Saint Manchan's Church

A monastery at Lemanaghan (Liath Manchán) was founded in the 7th century by Manchán whose feastday is celebrated on the 24th of January (Ó Riain 2011, 429). The ruins of Lemanaghan Castle (OF015-004001-) stand 85m to the NW. In centre of the graveyard (OF015-004004-) are the ruins of a multi-period rectangular church (ext. dims. 19.4m E-W x 7.5m N-S) which can be seen from different wall construction and straight joint visible at the W and E end of the N wall. Conservation works were carried out on the church between 2002-06 by Margaret Quinlan Architects (Quinlan and Moss 2007).

The first stone church was built around the 10th / 11th century as a small single cell structure (dims. c. 9m by 7.5m). In the 12th century the church was extended by 3.4m to the west and a Romanesque doorway was constructed. The W gable has a partially destroyed triple ordered Romanesque doorway consisting of three rounded columns of limestone with scalloped capitals and simple decorated round bases with leaf shaped spurs. Only one column on the S side survives to full height with scalloped capital on top (recently destroyed). The later E end measures externally 5.5m E-W by 7.5m N-S and is constructed with roughly coursed limestone rubble and probably dates to the 15th-century (Joseph 1930, 60).

Single light ogee headed window at the E end of S wall, with simple round headed Romanesque window to the W also on S wall, with a third destroyed twin light window in between both windows. Romanesque window with jambs displaying diagonal stone dressing has been reset in S wall probably a result of extending the E gable in the medieval period. Earlier W splay of window embrasure filled in when window was moved westwards. Single piece of vine-leaf decorated stone visible in E splay of embrasure of single light ogee window on S wall, probably from earlier Romanesque phase. The twin light window in the centre of E gable also dates from the late medieval period. On either side of the window in the S wall are two finely carved hood moulding terminals decorated with religious imagery. On the right hand side is a carving of the 3rd century figure of St. Margaret of Antioch and the dragon (Newman Johnson 1987, 239). The Christian legend of Margaret’s martyrdom recalls how she battled the Devil in the form of a fire-breathing dragon who swallowed her whole while she was on her knees praying and making the sign of the Cross upon her breast. While inside the dragon the cross on her breast grew larger and larger eventually splitting the dragon in two and allowing Margaret to emerge unharmed from the jaws of the beast. Margaret’s story was used to show how belief in the Christian faith could overcome the power of evil. She later became the patron saint of women in childbirth (Ferguson 1961, 131). On the left hand side the terminal is decorated with the vine leaf and rose motifs.

Two centred piscina with punch dressed jambs and central drain hole located at E end of S wall, aumbry at S end of E wall and a second aumbry directly under the twin light ogee headed E window. No windows on the N wall.

Several architectural fragments lie scattered around the interior of the church such as a portion of a destroyed octagonal shaped font (OF015-004010-) now housed in schoolhouse, window jambs, spandrels etc. Large breach in centre of S wall has been stabilised during conservation works. An early Christian cross-slab (OF015-004018-) is attached to the E wall of church with a second slab (OF015-004019-) attached to the S wall close to the SE angle of the church. 12 more early Christian slabs (OF015-004016-/032-) are located in the nearby disused schoolhouse and one decorated stone (OF015-004005-) possibly reused as a headstone in the graveyard (OF015-004004-) is located to the SW of the church. Medieval font (OF015-004010-) has been moved from the church to the disused schoolhouse located 35m NW of the church.

In 1205 the Annals of Clonmacnoise recorded the death of Gillebrenyn O’Bichollye [O'Buachalla], cowarb of Lemanaghan (Murphy 1993, 220). In 1302-06 the ecclesiastical taxation of the Diocese of Clonmacnois [Cluanensis] recorded that 'The Vicar de Leith' [Lemanaghan] returned 'Nothing, because the vicarage is devastated by war’ (Cal. doc. Ire., 216).

In 1400 AD a papal letter was sent to the archdeacon of Clonmacnoise requesting the removal of Magonius Offlani and any other, and to collate and assign to John Onniyl, clerk, of the diocese of Ardagh - who is in his fifteenth year, and has had papal dispensation, as the son of a priest religious and an unmarried woman, to be promoted to all, even holy orders, and holda benefice even with cure - if found fit in Latin, the vicarage, value not exceeding 8 marks, of Lecmankan [Lemanaghan], in the diocese of Clonmacnoise, void by the death of Cristinus Obuachala' (Cal. papal letters, 365).

In 1410 AD the Vicarage of ‘Lyachmanachan’ was granted to Donatus Odubnarla, Augustinian prior of the priory of St Mary Galynne [Gallen], as it was long void by the death of Malachy Oflanni'(Cal. papal letters, 201). A second papal letter from 1410 AD recorded that the parish church of Lemanaghan had been under the patronage of Richard de Tuite who had bestowed this church on the Cistercian convent of St. Mary's in Granard, Co. Longford (Cal. papal letters, 234).

The church was probably abandoned during the Irish Confederate Wars of 1641-53. A Visitation Report compiled in 1693 described the building as in a ruinous condition, with church services being held once a fortnight in a nearby house (Ellison 1971-3, 13).

(Cooke 1875, 343; Crawford 1911, 151-6; O' Flanagan 1933, vol. 1, 82-3; Lionard 1961, 141-5)

The church is part of an archaeological complex consisting of an ecclesiastical enclosure (OF015-004008-), a tower house (OF015-004001-), graveyard (OF015-004004-), several early christian cross-slabs (OF015-004005-) and architectural fragments in the interior of the church. To the NW there is a rectangular building (OF015-004009-) possibly of late medieval date. Holy well (OF015-004007-) and possible oratory or hermitage (OF015-004006-) and togher (OF015-004011) located to the SE of the main church.

To see a 3D model of the piscina in Lemanaghan Church, visit; https://skfb.ly/ox9FR