RAHAN MONASTIC SITE - Offaly County Council

APPENDICES1400 –1421 Creation of the parish of Fercall [Fir Chell] by papal decree at the behest of the inhabitants ofFir Chell. 1071587 Surrender and re-granting of Fir Chell by Conyll O’Molloy, captain of his nation, to the EnglishCrown. 1081639 The parish of Fir Chell is dissolved and five new parishes are created including the parish ofLynally. Rahan is now part of Lynally parish. 1091641 Bishop Dopping recorded that all chapels were in a condition of waste except Lynally andBallyboy. 1101677 Letter from Charles O’Molloy to Pope Innocent XI describes the presence of three churchesat Rahan: one parochial, one of Christ and one of the Blessed Virgin, not destroyed but welldesolated. 1111696 Visitation of Bishop Dopping in August 1696, who noted that the large church at Rahan had ashingled roof; because Rahan had fallen into disuse, its roof was taken down and removed tothe nearby church of Lynally. The roof at Lynally remained intact until 1820. 1121732 Programme of repair works carried out commemorated by inscribed date stone on the westgable of church.c. 1830 Yellow brick surround windows inserted in north side of nave. Nave walls and ceilings low brickinner wall and cavity in nave plastered. Roof repairs constructed, pews installed. Cast ironrainwater goods installed.1911 Finely decorated single light ogee headed window surround dating from the fifteenth or sixteenthcentury, dug up near the Church of St Carthage. 113 This was later built into the north wall ofnave and a stained glass window of St Carthage was commissioned to fill the opening. 1141912 Martin repairs commemorated by memorial plaque in the interior of the church (quoted in fullin main text on page 13).1937 Thirteenth centenary of the death of St Carthage — celebrations held at Rahan, with reports ofthese celebrations appearing in the local and national press.1910-30 Repairs to the Church of St Carthage’s roof and extensive application of cement-rich rendercoatings to interior and exterior of the church.1960sOPW carry out drainage works to Clodiagh River as part of the Shannon Drainage Scheme,leaving an almost continuous line of spoil heaps on the south side of the river, which create anunfortunate confusion when viewed with the original earth banked enclosure.2003 Desmond Fitzgerald Architects write a Conservation Report on St Carthage’s Church Rahan, Co.Offaly commissioned by the Heritage Council for the Church of Ireland.2004 Gary Miley commences repairs to the Church of St Carthage with repairs to stained glass windows,some removal of cement rich render and test trenching along the south wall.2006-07 Dr Paul Gibson carries out geophysical survey of the enclosure.2006-07 Conservation of the Church of St Carthage commenced by Howley Hayes Architects.85