Cannistown Church is a 12^th century church built on the site of an earlier monastery founded in the 6^th century by St. Finian of Clonard. The church was built by the Nangles, an Anglo Norman family, who were granted the lands of Cannistown by Hugh de Lacy. It became the parish church in the 13^th century and was dedicated to St Brigid. It appears parts of the church were rebuilt in the 15^th or 16^th century though many features of the original church remain, it is unknown how it came to need rebuilding. One of the finest features of church is its beautiful arch with the remnants of carved stones at either side depicting three dogs attacking an otter or fox on one side and another far more weather-worn stone which apparently shows the arrest of Christ. Cannistown may have fell out of use after the Reformation and Bishop Montgomery recorded in 1612 that “the chancel was repaired, but the church in ruins”.

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