St Senan's Church, Inniscarra
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| St Senan's Church | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Church of Ireland |
| Website | cupcork.ie |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | George Beale |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Clergy | |
| Rector | Robert Ferris |
St Senan's Church is a small Anglican Gothic Revival church located in Inniscarra, County Cork, Ireland. It is dedicated to Senán mac Geirrcinn, who is the patron saint of Inniscarra.[1]
Along with the Church of Saint Peter in Carrigrohane and the Church of the Resurrection in Blarney, it is part of the Carrigrohane Union of Parishes in the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne, and Ross.
The church was built to replace an earlier church nearby.[2] This early church was built in the Early Georgian period, with a tower being added in 1756 by the Church of Ireland rector after the building was confiscated from the Catholic Church.[3] It was abandoned after the construction of St Senan's, and is now a ruin. It sits on the site of a 6th-century church founded by St Senan.[4] The original site selected by the monk was then called Tuaim nAba, and was situated between three River Lee channels[5] which many centuries later were made into one during the construction of the Ballincollig Royal Gunpowder Mills. The place currently referred to the Inniscarra Graveyard, or just St. Senan's, was first a monastery, founded by St. Senan in 523 or 530. The settlement consisted of a number of monastic huts. The St Senan's church was built later, and changed hands between Catholics and Protestants. [6]
One of the notable persons buried in the graveyard was Thomas Tobin, a British merchant who played an important role in the history of the nearby Ballincollig.[7] The graveyard, with separately designated protestant section,[8] is not used as an active burial place anymore due to the lack of space,[9] but is still a frequent day-trip destination due to its picturesque location by River Lee's turn.[10] Rowing and rafting competitions have often had their starting point at that spot of the river.[11] With the site being distanced from the road and village, there are frequent garbage dumping incidents there.[12]
