Ancient Churches of Ireland: map and guide by county
4,370 ancient churches on one map, county by county.
Illustrative image
Ancient and medieval churches recorded by the Archaeological Survey, from early stone oratories to the parish churches of the later Middle Ages. Many stand in old graveyards.
Every ancient church with a reliable location in the Republic is on the map below. The best-documented ones have a page of their own.
81 of these pages quote recorded folklore - see folklore and traditions.
Where they are
Darker = more recorded. Most in Cork, Galway, Tipperary.
Types recorded
- Church4,370 recorded
Map of ancient churches
Sites you can visit
Listed by the National Monuments Service or promoted by Fáilte Ireland as visitor attractions.
Saint Mullin’s Ecclesiastical Site
Church · St. Mullin'S · Carlow
Visitor site National MonumentLusk
Church · Lusk · Dublin
Visitor site National MonumentSt. Audoens Church, Dublin City
Church · Dublin
Visitor site National MonumentTully Church
Church · Laughanstown · Dublin
Visitor site National MonumentSt. Mary's Church, Gowran
Church · Gowran · Kilkenny
Visitor site National MonumentSkreen Church
Church · Skreen · Meath
Visitor site National MonumentAbbey Church, Clones
Church · Crossmoyle · Monaghan
Visitor site National MonumentAghowle Church
Church · Aghowle Lower (Shillelagh By.) · Wicklow
Visitor site National MonumentSt. Peter's Church, Ferns
Church · Ferns Upper · Wexford
Featured ancient churches
Visitor site National MonumentAbbey Church, Clones
Church · Crossmoyle · Monaghan
Visitor site National MonumentAghowle Church
Church · Aghowle Lower (Shillelagh By.) · Wicklow
Visitor site National MonumentSkreen Church
Church · Skreen · Meath
Visitor site National MonumentSt. Audoens Church, Dublin City
Church · Dublin
Visitor site National MonumentSt. Mary's Church, Gowran
Church · Gowran · Kilkenny
Visitor site National MonumentSt. Peter's Church, Ferns
Church · Ferns Upper · Wexford
Visitor site National MonumentTully Church
Church · Laughanstown · Dublin
Visitor site National MonumentLusk
Church · Lusk · Dublin
Visitor site National MonumentSaint Mullin’s Ecclesiastical Site
Church · St. Mullin'S · Carlow
National MonumentAghadoe Church
Church · Parkavonear · Kerry
National MonumentAghaviller Church and Castle
Church · Aghaviller · Kilkenny
National MonumentAnnagh Church
Church · Annagh (Trughanacmy By., Kiltallagh Ed) · Kerry
Ancient Churches by county
| County | On the map | Named, with notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cork | 596 | 28 |
| Galway | 397 | 30 |
| Tipperary | 303 | 22 |
| Kilkenny | 247 | 73 |
| Wexford | 243 | 14 |
| Kerry | 231 | 65 |
| Mayo | 202 | 6 |
| Meath | 195 | 16 |
| Limerick | 194 | 12 |
| Clare | 174 | 15 |
| Kildare | 147 | 10 |
| Waterford | 143 | 5 |
| Dublin | 142 | 37 |
| Roscommon | 133 | 2 |
| Wicklow | 122 | 11 |
| Laois | 117 | 16 |
| Westmeath | 108 | 3 |
| Donegal | 105 | 13 |
| Louth | 104 | 7 |
| Offaly | 99 | 10 |
| Sligo | 92 | 6 |
| Carlow | 78 | 11 |
| Cavan | 64 | 1 |
| Longford | 51 | 3 |
| Leitrim | 50 | 3 |
| Monaghan | 33 | 10 |
Source: Archaeological Survey of Ireland (SMR, 1 December 2025), National Monuments Service, CC BY 4.0; names from NMS, Wikidata and Fáilte Ireland. Records without a mapped location are not shown.