Churches in Ireland

As I drive around Ireland, both north and south, I am struck by the number of victorian and earlier Church of Ireland churches  there still are. They add so much to the architectural landscape, albeit that many are beginning to show the ravages of time and lack of money.  The memorials on their walls oft give a fascinating insight into a world where elder sons of the local gentry joined the army and younger sons entered the Church.

When on the 1st day of January 1871 the Irish Church Act of 1869 came into force and disestablished the Church of Ireland all  of the Church's property vested in the Commissioners of Church Temporalities in Ireland. Subsequently on Friday 21st day of February 1871 the Commissioners vested the churches and their sites in the Representative Church Body. This remains the case. The schedule to this vesting order lists a total of 1,628 Churches. The Diocese of Armagh had the greatest number (110) with the Diocese of Kilmacduagh coming in last with 5.

It would I think be interesting to visit all the sites and see just how many have survived the intervening one hundred and forty one years with their  population movements and increasing secularity.

Province of Armagh

Diocese                                                                                      

Armagh                                                                                   110
Clogher                                                                                     78
Meath                                                                                      107
Derry                                                                                         81
Raphoe                                                                                     42
Down                                                                                        51
Connor                                                                                     85
Dromore and Exempt Jurisdiction of
                 Newry and Mourne                                              35
Kilmore                                                                                    62
Elphin                                                                                      43
Ardagh                                                                                    39
Tuam                                                                                       66
Killala                                                                                      21
Achonry                                                                                 12

Province of Dublin

Dublin                                                                                     78
Glandelagh                                                                             48
Kildare                                                                                    39
Ossory                                                                                   55
Ferns                                                                                      63
Leighlin                                                                                  55
Cashel                                                                                    32
Emly                                                                                       19
Waterford                                                                               9
Lismore                                                                                  38
Cork                                                                                       74
Cloyne                                                                                   77
Ross                                                                                       27
Killaloe                                                                                  66
Kilfenora                                                                                 6
Clonfert                                                                                 14
KIlmacduagh                                                                         5
Limerick                                                                                 49
Ardfert and Aghadoe                                                         47