St. Cronan's Church, Tuamgraney
| St. Cronan's Church | |
|---|---|
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| 52°53′48″N 08°32′22″W / 52.89667°N 8.53944°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Church of Ireland |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 10th century CE |
| Founder(s) | Cormac ua Cillín |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Mountshannon and Tuamgraney (Killaloe Union) |
| Diocese | Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe |
St. Cronan's Church is a 10th-century Church of Ireland church in Tuamgraney, County Clare, Ireland. It is the oldest church in continuous use in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Tuamgraney parish operates as a unit with the Mountshannon parish in the Killaloe Union of parishes in the Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe.
A wooden monastery was built at the site before 550 CE, most likely by Saint Cronan. Despite looting by vikings in 886 and 949, the monastery thrived. The current stone church was built by Cormac ua Cillín around 949–964 CE. In 1012, the church was repaired by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, whose brother Marcán was Abbot of Tuamgraney at the time. It is the only preserved building with a recorded link to Brian Boru. The building was extended in the 12th century. Archaeologically and architecturally, it is described as a Type 2 unicameral mortared pre-Romanesque church in Zone 2 (west of the River Shannon). Ua Cillin also built a round tower on the site, but this no longer exists. Outside the church is a large stone which appears similar to a washing stone found at Ross Errilly Friary in County Galway.
One of the earliest records of tower building in Ireland dates to Ua Cillin's obituary in the Chronicon Scotorum, which notes: “he had built the ‘great’ church and round tower” at Tuamgraney. The church is referred to in the Annals of Clonmacnoise and radiocarbon dating links it with Clonmacnoise, Dulane, Lorrha and Ardfert Cathedral.
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