NOTES FOR GUIDED TOUR
KILLINEY OLD CHURCH
This tour is part of a heritage week programme organised by Dalkey Civic Trust. DCT is a small
voluntary organisation that works to raise awareness of our shared heritage. We also campaign
for better access to important National Monuments in Dalkey Heritage Town including Dalkey
Island with its ancient church and unique fortifications.
If you are interested in getting involved or would like to get regular updates on our activities,
please fill in the contact sheet. You can also register on our website at dalkeycivictrust.com
Killiney Old Church
Apart from their distinctive architectural features, medieval churches were prominently
positioned in the landscape and within their large circular enclosures (sometimes triple
enclosures) would have been visible from a considerable distance away. In fact this church would
have been visible from St Begnets on Dalkey island and interestingly both were positioned
prominently to face the rising or setting sun halfway up a slope. Possibly these two churches
mimic each other as their respective elevations from sea level are remarkable similar.
It is a remarkable fact that 20 medieval churches dating from the 11th c survive in Dun Laoghaire
Rathdown, though all are in ruins today. They attest to a growing population in this area after the
Norman takeover.
While all of these churches are modest in size by today’s standards, in practically all cases
including here in Killiney the buildings were added to over the centuries as congregations
continued to grow.
The 20 churches that survive today were mostly established under diocesan authority and their
distribution would have reflected parish boundaries as established following the reform of the
Irish church which was completed by the middle of the 12th C. This was related to the introduction
of feudal continental institutional structures into parts of Ireland including Dublin and the pale. Of
course Gaelic Ireland and the archaic brehon law system continued to operate in parts of the
country that were not brought under Norman control. Thus Ireland only experienced a partial
Norman takeover, a very different experience to England which was brought completely under
Norman hegemony. Two very different societies evolved as a result.
These sites are not monastic settlements such as at Glendalough or Monkstown. Most of these
churches however would have fallen under the jurisdiction of the newly created diocese of
Glendalough which was united with Dublin in 1214.
All would have been surrounded by a burial ground as here, though in some cases - as in Dalkey
Island - all surface evidence of the burial ground has vanished.
Some of the churches are associated with bullaun stones which were located in the grounds of the
church – these are linked with the rite of baptism as medieval Irish churches were not equipped
with baptism fonts.
Other unique features of churches in this area include Antae which are twin masonary projections
from the gable walls. These supported the extension of the roof overhang beyond the gables.
So called Rathdown slabs are unique to this area and are evidence of Hiberno Norse occupation as
the designs on the slabs are linked with Scandanavia.
All the churches are constructed of coarsely hewn granite which would have been quarried locally.
Some inserts were of finer stone and in some cases as in Dalkey island and also in Christchurch
cathedral Dundry stone – from Bristol or Normandy - would have been specially imported for this
purpose (see footnote).
The earliest of the churches dating to the 11th C were simple rectangular structures with a flat
lintelled door at the west end and a window in the east gable lighting the altar.
In Killiney we see inclining jambs in the original doorway with a large flat slab forming a lintel. The
soffit of the lintel features a carving of a Greek cross.
List of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Medieval Churches
St Begnets Dalkey
St Begnets Dalkey Island
Killiney
Tully
Kill O’the Grange
Rathmichael
Old Connaught
Ballyman
Newcourt
Kilcroney
Rathdown
Whitechurch
Ballaly
Stepaside
Kiltiernan
Kiltuck
Killegar
Glencree
Kilmacanogue
Kilmurray
Source: Corlett 1999
Dundry: The stone employed was oolitic limestone, drawn largely from Dundry Hill in Somersetshire
with smaller quantities obtained from other sources in the west of England as well as from Caen in
Normandy. Distribution of this material is confined to ports or to sites convenient to the coast or
navigable rivers and emphasises the importance of water-borne transport for carriage of heavy
material in the Middle Ages.
Sources: Early Christian Ecclesiastical Settlement in Ireland 5th to 12th Centuries
Website: http://monasticon.celt.dias.ie/index.php