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Cratloe Church | Sixmilebridge Church | Church Ruins

Cratloe Church

Cratloe church - photograph courtesy of Cratloe parish
© Cratloe Church

Cratloe Church is one of three remaining barn churches in the country. The church is dedicated to St John. Near the door of the church in the main aisle in Cratloe Church there is an inscription "VIMFC 1791" which commemorates the date of the building of the church. This church was originally built in 1791 by Fr James Ward P.P.

Altar in St John's Church
© St John's Church Altar

Fr Ward was responsible for building the chancel and nave of the church. In 1806 further work was carried on the church when Fr Jeremiah Cronin built the transepts of the church. In the right transept of the church there is a medieval doorway. The doorway is believed to come from either Craughaun Church or Kilfintinan Church.

The church was re-roofed in the 1950s and the original slates were put back on the roof. Fr Micheál Liston carried out recently more work on the church in 1990.

Bridal Door in Cratloe church
© Bridal Door in Cratloe Church

St John's Church is a very popular church for weddings. In fact, the door in the left transept is popularly called the bridal door as the bride enters the church by this door.

There is also a plaque to the poet Donnachadh Ruadh Mac Conmara on the back wall of the church.

In 1828 Daniel O'Connell made a speech outside Cratloe Church.

Shrine to St Theresa in Cratloe Church
© Shrine to St Theresa
Baptismal Church in Cratloe Church
© Baptismal Font in Cratloe Church


In the left transept there is a plaque to Fr Henry O'Farrell who was the parish priest from 1864 until 1886. Fr O'Farrell was a priest who worked hard for the poor and the sick. As the church is small, the altar appears quite large in the church. To the left of the altar there is a statue of Mary and to the right there is a statue of St Joseph and the Child Jesus. There is a shrine to St Theresa on the right hand side of the nave. There are three galleries in the church.

Buried in the grounds of the church are:

  James O'Shea, P.P. 1909-1913, Died December 16 1913
  William P. McNamara, Died January 21 1922
  John Joseph Lane, P.P. 1933-1938, Died July 3 1938

Cratloe Church | Sixmilebridge Church | Church Ruins

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