Seir Kieran NS, Clareen, Birr, Co. Offaly
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Monastic Site
Clareen
| Monastic Site |
| The greatest days of the monastery occurred during the eight, ninth and tenth centuries. During this time the High Cross whose base survives today was carved and erected. The round tower was also built during this time. The churchyard became the burial ground of the kings of Ossory. Seir Kieran was the seat of the Bishops of Ossory until it was moved to Aghaboe in Laois in the year 1052 and finally to Kilkenny city in the late 12th century. |
| Round Tower |
| The base of a Round Tower survives immediately outside the north-west corner of the churchyard. It is thought that this had a bell ringing function and that it also had a protective role. Precious items were probably stored in its many floors for safe keeping. There was probably a door high above ground level to help keep people and objects safe during times of danger. Although it is now only 3 metres in height, the round tower probably reached high into the air above the monastery. |
| The Churchyard |
| The churchyard covers an area of about one acre. For 650 years this was the Cathedral Church of Ossory and for that reason it became the burial grounds for the kings of Ossory. The wall around the churchyard is known as the “Wall of the Wolves”. This is thought to have been built in the tenth century on the orders of Queen Sadhb. She was the Queen of Ireland and the daughter of the King of Ossory. Her family were buried there and she was jealous that her church did not have a wall around it like other churches. At this time Clareen was a thickly wooded area and there were lots of wolves in the area. Wolves would have caused a lot of damage to a graveyard so the wall also helped to protect the graves in the churchyard. There have been many repairs to the wall since then. The southern wall seems to be the oldest surviving part of the wall. |
| Remains of Augustinian Priory and Turret |
| There are remains of an Augustinian Priory in the churchyard. The Augustinian Monks built this church when they came they came to Seir Kieran. It was destroyed in the year 1568 by the army of Munster. All that remains of this today is the north and east walls which now form part of the graveyard wall. This medieval gun turret was attached to the South East Corner of the Augustinian Priory. It is thought that it is the place where the perpetual fire of Seir Kieran was kept burning. There are ruins of similar turrets in Killyon (which is associated with St Kieran’s mother Liadhain) |
| High Cross Base |
| There is a base of a high cross in the churchyard. Scenes from the bible are carved into the base. One scene shows the fall of Adam and Eve. Water can be seen in the socket of the high cross base. Locals refer to the cross base as the “wart well”. People who suffered from warts used to bleed the tissue of the skin with a pin. The pin was then left in the water in the belief that the wart would be cured. |
| Modern Church |
| The existing church was built in the 1840’s to replace a damp and uncomfortable old building. A window from the 15th Century was incorporated into the wall of the new church. It is known as the east window. A medieval stone feature known as “Sheela na Gig” was positioned on the east gable of the church. The origin of this is not known but it is thought that they were believed to ward off evil attack. The Seir Kieran Sheela na Gig is at present, the only artefact from the parish in the possession of the National Museum of Ireland. There was restoration work carried out on the church in the year 2000. This church is now used by the Church of Ireland community. Services are held here three times a month. |
