Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeChurch
- Recorded size 6.6m N-S x 17.8m E-W
What to look for
- 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 the crest of a small hill in rolling, mainly reclaimed, grassland. Very good views in all directions.
Full archaeological record 142 words
On the crest of a small hill in rolling, mainly reclaimed, grassland. Very good views in all directions. Centrally placed within a graveyard (KK015-019002-) are the remains of a church (dims. 6.6m N-S x 17.8m E-W) standing on a flat platform (dims. 9m N-S; 20m E-W; H c. 0.8m; H to W c. 1.75m as ground falls away steeply). Built of well-coursed stonework, only the W gable, surviving almost to apex level, and a length of 9m of the western end of the N wall (H c. 1.75m; T 0.74m) survive to any height, the remainder being visible as wall-footings. The quoins are very roughly hammer dressed. In the W gable there is a small ivy covered window which Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 273) describes as being flat-headed and chamfered. According to Carrigan (ibid.) the patron saint was St. Thomas the Apostle.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Jean Farrelly · Updated 29 February 2016. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
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Around Rathcoole Church
Other heritage nearby
- Cantwell's CastleCastle · 1.1 km
- St John's WellHoly well · 1.8 km
- ToberpatrickHoly well · 2.4 km
- Clara CastleCastle · 3.4 km
- St. Martin's WellHoly well · 4.1 km
- Leggetsrath East High CrossHigh cross · 4.5 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 13 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 12 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 10 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 5 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 2 ogham stonesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 high crossArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- North Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 24.0 km · nearest point 4.0 km
- South Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 43.2 km · nearest point 5.6 km
- Nore Valley Walk - Kilkenny to Bennetsbridge SectionLong Distance Waymarked Way · 8.2 km · nearest point 5.7 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- JenkinstownForests · 8.2 km
- Coill an FhaltaighForests · 11 km
- Ballykeefe Nature ReserveNature reserves · 16 km
- KilkennyWalled towns · 6.1 km
- GowranWalled towns · 11 km
- Clomanatagh CastleHistoric stays · 20 km
Other attractions nearby
- Ballyrafton WoodNature and Wildlife · 4.4 km
- Hurling Tours IrelandAttraction · 4.8 km
- Hawkeye School of FalconryNature and Wildlife · 4.8 km
- Nowlan Park Gaelic StadiumAttraction · 5.1 km
What's on nearby
- Pa Sheehy The Magic We Found Tour2026-11-05 · 6.0 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-06 · 5.6 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-07 · 5.6 km