Survey Data
Reg No
13307008
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Archaeological, Architectural, Artistic, Social
Previous Name
Cluan-a-Donald Catholic Church
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Church/chapel
Date
1830 - 1840
Coordinates
206160, 275896
Date Recorded
16/08/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached single-cell Roman Catholic church, dated 1835, having three-bay nave elevation, altar to east, and single-storey three-bay sacristy attached to the east end. Pitched slate roof with rendered bellcote having cross finial over and with cast-iron rainwater goods. Painted roughcast rendered walls over smooth rendered plinth with smooth rendered borders. Cut limestone date plaque to the south elevation, adjacent to the doorway. Pointed arch window openings with twelve-over-twelve pane timber sliding sash windows having intersecting tracery to heads, painted sills and painted render surrounds. Pointed arch door opening to the west end of the south elevation having timber battened double doors and overlight. Sacristy to rear (east) with pitched slate roof, rendered chimneystack, painted roughcast rendered walls and square-headed openings with two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows and timber battened door having plain overlight. Glazed interior entrance porch/vestibule to doorway to church. Timber gallery to west end supported on cast-iron columns and having decorative timber parapet. Set in graveyard with gable facing road. Collection of cut stone grave markers to site. Ruins of medieval church (LF013-018----), containing early medieval fabric, to the south of the church. Rendered boundary walls to site with water eroded limestone coping over. Main entrance gates to the southwest, comprising a pair of dressed limestone gate piers (on square-plan) with chamfered plinths, pyramidal capping and with double-leaf metal gates. Located to the north of Cloondara.
Appraisal
This simple early-nineteenth century hall-type Roman Catholic church retains its early form, character and much of its early fabric. Its simple form and relatively lack of ornament is typical of early post-Emancipation Roman Catholic churches in Ireland and it is almost vernacular in character. Churches of this type are relatively rare today as many have been extended and altered over the years, which makes this church at Cloondara an interesting survival. The survival of the early timber windows with intersecting tracery is a notable feature that enhances the nave elevations. The timber gallery with decorative carved timber parapet to the interior is another interesting survival. This church was built by Rev. Richard Farrell, who also built the Roman Catholic church at Killashee (13311008). The graveyard contains a collection of cut stone grave markers, some of which are of artistic merit, including a number of Celtic high cross style memorials. Earliest (post-1700AD) grave marker is dated 1726, although there are also the remains of a number of earlier stone artefacts to site, associated with the ruinous medieval church (LF013-018---) to the south, including two medieval cross-slabs (LF013-018002-; LF013-018003-) and a bullaun stone (LF013-018001-). The good quality gate piers to the southeast, and the simple boundary wall with curious water eroded limestone coping, completes the setting of this appealing composition.