The Ancient Church of Knockerra

As you continue down this botharín to your right at the S bend would have been the site of the original church in Knockerra.

It was said by the older generation that this building, outlined but not shaded in, had been the original site of the church in Knockerra. Unlike the more modern churches that are generally in the shape of a cross this would have been a much smaller building more like a chapel. It must be remembered that the Penal Laws ran from 1695 until the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829. During this time you could not practice as a catholic and all churches were closed. That means this ancient church the older generation speak of would have been from before 1695 as in time Knockerra’s old church, cruciform in design, was erected in 1832 once the Penal laws were being relaxed and this church was moved into the village itself.

Extensive repairs were carried out in the late 1920s to this church. Local voluntary labour was used as well as paid labour.  The old wooden altar was transferred to Killimer Church. Local families donated seats. It had a cruciform shape and had two galleries. A decision was made in the late fifties to demolish the old church in Knockerra and the church as its known today was built between 1959-1961.