1220 – Collegiate Church of St Mary, Youghal, Co. Cork

St Mary’s Collegiate Church is one of the oldest churches in the country and occupies a site devoted to religious worship since early Christian times. The building is now a National Monument. The church is likely to have been a monastic settlement of Saint Declan of Ardmore in the middle of the fifth century. It was rebuilt in Irish Romanesque style in the late eighth century, and the Great Nave was erected in the year 1220.

Described by Samuel Lewis in 1837: “The collegiate church was a magnificent structure in the enriched Gothic style of architecture, with a lofty tower on the north side : it consisted of a nave, choir, transepts, and north and south aisles ; the nave and aisles have been fitted up for the parish church : the chancel or choir is a splendid ruin, the north transept is used as a vestry, and the south contains some ancient monuments of the founder, and also of the Earls of Cork and other branches of that family ; the latter transept is considered the private property of the Duke of Devonshire ; it is much neglected and fast going to decay. The edifice is remarkably handsome and contains a throne for the bishop, as Warden of Youghal, and a state pew for the corporation.”

Large-scale works of restoration were carried out between 1851 and 1854 possibly by W.H. Hill. Adjoining the building is a sixty-three foot donjon tower from Norman times, which is now used as the bell tower.