Surrounded by rolling hillocks and pastureland stands the medieval church of Coolbanagher. It is believed an early Christian monastery was founded here in the 8th or 9th century by Saint Lughach (son of Lughaidh). Saint Lughach is also associated with Banagher Church in Fermanagh, Rattoo in Kerry and Toomour in Sligo. The monastery must have been well regarded and the 12th century preface of the Martyrology of Tallaght records that In the 9th century Saint Óengus of Tallaght (also know as St Óengus the Culdee) went to Coolbanagher and began writing the Martyrology which he later finished in the Monastery of Máel Ruain in Tallaght. It is said that Óengus was inspired to write the Martyrology, also known as the Félire, after he saw a grave at Coolbanagher with angels circling above it. He asked a local priest about the man buried there, and the priest said that the man would pray to the saints when he woke up and before he went to bed. Óengus decided that evidently if this man had deserved the attention of angels for mentioning them in prayer daily that if he put the names of the saints into verse he would attain a similar reward.
The history of Coolbanagher is unknown during the period from the end of the 12th century until the mid-16th century until it is recorded in 1546 that a Patrick Obecan was appointed as chaplain to the vicarage of Culbanhir. In 1572 Sir Maurice FitzThomas FitzGerald, a Knight of Lackagh in Kildare obtained a twenty-one year lease of the Rectory of ‘Coulbenker’. The church is mentioned again in 1591 when a Captain Piers Hovenden of Tankardstown in Queen’s County (now County Laois) was given the right to collect the church tithes on corn and also the right to appoint the vicar of the parish of Erry (in modern day Tipperary) but had to pay the crown either £4 and 16 shillings or ‘eight fat cows’ in rent! Early in the 17th century John Mimer is mentioned in a funeral entry as being Minister of Culebannigher in the Queen’s County. It is uncertain when the church was abandoned but it was already described as, ‘the ruins of the ancient church are still visible’ by the time of Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)
The remains of the church at Coolbanagher are thankfully now well maintained, it is a beautiful small Romanesque nave and chancel church and is well worth a visit as it’s a particularly peaceful place to spend some time.
GPS: 53.07744, -7.23263