St. Maelruain's Church
Encyclopedia
St. Maelruain's Church is a church of the Church of Ireland
located in Tallaght
, South Dublin
in Ireland
. The parish is in the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough
. It occupies the site of an original monastery. The present-day church was built in 1829 and replaced an earlier one to which the still-existing tower belonged.
The Ceilí Dé (also known as Culdees, or the servants of God) had their headquarters here.
In 1662 the churchwardens were granted a sum of £100 in compensation for damage done by Captain Alland who had been stationed there with his troops in 1651 during the Cromwellian invasion of Ireland. He stripped the roof of the church and used the timber slates and pews for his own house. He also gave the paving stones to pave the entrance to his kitchen and fed his horses from the font.
There are a great many tombstones in the graveyard dating mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries, and some even from the 17th century. One of these commemorates Colonel John Talbot of Belgard who sat in the Parliament of King James II of England
and took part in many important military engagements. The graves of the artists Oisin Kelly
, Evie Hone
and Elizabeth Rivers are in the new graveyard at St. Maelruain's. A survey of the graves was carried out by SDCC which recorded, amongst other information, locations of the graves, observations on their general condition, and details taken from the grave headstones where readable.
Copies of this survey are available (for reference only) in the Local Studies section of the library.
Also buried here are George Otto Simms
, successively Archbishop of Dublin
, from 1956 to 1969, and then Archbishop of Armagh
, from 1969 to 1980, and his wife, Mercy Felicia née Gwynn.
Also to be seen in the grounds of the church is the remains of the fosse, the ancient curved bank which enclosed Maelruain's monastery. The best view is from the car park at the rear of Smith's Toystore.
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
located in Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
, South Dublin
South Dublin
South Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. The county seat is Tallaght, the largest suburb of Dublin and the biggest urban centre in the county. Other important centres of population are Lucan and Clondalkin...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The parish is in the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough
Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough
The United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough is a diocese of the Church of Ireland in the east of Ireland. It is headed by the Archbishop of Dublin who is also styled the Primate of Ireland...
. It occupies the site of an original monastery. The present-day church was built in 1829 and replaced an earlier one to which the still-existing tower belonged.
History
Christian worship has continued on this site for over twelve hundred years since the Celtic saint, Maelruain, founded a monastery here in the 8th Century. This monastery became an important centre of spiritual life:The Ceilí Dé (also known as Culdees, or the servants of God) had their headquarters here.
In 1662 the churchwardens were granted a sum of £100 in compensation for damage done by Captain Alland who had been stationed there with his troops in 1651 during the Cromwellian invasion of Ireland. He stripped the roof of the church and used the timber slates and pews for his own house. He also gave the paving stones to pave the entrance to his kitchen and fed his horses from the font.
Features
The tower is four storeys high and has a spiral staircase. An external stairs gives access to the first floor and the spiral stairway to the floors above. The third floor has a vaulted stone ceiling above which is aflat roof and a small turret. On the left inside the churchyard gate is a font called St. Maelruain's Losset. This is a wide and shallow granite stone trough or font. Losat is an Old Irish word denoting a wooden trough used in former times for kneading bread. It is likely that the country people named it from its similarity in shape to the lossets that they used in their homes. St. Maelruain's Cross lies south of the font. It is a small ancient cross set in a pedestal which is fixed in a circular granite base resembling a mill stone. The pedestal and base were formerly known as Moll Rooney's loaf and griddle and the font was called Moll Rooney's Losset.There are a great many tombstones in the graveyard dating mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries, and some even from the 17th century. One of these commemorates Colonel John Talbot of Belgard who sat in the Parliament of King James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
and took part in many important military engagements. The graves of the artists Oisin Kelly
Oisín Kelly
Oisín Kelly was an Irish sculptor.Kelly was born as Austin Kelly in Dublin, the son of William Kelly, principal of James's Street National School, and his wife Elizabeth . Until he became an artist in residence at the Kilkenny Design Centre in 1966, he worked as a school teacher...
, Evie Hone
Evie Hone
Evie Hone was a Dublin born Irish painter and stained glass artist.She was related to Nathaniel Hone and Nathaniel Hone the Younger. Her most important works are probably the East Window for the Chapel at Eton College, Windsor and My Four Green Fields, now located in Government Buildings...
and Elizabeth Rivers are in the new graveyard at St. Maelruain's. A survey of the graves was carried out by SDCC which recorded, amongst other information, locations of the graves, observations on their general condition, and details taken from the grave headstones where readable.
Copies of this survey are available (for reference only) in the Local Studies section of the library.
Also buried here are George Otto Simms
George Otto Simms
His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. George Otto Simms , D.D., was an archbishop in the Church of Ireland.-Early life and education:...
, successively Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin
The Archbishop of Dublin may refer to:* Archbishop of Dublin – an article which lists of pre- and post-Reformation archbishops.* Archbishop of Dublin – the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin....
, from 1956 to 1969, and then Archbishop of Armagh
Archbishop of Armagh
The Archbishop of Armagh is the title of the presiding ecclesiastical figure of each of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland in the region around Armagh in Northern Ireland...
, from 1969 to 1980, and his wife, Mercy Felicia née Gwynn.
Also to be seen in the grounds of the church is the remains of the fosse, the ancient curved bank which enclosed Maelruain's monastery. The best view is from the car park at the rear of Smith's Toystore.