Loughill-Ballyhahill   
Churches

Loughill Church | Ballyhahill Church | Church Ruins

Church Ruins

Before the building of the church in Ballyhahill, parishioners attended mass in Kilmoylan church, the ruins of which are now in the neighbouring parish of Shanagolden/Foynes.

According to Westropp there was an early church in Loughill prior to the building of the parish church in 1819. This church was dedicated to St Colmog. However, only small fragments of the church remained when Westropp carried out his survey of the churches in Limerick in 1905. All that remained of the church were the choir and the nave. St Colmog's well is believed to be near the church ruin.

There was also a church in Kilteery, the site of which was believed to be near the shoreline. Gerard Curtin's "Recollections of Our Native Valley" suggests two reasons for suspecting this to be the location of the site. Firstly, a chalice was found here in the 1940s and, secondly, a large altar shaped stone was found at the same location in 1993.

There was also a church in Lisready but it was probably a mass house as it was mentioned in the Hearth money return of W. Blood in 1784 as such. This mass house continued to be in use until 1814/15.

Lewis also mentions an ancient church on the mountains of Flean. According to tradition three bishops were buried here. We found no trace of this church.

Loughill Church | Ballyhahill Church | Church Ruins

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