Ballyellin Parish Church, Carlow

Ballyellin

Parish Church and Font

On my way home from St Mary's Church in Gowran, I stopped at Ballyellin Parish Church. The low walls of the church stand within a rectangular graveyard. The structure looks quite early, judging by the roughly coursed limestone blocks used in its construction. The west gable is the highest wall surviving and this is now covered with ivy. Lying inside the church below the gable is an octagonal stone font minus the stand. Another interesting feature is an irregularly shaped font, sitting on a pedestal, at the entrance to the graveyard. This could be a bullaun stone. There are a large amount of early gravestones located around the graveyard and inside the church.

Ballyellin Parish Church and Font On my way home from St Mary's Church in Gowran, I stopped at Ballyellin Parish Church. The low walls of the church stand within a rectangular graveyard. The structure looks quite early, judging by the roughly coursed limestone blocks used in its construction. The west gable is the highest wall surviving and this is now covered with ivy. Lying inside the church below the gable is an octagonal stone font minus the stand. Another interesting feature is an irregularly shaped font, sitting on a pedestal, at the entrance to the graveyard. This could be a bullaun stone. There are a large amount of early gravestones located around the graveyard and inside the church.
Octagonal Font	Looking east
Font/Bullaun ?	Early slab

	Situated: From Goresbridge head east on the R720. About 400 metres, after you cross the river into Carlow, you can see the west gable of the church on the northside of the road. Discovery Map 68: S 6897 5397. Last visit Aug 2018. Longitude: 6° 58' 52" W Latitude: 52° 37' 58" N Google Map Photos: Jim Dempsey.