Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeChurch
- Recorded sizeL 7.7m; W 4m
What to look for
- Nave and chancel
- East window
- Graveyard
Picked out from the Archaeological Survey description below.
Can you visit?
- No source says it is open to the public.Most monuments in Ireland stand on private farmland.
- Ask the landowner before crossing fields, close gates, leave the stones as you find them.Visiting responsibly
History and description
On top of a steep rounded hillock in steeply undulating countryside. Roughly centrally placed with a graveyard (KK014-042002-).
Full archaeological record 356 words
On top of a steep rounded hillock in steeply undulating countryside. Roughly centrally placed with a graveyard (KK014-042002-). According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 462) this church was dedicated to St Modiomog. The church (dims. c. 13m x 4m), aligned E-W and built of roughly coursed rubble, consists of a nave (L 7.7m; Wth 4m), only the foundations (wall T c. 1m; H 0.3m) of which survive, and a chancel (L 3.5m; Wth 4m), though only portion of the E gable and the lower courses of the S wall survive (H 0.4-1.2m). The pointed chancel arch survives, though the dressed stones have been robbed. There are the remains of two windows in the chancel, though only the base of the embrasures survive.
In the OS Letters (1839), the S window is described as being 'two feet seven inches [0.78m] from the east gable, measuring two feet seven inches in breadth inside; outside broken' (O'Flanagan ed. 1930, vol. 1, 33-6 (11-12)). The OS Letters also noted, 'a similarly broken window in the north wall at the same distance from the gable' and 'a square recess in the wall under it two feet [0.6m] high, one foot ten inches [0.56m] wide and seven and a half inches [0.19m] deep' (ibid.). This recess was probably for the piscina.
The E window is described as being flat-headed, 'four feet eight inches [1.41m] high, two feet six inches [1.35m] wide on the inside, covered at top with a flag three feet six inches [1.05m] long, one foot [0.3m] broad and three inches [0.075m] thick, two feet [o.6m] high on the outside and, though the front of it in the south side is broken away, it can be easily seen that its breath was about five inches [0.12m]' (ibid.).
To the S of the chancel arch there is a squint (H 0.45m; Wth 0.14m on the W side and 0.6m square on the E side). This feature is also described in the OS Letters (ibid.) and by Carrigan (ibid.) who notes that, ‘at the north side of the choir-arch there was a corresponding recess and loop, which are now almost entirely destroyed’.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Jean Farrelly · Updated 3 June 2020. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
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Around Kilmademog Church
Other heritage nearby
- Kilmademog CastleCastle · 0.2 km
- Dunmore CaveCave · 2.1 km
- Corbetstown CastleCastle · 2.6 km
- Gragara CastleCastle · 3.9 km
- Ardaloo CastleCastle · 4.0 km
- Keatingstown CastleCastle · 4.1 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 14 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 13 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 12 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 2 cavesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 holy wellArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- North Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 24.0 km · nearest point 0.8 km
- Jenkinstown Wood - Jenkinstown Wood LoopWalking Trail · 3.4 km · nearest point 3.4 km
- Jenkinstown Wood - Walled Garden LoopWalking Trail · 2.0 km · nearest point 3.4 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- JenkinstownForests · 3.4 km
- Coill an FhaltaighForests · 11 km
- Ballykeefe Nature ReserveNature reserves · 15 km
- KilkennyWalled towns · 7.1 km
- Clomanatagh CastleHistoric stays · 16 km
Other attractions nearby
- Ballyrafton WoodNature and Wildlife · 1.3 km
- Dunmore CaveMuseums and Attraction · 2.1 km
- Newpark Fen and Eco-ParkNature and Wildlife · 5.9 km
- Hurling Tours IrelandAttraction · 6.3 km
What's on nearby
- Pa Sheehy The Magic We Found Tour2026-11-05 · 6.7 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-06 · 6.7 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-07 · 6.7 km

