Ballysteen
to the west. There is also a graveyard on this site. Beagh church ruin
is in good condition and the local people care for the church grounds.
The church was renovated in the 1980s. While it is without a roof, the
remainder of the church is in excellent condition due to a large amount
of voluntary work that has been carried out on the church. According to
local legend, this is the church that Iverus reputedly built when he first
came ashore.
Westropp measured the church as 57 feet by 22 feet. A major feature of
the church is the window in the east wall, which has two ogee lights.
There is also a wide doorway with a pointed arch in the south wall.
There was a chapel in Ballysteen in the 1790s, which was thatched. The
modern church is at the western end of the village. This may have been
a mass house rather than a church.
From W. Blood's work as a Hearth-money collector in 1784, we found that
there was a mass house in Askeaton. He was probably referring to the thatched
mass house, which burned in 1847.
© Ruins in St Mary's Churchyard
Lewis mentions that the church in Askeaton was also thatched
and that the church was founded in 1298. The remains of a belfry and a
part of the old chancel can be still seen. It is believed that the church
ruin is probably dated from medieval times. The belfry is of particular
note because it is square at ground level while it is octagonal on the
next level. St. Mary's Protestant church, which was built in or around
1820, adjoins the ruin. After the dissolution Lord Cork converted this
church to a Church of Ireland church.
© Lismakeery Church Ruin
Westropp mentions that there were also churches at Lismakeery and Tomdeely.
Lismakeery church is situated near the ring fort in Lismakeery. Westropp
measured it as 59 feet by 22 ½ feet. The ruin is in good condition
and within the church ruin, an altar has been erected where mass can be
said in the church and the surrounding graveyard.
Tomdeely (also known as Dromdeely) church was to the northeast of Tomdeely
castle and O'Donovan claimed that the church dated from the fifteenth
century but it may have been older by around a century. Westropp measured
the nave and chancel as 34 feet by 24 feet and 21 feet by 15 ½
feet.
There was also a chapel in the Desmond castle but the exact location
of this chapel is unknown. Westropp states that the chapel was in the
south end of the great hall.
 
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