Kilskeer
Cill Scíre

The Ireland's Ancient East
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Cill Scíre · Co. Meath

Tiny village. Medieval abbey ruins. Nineteenth-century church designed by a Pugin student.

Kilskeer is 10 kilometres southwest of Kells in north Meath — the name means 'church of Scíre,' a saint who founded an abbey here in the 6th century. St. Scire's Abbey became large and prosperous, a place of learning and pilgrimage. Then came the Vikings, and the Irish raiders, and the burnings. The abbey was torched in the 10th and 12th centuries. What remains are ruins in the old cemetery, and the memory of stone.

The present church was built between 1847 and 1854 by the effort of Fr. Patrick Kelly, who was involved in the Catholic Emancipation, the Repeal, the Tithe War, and the Tenants' Rights movements — all the great Irish struggles of his century. The church was designed by JJ McCarthy, a student of the great Pugin, whose hand shaped Westminster and the ambition of the Gothic Revival.

In the old cemetery, you can see the remains of the Round Tower and the ruins of Faire Castle of Kilskeer, which used to stand on the abbey site. The village itself is quiet — people pass through on the way to Kells, which is bigger and has a name.

Population

~200

Founded

Abbey 6th century, Church 1847–1854

Coords

53.7500° N, 6.8500° W

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Stories & lore.

The reason to come back. The things every local will eventually tell you about, usually after the second pint.

6th century, burned three times

St. Scíre's Abbey

St. Scire's Abbey was established in the 6th century and became large, prosperous, and famous as a centre of learning. The Vikings raided it. Irish raiders burned it in the 10th century. It was burned again in the 12th century. Each time it was rebuilt; each burning was less kind to what remained. Eventually the site was abandoned and the great abbey became ruins and memory.

1847–1854, Pugin's student

JJ McCarthy's church

The present Kilskeer church was built 1847–1854 through the efforts of Fr. Patrick Kelly, a nationalist and reformer involved in Emancipation, Repeal, the Tithe War, and Tenants' Rights. The church was designed by JJ McCarthy, who studied under the great architect Augustus Pugin. McCarthy's hand shaped the interior of Westminster Abbey; at Kilskeer, he gave an Irish parish church the dignity of that tradition.

Medieval remains

The Round Tower and Faire Castle

In Kilskeer's old cemetery, the remains of the medieval Round Tower still stand — a survivor from the monastic age. Beside it are the ruins of Faire Castle of Kilskeer, which used to stand on the abbey site. Medieval stone answering medieval violence. The village grew up around what was left.