Kilfenora Cathedral - Kilfenora Ireland
Posted by: 
teeoff2
N 52° 59.437 W 009° 13.001
29U E 485455 N 5871248
Built in the 12th century, this ancient church is still in use.
Waymark Code: WM5XQR
Location: Ireland
Date Posted: 02/26/2009
Views: 9
Taken from the following web site:
(
visit link)
Kilfenora Cathedral, which is partly in ruins, dates from the 12th century and three high crosses from the site have recently (2005) been conserved and are now in display in the reroofed transept; amongst them the Doorty Cross. Another cross, shown here on the right, stands in a field to the west of the cathedral.
Kilfenora was the site of an important early monastic settlement. St. Fachtna founded an Abbey here in the 6th century. Kilfenora gained the title "City of the Crosses", a reference to the High Crosses within or near the precincts of the cathedral.
From a plaque at the site:
Historic Kilfenora
The monastery of Kilfenora or Chill Fhionnurach (the church of the white bow) is said to have been founded in the 6th century by St. Fachan. The outline of the early monastic circular enclosure can still be traced in the curve of the roadsw to the south and west of the cathedral.
The early hsitory of the site is obscure, with the first historical reference occurring in 1055 when the stone church at the site was burned. The material remains, in particular the group fo sculpted stone crosses, suggest that the monastery flourished from the end of the 11th century. By 1152 it had become sufficiently prominent to be made the see of a diocese at the reforming synod of Kelis-Mellifont, its territory corresponding to the sub-kingdom of Corcu Modruad. However, as one of the smallest diocese in the country, Kilfenora seldom enjoyed great prosperity, and from the 18th century both the church of Ireland and Roman Catholic diocese were merged with a number of other diocesan sees.