ARDAGH

Co. Longford

Where the past is present for the future

Words and pictures by

XXXXXX, AEng AMIEI

05 May 2005
 ARDAGH

Co. Longford

Where the past is present for the future

Words and pictures by

XXXXXXXX, AEng AMIEI

[Student Number 98 1 5Z]
Synopsis
This paper was written as part of a Postgraduate Diploma Course in Applied Building Repair and
Conservation for the School of Graduate Studies.

The paper looks at a specific location in Ireland, Ardagh in the county of Longford, and appraises
the village on its history and architecture for its value in its role as a heritage village. Tracing the
development of the village from mythological times through to the modern day village. During
this journey through time we encounter mythological kings, saints, priests and landlords. Whilst
taking a look at varying styles of architecture through the ages we catch a glimpse of the socio-
economic times that provide a backdrop to the built environment.

Based upon the appraisal carried out in this paper it is hoped that fair and responsible judgements
may be made for developmental control and for initiatives to promote the area, both now and in
the future.

i
 This report contains 9200 words

I hereby certify that this paper has been prepared in its entirety by me.

Name:.........................................................

Signed:.........................................................

Date:.........................................................
Contents
Synopsis.............................................................................................................................................i

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1

Location and population ...................................................................................................................2

Origins and development of settlement. ...........................................................................................3

Prevailing and/or former use within the area and their historic patronage and the influence
of these on the plan form and building types..................................................................................10

Archaeological significance and potential of the area, including identification of any

scheduled ancient monuments. .......................................................................................................11

Architectural and historic qualities of the buildings and contribution they make to the
special interest of the area. .............................................................................................................14

Contribution made by key unlisted buildings.................................................................................27

Prevalent and traditional building materials, textures and colours.................................................39

Local details ...................................................................................................................................40

Contribution made by green spaces, trees, hedges and other natural or cultivated elements
to the character of the area..............................................................................................................44

Extent of loss, intrusion or damage. ...............................................................................................45

Appendix – Maps ...........................................................................................................................46

Bibliography and References .........................................................................................................52

iii
Tables
Table 1: Land apportionment for the Barony of Ardagh based on 1814 map of county
Longford...........................................................................................................................................2

Table 2: Monuments of Archaeological, Historical and Cultural Interest......................................13

Table 3: List of Protected Structures ..............................................................................................14

Plates
Plate 1: Remains of 8/9th century St Mel's Cathedral ....................................................................11

Plate 2: Ruined Norman church .....................................................................................................12

Plate 3: Base of pedestal cross........................................................................................................13

Plate 4: St. Brigid's Church ............................................................................................................16

Plate 5: St. Brigid's Parochial House..............................................................................................17

Plate 6: Stone house type 1 on western approach road...................................................................18

Plate 7: Stone house type 2 on western approach road...................................................................19

Plate 8: Stone house type 3 on western approach road...................................................................20

Plate 9: Stone house type 4 on northern approach road..................................................................21

Plate 10: Stone house type 5 on northern approach road................................................................22

Plate 11: Stone house type 6 on northern approach road................................................................23

Plate 12: Stone house type 7; the bailiff’s house............................................................................24

Plate 13: Fetherston crest above window of land agent's house.....................................................24

Plate 14 and 15: Stone house type 8; houses on the eastern approach road ...................................25

Plate 16: The old Glebe House .......................................................................................................26

Plate 17: The former Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks...............................................................27

Plate 18: The former Court House..................................................................................................28

Plate 19: The gate lodge to the eastern entrance of Ardagh House ................................................29

Plate 20: The gate lodge to the western entrance of Ardagh House ...............................................29

Plate 21: Early outbuildings to stable yard.....................................................................................30

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Plate 22: Early outbuildings to stable yard.....................................................................................31

Plate 23: Rawson Carroll stable buildings......................................................................................31

Plate 24: Ardagh house...................................................................................................................32

Plate 25: Ardagh House, including modern extensions..................................................................32

Plate 26: St. Patrick's Church .........................................................................................................33

Plate 27: Former Demesne School .................................................................................................34

Plate 28: The old National school ..................................................................................................35

Plate 29: Garda Barracks ................................................................................................................36

Plate 30: N & P Noone, electrical shop ..........................................................................................37

Plate 31: Lyons Post Office............................................................................................................38

Plate 32: Lyons public house..........................................................................................................38

Plate 34: Ornamental water pump and enclosure ...........................................................................41

Plate 35: Travellers' Rest ................................................................................................................42

Plate 36: Lych gate to St. Patrick's Church ....................................................................................43

Plate 37: The village green .............................................................................................................44

Figures
Figure 1: County map of Ireland………………………………………………………………….46

Figure 2: Map of County Longford……………………………………………………………….47

Figure 3: Map of the Barony of Ardagh…………………………………………………………..48

Figure 4: 1840's Ordinance Survey Map………………………………………………………….49

Figure 5: 1913 Ordinace Survey Map…………………………………………………………….50

Figure 6: Simplified map of the village…………………………………………………………...51

v
 Ardagh - Where the past is present for the future

Introduction
This paper has been written as part of a postgraduate study program in Applied Building Repair
and Conservation. It looks at the redevelopment of the village of Ardagh, County Longford by the
high gothic architect J. Rawson Carroll, under the instruction of the Fetherston family in the
1860’s and appraises how the village structure, both layout and buildings, fair in modern society
as a heritage village.

The paper is set out in sections starting with a snapshot of the location and population of the
village now. The layout and structure of the village is appraised and shown how this was overlaid
and incorporated into the early village and settlement, which grew up around the 5th century
cathedral of St. Mel (founded by St. Patrick). An overview of the materials used, where they
where sourced and how they were employed has been taken.

The paper will take the reader on a journey through the development of this village, which has a
history and importance on a par with places like Tara, Cashel and Uisneach. It is a place of kings
and saints and has been slowly forgotten by the general populace with the passing of time.

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Location and population
The village of Ardagh (Ard Achadh literally meaning ‘the high field’) is set deep in the rural heart
of the Irish midlands, four miles west south west of Edgeworthstown, in the County of Longford.
The area has its roots firmly placed in the annals of Irish mythological history. The village is set,
on average, three hundred and fifty feet above sea level with Slieve Gaulry being only six hundred
and fifty feet above sea level.

The area is predominantly arable, with an amount of bog land and a small body of water. From the
1813 map by William Edgeworth, commissioned under the orders of the Grand Jury of the County
Longford, the land apportionment for the barony of Ardagh was as follows (in statute acres):-

Arable land Bog land Water Total

20,640 acres 3,660 acres 100 acres 24,400 acres

Table 1: Land apportionment for the Barony of Ardagh based on 1814 map of county Longford

The population of the parish currently stands at 926 people in total. This is split between Ardagh
East, 529 people; and Ardagh West, 397 people (Central Statistics Office 2003). For the village
itself, the population is approximately 100 people - this is an estimate based on local knowledge
as the CSO only give figures for the parish as a whole.

2
Origins and development of settlement.
Ardagh and its environs are possibly the oldest localities known in the County of Longford, with
the exception of Granard. The origins of Ardagh fall into three main categories:-

Mythological/Pre-Christian

Early Christian

Modern, from the Reformation onwards.

Mythological/Pre-Christian Development

Ardachadh’s mythological past is dominated by Sliabh gCalraighe (Slieve Gaulry) after an ancient
tribe called the Calraighe who dwelt in the area for many centuries. This hill is now known locally
as Ardagh Mountain, or Brí Leíth, and is possibly one of the foremost important sites in Irish
history. It is mentioned in the Book of Tara in association with the legends of Midir.

These legends include one of the great Irish hero tales – Tochmarc Étaíne, or the Wooing of Étaín.
The tale tells of a beautiful young woman named Étaín, who dreamed of being carried off by a
handsome prince on his white horse to a land where no one ever grew old. One day a dark stranger
arrives, he was Eochu, King of Ireland. They fell in love and married. Étaín was happy until she
heard tales of the kingdom of Tír na nÓg, its ruler Midir of the Sidhe and his consort Étaín. It was
told that Étaín mysteriously disappeared. Étaín realised who she was. Midir soon found her and
they turned into swans and flew back to Midir’s kingdom, which has been associated with Slieve
Gaulry.

Slieve Gaulry, was more anciently known as Brí Leíth. The Dindsenchas1 explains to us the story
of how the hill acquired this name. The legend runs that Leíth, the son of a powerful chieftain,
loved Brí, the daughter of Midir, who lived upon this hill – then known as Tully-na-hearinaghtrihi.
Leíth arrived with his retinue of servants to ask Midir for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Midir
refused and a fight ensued, with Leíth being driven away. Brí then returned to her father’s house,
from which she then fled and subsequently died of a broken heart, the mountain – until sometime
in the eighteenth century – being known as Brí Leíth. The hill has of recent times been known as
Slieve Gaulry, Castlereagh Mountain and Ardagh Mountain. The latter is the name most
commonly used in present times, although Brí Leíth is under going somewhat of a revival.

1
The Dindshenchas is an eleventh century CE compilation of the lore of places, mainly contained in the
Book of Leinster.

3
In the Annals of the Four Masters (volume I, circa.1632CE) Ardagh is mentioned as the site of
King Aengus Olmuchaidh’s victory in which Smiorgiall, the son of Smeatha, King of the
Formorians, fell in 3790BCE. Aengus is said to have been fostered by Midir at Brí Leíth – as was
the custom of the time. Tradition has it that there are still lights seen on the hill and the giant,
Midir, still hunts at night – luring children into one of the many ‘swallyholes’ on the hill.

Finally, in the Book of Rights – edited by John O’Donovan, one of the fathers of Irish topography
and one of the pioneers of the Ordinance Survey in the early nineteenth century – among the
prerogatives of the High King (Ard Rhí) at Tara the bilberries of Brí Leíth were highly thought of.
From O’Donovan’s translation:

On the calends of August, to the King

Were brought from each respective district,
The fruits of Manann, a fine present;
And the heath-fruit of Brigh-Leithe;
The venison of Naas; the fish of the Bóinn;
The cresses of the kindly Brosnach;
The water of the well of Tlàchtgha too;
And the swift deer of Luibnech.

In fact, the tradition of collecting bilberries from the mountain on Bilberry Sunday, the first
Sunday of August, was still celebrated within living memory; and it is said that the ink made from
the juice of Ardagh bilberries was used in the Book of Kells.

Christian Development

With Ardagh being such an important site in Ireland, it only made sense for the early Christians to
focus on the area to establish a church to the ‘new’ religion. According to Colgan’s Acta
Sanctorum(1645CE) Ardagh became a place of some importance with the arrival of Maine, Son of
Niall the Great (also known as Niall of the nine hostages – the prince who founded the Ui Neill
clan). Gaedhil, under Niall and his sons defeated the Calraighe tribe and the sub-kingdom of south
Teathbha (Teffia) was divided between Maine and Cairbre – who was given the north from
Granard – sometime in the early fifth century CE. The last retreat of the Calraighe was Brí Leíth,
which became known as Sliabh gCalraighe (Slieve Gaulry). [O’Flaherty, Ogygia]

Soon after Maine established himself in Ardagh, St. Patrick is said to have arrived in the year
454CE. Upon St. Patrick’s arrival it is believed that St. Patrick baptised Maine as a Christian.
There is a story, from Tírechán’s Life of St. Patrick written at the end of the seventh century, that
during this ceremony St. Patrick inadvertently stabbed Maine through the foot with his crosier,

4
causing Maine some pain. However, with little being known about the new religion, Maine said
nothing, thinking it to be part of the baptismal process. It was soon after this event that St. Patrick
founded the religious community in Ardagh. It is here that St. Mel (Gaelicised as Melchu) was left
as Bishop.

[Colgan, Acta Sanctorum] ‘St. Patrick left Mel in Árd-achadh to the east and his sister in
Druimcheo to the west of the mountain called Brí Leíth, which
lies between the two.’

This appears to be borne out in references to a famous bishop Mel in Ardagh in the latter half of
the fifth century, in the various writings of the lives of St. Brigid written around the middle of the
twelfth century. This abbey, or monastery, was called an Abbey of Regular Canons, which existed
for at least five centuries – during which time its abbots were bishops of Ardagh. The dress of the
monks of this order was a long black cassock, with a white rochet (surplice) over which was a
long black cloak and hood. The presbytery of this abbey is a standing ruin, known as St. Mel's
Cathedral.

There is an important link between St. Brigid and St. Mel in that it is said that Mel was the bishop
that professed Brigid as a nun by presenting her with her veil of virginity and proclaiming her as
Bishop of Kildare Abbey, with her successors – while not being bishops themselves – continued
to hold a bishop’s jurisdictional authority up to the Synod of Kells 1152.

For sometime in Mel’s early stay in Ardagh he lived with his ‘holy sister’ – some authorities
quote his aunt Lupait, others St. Brigid. During this time gossipmongers spread the rumour of
untoward happenings in the household between Mel and Lupait. These rumours soon reached the
ears of St. Patrick and he arrived in Ardachadh once again. Mel, as proof of his innocence, was
found ‘dry-fishing’ – catching salmon in a furrow – giving the townland of Cora Thirim its name.
The holy sister carried hot coals in her breast without being burned from the Cross of Ardachadh
to the Pond of Killen (now known as Killinlastra).

We know from religious practises on mainland Europe that women were conhospitae and
involved with the distribution of Holy Communion; the priest distributing the host and the holy
women distributing the chalice of ‘Holy Blood’. This practise, according to the Catalogus
Sanctorum Hibernaiae (written circa 725CE), was discontinued sometime during the period 544-
598CE. Later the authority of St. Patrick was invoked to add weight to this - which may be a
reason of the tale of Mel and his ‘holy sister’.

5
The following years were somewhat turbulent for the settlement. As the following references
taken from the Annals of the Four Masters (Michael O’Clery, circa. 1632CE) indicate:-

“1087CE - Maelseachlainn, the son of Conor, King of Tara, was slain by Cathal, son of Miurigen
and the men of Teathbha ‘through treachery and guile’, in Ardagh, the seat of bishop
Mel. This may be seen as an act of vengeance of the older people, the Calraighe, on
the main representative of their conquerors, Maelseachlainn being of Niall’s blood.

“1095CE - the Dalraidians fought with the Ultonians, at which the heir to the Kingdom of
Ulster, Lochlen O’Carroll, was slain.

“1167CE - Cluaimnanhuia and Ardachadh, of bishop Mel, were burned, both their houses and
churches.

“1172CE - The sons of Armadh O’Rourk and the English plundered the residents of Annally (i.e.
the O’Farrells and the Magilligans). They drove off many cows and took many
captives. They afterwards made another incursion into Ardagh, and during the
expedition ravaged the County Longford, and slew Donnal O’Farrell, Chieftan of
Annally.”

With the arrival of the Normans in 1169CE there was a distinct change in the pattern of Irish life,
often pursued with acts of arms, with the enforcement of the feudal system. This was followed
through with even more zeal with the arrival of Henry II in 1171. The little community of Ardagh
seems to have flourished during this time, if the amount of churches is to be of any indication.
From the Register of Tristernagh2 refers to churches in the townlands of Coolcaw, Croshea and
Glen as sources of revenue for the Abbey.

In 1230, there was a battle between rival factions for the bishopric, resulting in the destruction of
the Episcopal house and the cathedral tower [Theiner, Vetera Monumenta,]. A similar occurrence
happened in 1496 when the O’Ferral sept were quarrelling between themselves. William O’Ferral,
who was appointed bishop of Ardagh in 1479, seized the chieftaincy of Annaly – taking captive
Rughraidhe, son of Irial O’Ferral joint chieftain, with another Rughraidhe, of the sept. It seems
that the joint office of Bishop and chieftain was not acceptable to all of the Anghaile. Ceatach was
proclaimed O’Ferral in succession to Rughraidhe the elder, his uncle. This led to an attack on
Ardagh and in a report to Rome it was stated that “the cathedral was all but destroyed, leaving it
without sacristy, without campanile, without bell, and with only one altar standing in the roofless
church” – this ruin is still standing.

2
Tristernagh abbey was an Augustinian abbey founded c.1200 by Geoffrey de Constentin, at
Ballynacarrigy, County Westmeath. The building still exists as a standing as a ruin.

6
Reformation onwards

All was quiet in Ardagh, until the early seventeenth century, the plantations were being rolled out
in Ireland, with Mary Tudor introducing the plantation system into the country in 1557 (Leix-
Offaly). However, it took until 1619 for the system to take hold in County Longford. There was an
attempt in 1612, with an inquisition set up in Ardagh to try and ascertain who owned what land,
but complications with the local landowners and chieftains caused the attempt to be abandoned. A
second attempt was made in 1615. The O’Farrell’s blocked this attempt. The third and final
attempt was in 1619 the plantation went ahead, where the O’Farrells lost a quarter of their land.

Ireland of the mid-seventeenth century was a turbulent place, with uprisings and wars affecting
the country, both here and in the United Kingdom. In England the civil war was coming to an end,
with Charles I of England being taken by the parliamentarians in 1646. Even after Charles
execution the Irish stayed Royalist, to the point of more Irishmen taking up the Royalist cause.
Cromwell landed at Ringsend in August 1649 to put down any rebellion in Ireland and seal her
fate. A group known as the Adventurers, one thousand three hundred and sixty wealthy
Englishmen who lent parliament money for the purposes of conquering Ireland, funded this
campaign. Cromwell left in 1650, after nine months of campaigning.

By 1653 the war was over and Ireland was conquered. Ireland lay in ruins and parliament huge
debts to settle. The Adventurers Act of 1642 obliged the English government to apportion the land
of Ireland to the Adventurers at the end of the war. By the act, land belonging to Irish rebels was
to be confiscated and replanted. This pledged away 2,500,000 acres of Irish land. First, however,
it was necessary to know what was available. A civil survey was commissioned for the purpose to
examine twenty-seven counties, Sir Thomas Wentworth having covered Clare, Galway, Mayo,
Roscommon and Sligo in his survey of 1636. This survey noted down details of the Irish
countryside. This survey showed a population of the Barony of Ardagh to be 19 ‘English
Protestants’ and 971 ‘Irish Papists’, a total of 990 people. The survey gives the names of three
gentlemen and fifteen of the principle Irish families.

An army physician, Dr William Petty (later to become Sir William), then subsequently mapped
the country. This survey is known as the Down Survey, as details were noted down. Petty
completed his commission within thirteen months, covering twenty-two counties. Sir William
realised the importance of the maps and spent subsequent years making maps of the remainder of
the country. A full set of maps were published in 1685, the most complete survey prior to the
ordinance survey of the 1840’s.

In 1657 Cromwell was appointed Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and appointed Christopher
Gough to make out a list of the forfeiting ‘Irish Papists’ of each county. This had the effect of
relieving 37 Irish of land in the Barony of Ardagh. This, however, did not mean that the families

7
were to be evicted as the new English owners did not necessarily want to leave their lands in
England, some just wanted to sell their new land to make a quick profit.

In 1682, one Nicholas Dowdall Esquire wrote a description of the town of Ardagh as follows:-

“………Ardagh is in the middle of the county. A place quite ruined, there being only a
few thatched houses. There is the ruins of the cathedral but clearly demolished.”
[Longford Essays in County History, Gillespie and Moran]

The village appears to have carried on as such until the early eighteenth century when the lands of
Ardagh had transferred to the ownership of the Fetherston’s.

The Fetherston’s arrived into Ireland in 1651 as a result of the Royalist loss at the battle of
Worcester. The Fetherston family reputedly lost the majority of there money during Cromwellian
civil war, having invested £10, 000 in the Royalist cause. Timothy Fetherston was beheaded after
the Battle of Wigan Pier and his two sons were killed at Worcester. Cuthbert, son of Ralph
Fetherston of Hethrage Cleugh, Co. Durham fled England with his wife and family. It is said that
they landed in Ireland and settled in Baronstown, Co. Westmeath. There is a story of them settling
there and living amongst the local Irish population, until the whole family fell ill with typhus
fever. The local people, feeling it was their duty, called upon the local priest to attend to the
spiritual needs of the family. However, it was at this juncture that the family revealed themselves
to be Protestant. Even after this revelation the local people still ministered to the families needs,
until their predicament came to the ears of the local landlord, by the name of Malone. Upon
hearing that there was a Protestant family dying in a hut on his land, he took them in and cared for
the family’s health, having them nursed back to health. He took the father and sons into the
household as gardeners and general helpers around his estate. In time they became wealthier than
the locals who first gave them shelter. When the eldest son came of age he joined the English
army and made a name for himself fighting in the Low Countries for the Duke of Marlborough,
being present at the battle of Blenheim. After a period of ten years he returned home a well-
dressed gentleman on a fine horse, neither his father nor mother recognised him upon his arrival.
At that time there was land being put up for sale about Ardagh, and being just recently back from
the wars he acquired five townlands in Ardagh. This tale however is given little credence in
official records of the time. In fact none of Cuthbert’s sons are mentioned in relevant documents
such as the 1660 Book of Survey and Distribution for Longford and Westmeath, nor in the 1690-
1703 Williamite Sales/Purchases of Forfeitures. Cuthbert's eldest son John, who would have been
the Army officer of the story, was in fact first styled as "of Castlekeeran", and later of Rath
County Westmeath. This John had four sons; Thomas, Cuthbert, John and Frances. It was this
Thomas who appears to have bought the land in Ardagh, becoming Thomas of Ardagh, having
previously being styled 'of Carrick’, renting or leasing this Carrick from William Sherlock of

8
Irishtown or Sherlockstown, Co. Kildare, whose daughter Mary he married in 1709. From whom
Thomas bought the land is unclear, but it appears from the Sales/Purchases of Forfeitures that
Fergus Farrell’s land in Ardagh (235 acres) was sold to one John Bonnington. From the
chronology it would appear that this is whom John Fetherston purchased the land from and
whether it included the ‘big house’, or whether Thomas himself commissioned the house, is not
clear. Thus started the Fetherston dynasty in Ardagh to last until the death of the Reverend Sir
George Ralph Fetherston in 1923.

The demesne developed around the ‘big house’ basing the local economy on agriculture. The
Fetherston’s were what is known as ‘improving landlords’ providing work and homes for the
locals where possible. During this time the country had a relatively long period of peace, with a
brief period of unrest at the end of the eighteenth century, which allowed the people to prosper.
During their time in Ardagh the biggest changes happened during the nineteenth century, under
the direction of Sir George Fetherston, with the addition of the ballroom (which is now the most
original part of the house and acting as a chapel for the Sisters of Mercy, who are the current
owners) and front porch, with arcaded conservatory, in the early nineteenth century, he also re-
landscaped the surrounding gardens. Later that century, after Sir George’s death in 1853, Sir
Thomas – Sir George’s eldest nephew - and Dowager Lady Frances Elizabeth, Sir George’s
widow, added the stable block and remodelled the village to the grand design of a high Gothic
Dublin based architect, James Rawson Carroll. Prior to the re-modelling of the village, there is an
entry in Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837, states that there were 142 inhabitants
dwelling in 25 houses. The village has changed very little in the past century in its style. Not long
after the completion of the village by Rawson Carroll St Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church was
constructed and consecrated (1881-1905) followed on by the parochial house circa 1905.

Sir Thomas was succeeded by his youngest son the Reverend Sir George Fetherston. Under the
Irish Land Act of 1903, Reverend Sir George sold the freehold of the farms to over 300 of his
tenants, although he retained some of the land and the ‘big house’ until his death in 1923. The
contents of the house went up for sale in 1923 and the house in 1924. The house was purchased by
the Sisters of Mercy and was opened as a Rural Home Economics College in 1927. The house was
badly damaged by fire in 1949, losing its top storey. The house was rebuilt with just two storeys,
rather than its original three, it has also seen major works and extensions in the latter part of the
twentieth century.

The village itself has changed little over the intervening years, with only a handful of twentieth
century building being constructed in the centre, including a new Garda Barracks, shops and a
pub.

9
Prevailing and/or former use within the area and their historic
patronage and the influence of these on the plan form and
building types.
The village was acquired over a period of two hundred years by six generations of the Fetherston
family. The estate grew from an initial 235 acres to 11,000 acres in the early twentieth century. As
stated earlier the Fetherston’s were improving landlords and during the latter part of the nineteenth
century they undertook an extensive building programme in the village, including relief work
during the famine years building the boundary walls to the ‘big house’. This remodelling still
provides the village with its almost unique character with very little modern intervention. The
remodelling encompassed the existing three winding roads in the village centre, with some
realignment to form a central triangle around which the buildings are arranged. The main centre of
the village comprises of the old Irish Constabulary barracks, court house, and land agents house
post office (now all private residences), National school (now the community centre), Protestant
church and deanery, shop, pub and clock tower (as a memorial to one of the Fetherston’s). The
Roman Catholic Church and new national school lie to the east of the village centre. This overall
arrangement has served the village for over a hundred years. Prior to this the village developed a
little more organically. From early ordinance survey maps the main features were similar to the
later layout, including police station, post office, church and deanery. All with the ever present
lands of the big house to the north side of the village.

The buildings described by Nicholas Dowdall in 1682 would probably have been single storey
dwellings known as cots – These were one roomed huts made of stone or turf, probably stone in
this area. The floor would have been earthen and the roof thatch. There were no windows with just
a small hole in the roof to allow the smoke to escape from the open hearth. The lack of chimney
would be due to the tax of 2 shillings for every chimney.

The founding influence on the village and its layout is the church of St. Mel. It is the foundation
of this that has enabled Ardagh to make the passage from its mythological roots to its present
standing as a heritage village – the remnants of this early history still stand at the heart of the
village.

10
Archaeological significance and potential of the area, including
identification of any scheduled ancient monuments.
The area has the potential for major archaeological finds, given the period and importance of the
area’s development. In fact there have been very few organised digs in the area. There was one
carried out cathedral during the nineteenth century St. Mel’s crosier found near the ruins of the
original church of St. Mel (see plate 1).

Plate 1: Remains of 8/9th century St Mel's Cathedral

There was also an excavation carried out, under the direction of Liam de Paor for University
College Dublin, in the nineteen sixties, concentrating primarily on the Fort of Maine in the
townsland of Back of the Hill. This dig also extended to the southeast corner of the present
Church of Ireland churchyard where the late eighth century/early ninth century church stands in
ruins. This site revealed postholes of three timber churches on the same site orientated on the
traditional east-west axis, but with one of the structures, unusually, one on a north-south
orientation. Unfortunately, apart from these few pieces of information, there was never a dig
report published with the findings.

11
The existing ruined church is built of limestone, probably from local quarries, of cyclopean
proportions, up to 8 foot long and 8 foot wide, laid in regular courses. There are projecting antae
at both front and back of the remains of the building, indicating an early structure – most likely
dating back to the eighth century A.D., making this ruin one of Ireland’s earliest churches. The
walls were stabilised in recent years and stand to the height of approximately six foot (1.8m) and
giving an internal dimension of 28 foot by 20 foot (8.5m x 6m).

As stated earlier, the cathedral church was destroyed by various acts of violence during its
lifetime. However, it is quite probable that the cathedral that is described as being destroyed by
the conflicts between the Farrell septs was in fact the ruined Norman (Romanesque) church,
which stands opposite what is now the community centre (see plate 2).

Plate 2: Ruined Norman church

This ruin has Romanesque doorjambs, which indicate a late eleventh century structure, which
would more than likely have been built with sacristy, campanile and bell, as was the style of the
Normans of that period.

The area has several townlands with interesting names, which could point to areas of
archaeological significance; Glenanaspic (Glen) and Aughanaspic indicating the areas importance
as a cathedral parish and site of the Episcopal See; Ardbohill meaning “Height of the Crosier”;

12
Cross and Bohernacross reflecting the location of the ancient termon crosses which marked the
limits of the Episcopal property. There is also historical evidence of the old Roman Catholic
Church from the late eighteenth standing in the grounds of what is now the heritage centre.

The following table is taken from table 5.2 of the Longford County Development Plan 2003-2009,
prepared April 2003 by Longford County Council.

Map Townland Site Description Grade

18 Glen Moat B

34 Ardagh Pedestal of Cross Base of cross C

54 Castlerea Castle In Ruins

Table 2: Monuments of Archaeological, Historical and Cultural Interest

Item 34, the pedestal of cross is a kneeling stone with the imprints of St. Patrick’s knees (see plate
3). This gives the townsland its name – Cross. This particular monument is excessively overgrown
and difficult to discern, although offerings are still tied to the nearby tree. The site is named as the
pedestal of cross, indicating that it was the site of a termon cross, delineating one of the
boundaries to the religious community of St. Mel.

Plate 3: Base of pedestal cross

13
Architectural and historic qualities of the buildings and
contribution they make to the special interest of the area.
Approaching the village from the west you pass a range of well-appointed single storey semi-
detached cottages, with steep pitch roofs, tiled with blue Bangor slates, wavy bargeboards, brick
chimneys and stone-mullioned windows – some retaining their leaded quarry glass. The stone
used alternates between sandstone on one pair of cottages and limestone on the next pair. This
style permeates the general style and feel of the village. The architectural style of the village was
very much influenced by J. Rawson Carroll. Rawson Carroll was a Dublin based high Gothic
architect. He was commissioned by the dowager Lady Frances Elizabeth Fetherston to remodel
the village, in memory of her late husband Sir George, in the 1860’s. From thee remaining records
of Patterson and Kempster – quantity surveyors in Dublin, the works appear to have started late
1864, or early 1865, continuing until sometime in the late 1870’s. The style of the village is fairly
typical of estate village architecture of the time and has parallel in Ireland with Greenore in county
Louth and the Bournville village in Birmingham, England. The high-pitched roofs are also
reminiscent of Swiss architecture, where Lady Elizabeth spent sometime with her husband whilst
he was convalescing after an illness during his later life.

Rawson Carroll was an established architect with several well-known projects attributed to him.
These projects include a tower to the north-eastern corner of the stables Tullynally Castle, County
Westmeath (c.1860); the chancel at St. Mary’s Church of Ireland parish church (east) (1869); the
remodelling of Portlaoise courthouse (1875) - originally attributed to Richard Morrison
(completed 1805); the major remodelling of Sligo Court House, Sligo town in the high Gothic
style out of the fragments of the original courthouse (1878); Classiebawn House, County Sligo for
Lord Palmerston; The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear hospital, Dublin; Lord da Vinci’s residence
County Cavan (now Ballyhaise Agricultural college).

The buildings that have an actual listing are as follows (taken from table 5.1 of the Longford
County Development Plan 2003-2009, prepared April 2003 by Longford County Council).

19. St. Brigid's Church Ardagh

20. St. Brigid’s Parochial House Ardagh

21. Fifteen Stone houses in Ardagh Village Ardagh

28. Old Rectory/Glebe house Ardagh

Table 3: List of Protected Structures

14
St. Brigid’s Church

The church was conceived by Dean Thomas Farrelly and a site for the church was provided by
Dowager Lady Fetherston in January 1859 on the east side of the village. The building was
actually begun in April 1878, the design having been undertaken by William Hague. Hague was a
pupil of J. J. McCarthy (known as the Irish Pugin) and probably best know for his work on the
College Chapel at Maynooth, county Kildare. The north elevation presents to the roadside, with
the church tower being placed in the corner of the chancel and north transept with an ornate
turreted stair tower placed in front of the tower.

The church is built of limestone, with cut stone windows and quoins. The tower and spire were of
local stone from a quarry on ‘the mountain’ and the cut stone from Ross in county Wexford, it
was completed in 1902, but was in a position to receive its bells by the 29 July 1900 – the
architect at this time being T. J. MacNamara of Hague and MacNamara. The bell itself was cast
by the bell-founders Murphy of Dublin, owned at the time by Mr McDonnell. The roof is covered
with slate and the tower and spire are adorned with pinnacles lucarnes and other gothic details.
Internally there is a conventional arrangement of nave, chancel, aisles and transepts. With the
nave carried on a three bay arcade of clustered polished granite columns. The roof itself is richly
panelled with timber.

The stained glass windows to the east window, the Stations of the Cross and the memorial
window to Dean Farrelly are by Mayer of Munich; with baptismal and visitation windows in the
west end are by J. Watson and Company of Youghal. There is also a memorial window dedicated
to Moydow by Messer. Ceppi and Sons, Wellington Quay, Dublin.

The marble altar rails were also designed by Hague, the contract for this was awarded to James
Pearse, father of those famous patriots of 1916 - Pádraig and Willie Pearse. The pulpit is of
marble and Caen stone and the pews in the church are of pitch pine. The church then had its
present organ installed in 1904, built in Bonn, Germany by Johannes Klaus to the specification of
Alphonse Haan – organist at St. Mel’s cathedral in Longford town. As final decoration there were
murals in the sanctuary and nave, painted by a Roman artist – Signor Amici – unfortunately over
time these decorations of mainly prophets and Doctors of the Church have been lost due to
maintenance and over painting.

15
 Plate 4: St. Brigid's Church

The building of this church is testament to the dedication of the parishioners at the time donating
time and money over the years, including local residents who were not part of the Catholic
Church. The Fetherston family donated land, money over the course of the building project,
including use of the ‘big house’ for the celebration meal in 1881 and use of the cricket field for
the fund-raising bazaar of 1901.

16
St. Brigid’s Parochial House

The credit left over from the funds to build the church of St. Brigid were transferred to the new
parochial house fund. The fund soon grew and St. Brigid’s Parochial house was built in the
grounds of the church, its design harmonising well with the ‘new village of Ardagh’.

Plate 5: St. Brigid's Parochial House

The house is an imposing structure of two storeys. Built of rusticated limestone with cut stone
quoins and features, reflecting the general style of both church. The cut stone probably coming
from the same quarry as the cut stone used for the church.

17
Fifteen Stone houses

These cottages are distributed along the three roads in the centre of the village and contribute
greatly to the aesthetic quality and feel of the village. They are a mix of single storey and two
storey units, built in sandstone and limestone, designed by J. Rawson Carroll as part of the
redevelopment of the village in memory of Sir George Fetherston during the late nineteenth
century.

As you approach the village from the west you encounter the first of these houses on the left hand
side of the road (see plate 6). This charming semi-detached cottage is built of sandstone with cut
Ballinasloe limestone surrounds to the window and door openings. The chimney is built with red
brick and the roof covered with blue Bangor slates. The right hand property retaining the
characteristic leaded windows.

Plate 6: Stone house type 1 on western approach road

18
The second pair of cottages (see plate 7) are built in similar style, but of limestone with the cut
Ballinasloe limestone surrounds to the window and door openings. The roofs are slated with blue
Bangor slates and also still retain the limestone ridge tiles and the decorative timber bargeboards
so prevalent in the village. The cottage on the left hand side retaining the original style leaded
windows. The cottage on the right hand side being used as the post office at the time of the 1913
Ordinance Survey. Both pairs of cottages retain their original outbuildings to a certain extent.

Plate 7: Stone house type 2 on western approach road

19
The next building we encounter is a single storey detached cottage (see plate 8). This cottage
reverts back to being built using the sandstone, with cut limestone quoins and surrounds to the
window and door openings. The roof is slated with blue Bangor slates and also retains the
limestone ridge tiles and the decorative timber bargeboards.

Plate 8: Stone house type 3 on western approach road

20
For the next style of cottage you must approach the village by the northern road. The first cottage
you encounter is a single storey detached property (see plate 9). This particular property has been
substantially ‘modernised’, although a certain amount of its original character remains in the
materials used for construction, i.e. the rusticated limestone, cut Ballinasloe limestone door and
window surrounds and blue Bangor slates to the roof.

Plate 9: Stone house type 4 on northern approach road

21
The next style we encounter is a single storey semi-detached cottage (see plate 10); built out of
sandstone with Ballinasloe limestone door and window surrounds, blue Bangor slates. Neither of
these properties retains their original windows.

Plate 10: Stone house type 5 on northern approach road

22
The next house type along this northern approach road is a single storey sandstone building (see
plate 11). This particular property operated as a post office in recent years, winning an award for
best sub-post office in Ireland in 1983 and 1985. The windows and door openings, as with the
other cottages have the cut limestone surrounds, with a trefoil opening above the entrance door.

Plate 11: Stone house type 6 on northern approach road

23
The last house type along this northern approach road is the bailiff’s house (see plate 12). The
person appointed by the landlord to collect the rents and deal with the tenants occupied this
property. This particular house is a detached storey and a half building in limestone with the same
steep pitched roof and Bangor slates and wavy bargeboards as the other buildings. The windows
are unique to this property, with its Gothic style arch windows to the first floor. Another aspect of
this property is the Fetherston crest above the ground floor window (see plate 13).

Plate 12: Stone house type 7; the bailiff’s house

Plate 13: Fetherston crest above window of land agent's house

24
The final houses in this tranche that make up the listing in the County Development Plan are
adjacent to the parochial house on the eastern approach road. These two blocks of semi-detached
cottages are a storey and a half, with ‘Dutch’ hips to the roof, which is covered again with Welsh
blue Bangor slates. The chimneys are brickwork, as are the surrounds to the door and window
openings. The first pair are constructed with sandstone and the second out of limestone. As you
can see from the photographs the cottages range through the whole spectrum of repair – from well
kept to dilapidated (see plates 14 and 15).

Plate 14 and 15: Stone house type 8; houses on the eastern approach road

25
The Glebe House

Built in 1823, with a grant of £100 and a loan of £1200 from the Board of the First Fruits, on two
acres. The building is three bay building of classical proportions (see plate 16) of three storeys
over semi-sunken basement and has stood empty and in a state of disrepair since the 1960’s. The
elevations are harled and had plain sash windows with a single storey single pedimented porch to
the north facing elevation. The windows have been replaced with timber boards, painted in such a
manner as to depict the original windows. The roof was re-roofed a number of years ago with
second-hand blue Bangor slates from a number of sources – including Stormont Castle. At the
time, work was also carried out to stabilise the massive chimney. These stabilising works were
undertaken due to the roof starting to collapse, with the roof debris causing the floors to collapse.
Although it was not possible to ascertain the exact manner of the stabilising works, I understand
that the works involved a large amount of reinforced concrete and steelwork to the ‘L’-shaped
chimneystack, which boasts a total of fifteen chimney pots. Access to the interior of the house was
not possible due to all of the openings being securely boarded up.

Plate 15

Plate 16: The old Glebe House

The house has a range of single storey limestone and brick outbuildings, forming a courtyard to
the west of the main house. These buildings are also standing derelict.

26
Contribution made by key unlisted buildings
There are several unlisted buildings from the main developmental period of the village and also
some mid to late twentieth century buildings, which also make a valid contribution to the life and
style of the village.

The Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks

The barracks (see plate 17) is now a domestic residence. This building is one of the Rawson
Carroll buildings and has the standard characteristics of the style still intact. From early
photographs the only apparent change is the front boundary wall. The walls are constructed with
sandstone, in keeping with the alternate use of materials – the building being between the clock
tower and the 1980’s post office.

Plate 17: The former Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks

27
The Court House

Situated on one side of the green near to the R.I.C. barracks is the courthouse designed by Rawson
Carroll. This building is of limestone, with the Welsh slated roof – although it has lost the wavy
bargeboards and the original leaded windows. Again this property is now a privately owned
domestic residence.

Plate 18: The former Court House

The Gate Lodges

The ‘big house’ has two gate lodges, one at the eastern gate (see plate 19) and one at the western
gate (see plate 20). These buildings were constructed sometime in the late 1860’s. There are un-
priced bills of quantities prepared by Benjamin Patterson in the National Inventory of
Architectural Heritage. These bills state clearly the materials and quantities used, including ‘sound
hard burnt local bricks’ for the common work such as chimneybreasts and doorjambs with ‘Athy
black’ for the external jambs and arches. ‘Best Bridgewater red brick’ for the chimneys above the
roof line. The roof was slated with ‘best Bangor duchess slating’, the term duchess referring to the
size of slate. The external walls are of limestone, with the cut stone being of Ballinasloe
limestone. The capping to the chimney’s being 6” chiselled granite.

28
Plate 19: The gate lodge to the eastern entrance of Ardagh House

Plate 20: The gate lodge to the western entrance of Ardagh House

29
The Stable Yard

The stables were built in at least two phases, one in the late part of the eighteenth century, or early
part of the nineteenth century (see plates 21 and 22) along with the gardens being formally
landscaped. The second phase was constructed under the guidance of Rawson Carroll in the latter
part of the nineteenth century (see plates 23).

The early buildings exhibit a basic style of farm buildings for the time. Each block being built out
of local limestone and roofed with Bangor slates. The buildings to the eastern side are slightly
unusual in the fact that the window and door surrounds are constructed with a yellow brick,
similar to that used on one of the range of cottages (type 8 of in this document).

The Rawson Carroll buildings consists of two coach houses, two stables, tack room with over
head lofts for storing grain, hay and straw, all constructed with limestone masonry. The roof
structure is an open roof with solid timber members and iron rods acting as a tie at what is
notional ceiling level. These rods have a iron rod acting as a hanger from the ridge down to the
centre of the horizontal tie (photograph unavailable).

Plate 21: Early outbuildings to stable yard

30
 Plate 22: Early outbuildings to stable yard

Plate 23: Rawson Carroll stable buildings

The stable yard fell into disuse over a number of years, but was restored between 1991 and 1994
as part of a Community Youth Training Programme with FAS. The coach house, stables and tack
rooms have been restored to their former glory, with the remaining buildings being remodelled to
become woodwork classrooms and a visitor centre

Ardagh House

The original house was constructed sometime around the turn of the seventeenth/eighteenth
century. The original building was a three storey over basement structure, being eight bays wide.
It follows a double pile plan, with a large entrance hall in the centre of the original building and
reception rooms opening off the hall and the main stairs to the right (east) of the hall. The property
was extended during the nineteenth century to give the Fetherston’s a ballroom to the south-east
corner of the house and a classical porch with an arcaded conservatory were also added to the
front.

31
 Plate 24: Ardagh house

The house has suffered two fires, both during the twentieth century. the first fire being during the
civil unrest of the nineteen twenties, although it was not badly damaged at this time, nor is it
known if the fire was started deliberately. The second fire was far more devastating, severely
damaging the house and leading to a major rebuild – but omitting the third storey. The house now
operates as a domestic science college, with the ballroom (the most untouched part of the house)
operating as a chapel for the household. The property is run by the Sisters of Mercy, who acquired
the house in 1927. The Sisters have extensively modernised and enlarged the house, with
extensions added in 1965, 1979 and 1997 (see plate 25 for full elevation showing extensions).

Plate 25: Ardagh House, including modern extensions

32
St. Patrick’s (Church of Ireland) Church

The Church of St. Patrick is a solid, three bay hall church, with tower to the west end. There are
vestibules flanking both sides of the tower, which is a characteristic of county Longford Church of
Ireland churches. This church was built in 1810 with grants from the Board of the First Fruits in
1812 of £900, with further monies being made available by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in
the 1830, for repairs to the building or possibly for the remodelling of the nave, which occurred
sometime in that period. This church would have operated as the cathedral church for a short time
until the Dioceses of Ardagh and Kilmore were united.

Plate 26: St. Patrick's Church

33
School Buildings

Throughout the nineteenth century there were two schools in the village; the Roman Catholic
school being a much lesser building, tumbled down and thatched – which was a great
improvement on the original ‘hedge’ school, which it replaced; the local Church of Ireland school
was a solidly built two storey masonry building with good roof slated roof, with accommodation
for the school master and mistress. This building cost £400 to construct [Lewis’s Topographical,
1837].

Neither of these schools are now standing. The Church of Ireland (Demesne) school was the first
to be rebuilt. This school was part of the remodelling of the village and was completed in 1892,
although it is referred to in the 1864 priced bill of measurement prepared by Thomas Carroll of
Patterson and Kempster quantity surveyors of Dublin for Rawson Carroll.

Plate 27: Former Demesne School

The Demesne school, which has now been extended and is used as a community centre, is indeed
a solid two-storey building of local limestone. The windows retain their leaded panes and their
surrounds, as well as those to the doorways, are of brickwork – possibly Bridgewater red bricks.
This building is attributed to the year 1892, but the date on the plaque may relate to when the
school was refurbished rather than its original construction date.

The school was once known as a ‘souper’ school. This is because, during times of hardship such
as the famine, the Protestant clergy would open the doors of the school as soup kitchen offering
nourishment and succour to those in need. There was, however, a catch to this arrangement. To

34
receive the fruits of the lord you had to be of the correct denomination. This was one of the efforts
to try and persuade Ireland to take on the religious beliefs of the Protestant religion. This was a
rather cynical move by some of the Protestant clergy and was not fully embraced, or endorsed by
the Church. Also there is no evidence that any such coercion was employed in Ardagh, given that
the Fetherston’s were generous and forward thinking landlords.

The new Catholic National school was constructed in 1898 (see plate 28) and follows the typical
layout as given as guidance by the new Education Authority of the time. This building has the
traditional boys’ entrance and girls’ entrance. The roof is covered with Bangor slates and has the
same wavy bargeboards as the majority of other properties in the village. The school has been
extended and is in use as a Heritage centre.

Plate 28: The old National school

The school was built in the grounds of the old Roman Catholic chapel, which was in use between
1829 and 1881 – when the new St. Brigid’s Church was opened.

The current National school sits opposite St. Brigid’s church, and is again of fairly typical late
twentieth century national school design. It sits back from the road and sheltered by a belt of trees.

35
The Garda Barracks

The Garda barracks were constructed in 1988 (see plate 29) under the guidance of the Office of
Public Works. The style of the building follows very closely the general architecture of the
village. The external walls are constructed of rusticated limestone, with cut stone to the window
and door openings. The roof is covered with blue Bangor slates and the ridge tiles follow the
historic style by using a white stone ridge tile, following Rawson Carroll’s requirements for a
“white English ridge stone”.

Plate 29: Garda Barracks

36
Twentieth Century Commercial Property

The village no longer utilises a courthouse, nor the bailiff house, but the village centre still plays
host to a small but thriving hub. This is made up of an electrical shop (see plate 30), which is a
two-storey solid masonry building, with a rough dash finish. This building is situated between the
new Garda barracks and the old courthouse.

Plate 30: N & P Noone, electrical shop

Moving west from here there is the new post office and public house (see plate 31 and 32),
situated opposite the village green. Both the post office and the public house are of similar styles.
Each being two-storey, gabled and rendered buildings. Each has blue Bangor slates to the roof.
Over the past ten years the village has also undergone a growth in the numbers of houses being
built. These buildings have strict control over their fenestration, exercised with due care and
attention by the Longford County Council planning authority.

37
Plate 31: Lyons Post Office

Plate 32: Lyons public house

38
Prevalent and traditional building materials, textures and colours
The feel of the village is very much preserved in the intrinsic use of specific materials and their
combination of form. The general building material is masonry, predominantly the use of hard
calcareous limestone from local quarries. This has been used extensively for the majority of the
secular and religious buildings; although the remodelling of the village was conceived with great
care to produce an almost chequered effect; by alternating the rich dark red sandstone buildings
with the harder, colder grey limestone. The stone work being rusticated and laid in regular
courses. The door and window surrounds generally being of cut Ballinasloe limestone – again a
few buildings have utilised both red and yellow bricks for this purpose. Later additions to the
village adopted the style of the times by roughcast rendering the elevations and painting or lime
washing them.

The roof pitches to the earlier buildings are generally much steeper than that required for the blue
Bangor slates, giving the buildings a uniquely Swiss feel to them, especially with the use of the
highly decorative fret worked bargeboards. Each property is topped off with ridge tiles, either of
Bridgewater blue tiles or English white stone tiles – this follows again Rawson Carroll’s vision
and specification. The chimneys throughout are of a style using Bridgewater red bricks and
capping stone, this gives a feeling of continuity throughout the small variance in style of all the
older buildings in the village.

The windows of the buildings fall into one of two main styles. Some were of a leaded window
style, constructed using wrought iron window bars and quarry glass panes throughout,
unfortunately a good portion of these windows have been lost and replaced with a variety of
modern styles and materials. The other buildings had vertically sliding timber sash windows.

39
Local details

The clock tower and water pump

The village is home to some attractive pieces of street

furniture. Again Rawson Carroll and Dowager Lady
Frances Fetherston are to be thanked for this.

The most imposing piece of work is the clock tower (see

plate 33), which stands to the wets of the village green.
This was erected as a memorial to the late George
Fetherston, with an inscription commemorating his
devotion to the ‘moral and social improvement of his
tenantry’.

This memorial is of limestone, again the carved Gothic

head and inscriptions are of Ballinasloe limestone, and
the rest of the tower is of local limestone ashlar. The
tower is on an octagonal buttressed base, with crocketed
pinnacles to the buttresses, tapering to the clock face
and crowned with a spire. This style of design is
reflected in the style of St. Brigid’s Church.

Plate 33: Fetherston memorial clock

40
Ornamental pump and enclosure

Situated across from the clock tower on the village green, is another of Rawson Carrroll’s touches.
Here we have an ornamental water pump and enclosure (see plate 34). This particular feature
would have been quite unusual as water pumps were still being installed in many areas as a
practical working mechanism.

Plate 34: Ornamental water pump and enclosure

41
The Travellers Rest

Plate 35: Travellers' Rest

This structure was built as a feature adjacent to the village green as a resting place for the weary
traveller. It is constructed using with rusticated and coursed limestone. With a stone seat built
under a Gothic arch. The top of the wall being constructed in a series of steps. (see plate 35)

42
The lych gate

Plate 36: Lych gate to St. Patrick's Church

A lych gate is a covered wooden gateway, usually with open sides, at the entrance to a churchyard
(see plate 36). It provides a resting place for the coffin and allows part of the burial service to be
carried out under cover if required. The word lych comes from the Saxon for corpse or dead.

43
Contribution made by green spaces, trees, hedges and other
natural or cultivated elements to the character of the area.

Plate 37: The village green

The village green was planned by Rawson Carroll as the centrepiece of the village (see plate 37).
The road through the village was re-aligned to facilitate the formation of the green. It has long
been the pride of the village and has contributed to the village winning the national tidy towns
competition as the ‘Best Village in Ireland’ as well as winning the County Award numerous times.

Ardagh has been taking part in the competition since 1958, winning for the National Category for
best Irish village for the first time in 1967.

44
Extent of loss, intrusion or damage.
Over the years little has intruded on the village. The losses have been few – excluding the possible
major losses of early architecture with the remodelling of the village. Intrusions have been limited
over the years until recent times when the economic and social climate has been such that people
have the wealth and inclination to move back to the countryside to work. This is a double-edged
sword for a village such as Ardagh, with it becoming an evening and weekend home for people.
With people buying in their supplies for the week from the town in which they work the village
becomes almost deserted during the day, with little prospect for the support of shop or post office.
The view of the village is one of pride, although there is a desire from people to build their own
home and to build it in a style in which they chose. This causes a dichotomy for people as they
wish to live in the village, but find themselves at odds with the planners who are trying to retain a
certain integrity of the village. The amount of intrusion, however, is fairly minimal at the moment.

45
Appendix – Maps

Figure 1: County map of Ireland

46
Figure 2: Map of County Longford

47
Figure 3: Map of the Barony of Ardagh

48
Figure 4: 1840's Ordinance Survey Map

49
Figure 5: 1913 Ordinance Survey Map

50
Figure 6: Simplified map of the village

51
Bibliography and References
Census 2002: Volume 1: population Classified by Area

Butler- Confiscations in Ireland

Registered Deeds (post-1708), Registry of Deeds, Dublin.

Registered Deeds (pre 1708) Public Record Office, Dublin.

Civil Survey 1641

Census 1659-61 (ed. S Pinder 1939)

Books of Surveys & Distribution of the Restoration (1660)

Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837

Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1846

The Williamite Confiscations 1690-1703 – J. Simms, London, 1956

Grand Juries of Westmeath (Vol. 2) - Lyons

Landowners of Ireland – de Burgh, 1878

County Families of the UK - Walford, 1915

Pagan Celtic Ireland – Barry Raftery, 1994

Historical Notes of County Longford – James P. Farrell, 1886

History of Parishes in Diocese of Ardagh – Frank McNamee, 1954

Longford: Essays in County History – R. Gillespie & G. Moran

J. Fleming – Ancestral Home of the Fetherston Family (Historic Irish Mansions No. 224 – Ardagh
House- in Weekly Irish Times, 17 August 1940

52