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Medieval Monasteries 

Parish of Bagenalstown

Lorum

Lorum or Leamh Druim meaning the ‘ridge of the elms’is one of two monasteries founded by St Laserian in the 7th century. According to local folklore the saint arrived in Lorum seeking a place to build a monastery. He decided that wherever the sun should set on the skyline would be his chosen spot. The sun set over the half glen or Old Leighlin as presently known.

The Lorum site is on high ground about 3.5 Km from the River Barrow. Ownership of this site was transferred from Morgan Kavanagh to the crown in the year 1625.

Because of its historic and religious significance this ancient site is still in use and occupied by a fine parish church (C of I), constructed in the 19th c. At the rear of the present church is an earlier 18th c church now in ruins and a graveyard. The cross base referred to in the OPW extract 492 was located in this graveyard (see photo below).

Ruin of 18c Parish Church of Ireland

Our survey conducted in two stages between 2001 and 2003 located a total of 18 monastic buildings here dating from the 6th c to the 12th c. Fifteen of these were constructed of timber with clay/wattle walls. The earliest stone walled building was a church. Actually the ruined walls of this 10th c building were extended westwards to form the present ruined church in the 18th c. Other remains from that time include stables immediately north of the church ruin and a dry stone wall which separates the churchyard from the ‘church field’ Judging by the number and type of buildings it would appear that there was a small monastic community on site from the 6th to the 11th or early 12th c. Then followed a period of use as a parish church. The Church of Ireland have had a parish church from the 17th or certainly the 18th c to date.

The ‘ancient church‘ is building number 12.1 on our site map and illustrated below.

Lorum Graveyard

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A Topographical Dictionary of Carlow, Ireland
According to Samuel Lewis

LORUM, a parish, in the barony of IDRONE EAST, county of CARLOW, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (S. S. E.) from Leighlin-bridge, on the road from Carlow to New Rossj containing 1507 inhabitants. It comprises 5428 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £5033 per ann.; and contains Corries, the property of the Rudkin family, and Ballycormac House, late the residence of the Newton family. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Leighlin, episcopally united to the vicarage of Slyguffe and the rectory of Ballyellin, together constituting the union of Lorum, in the gift of the Bishop: the rectory is impropriate in Lord Cloncurry.

The tithes amount to £294. 4. 7¼., of which £196. 3. 1. is payable to the impropriator and the remainder to the vicar ; the tithes of the entire benefice amount to £609. 4. 7- There is no glebe-house or glebe. The church, an old building, containing two modern tombs of the Rudkin family, has been recently repaired at an expense of £184 defrayed by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Bagnalstown, and has a chapel at Ballinkellin.

The parochial school was built and is supported by subscription; and in the national school, which is aided by £10 per ann. from Lord Beresford, about 160 children are educated : there is also a Sunday school.

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