Abandoned Churches of Ireland

This latest book by Tarquin Blake documents over eighty abandoned churches of Ireland, preserving a record of fragile religious ruins. Their history, dating back to early Christianity in Ireland, paints a stark portrait of a Protestant aristocracy and a Catholic majority. As Protestant congregations declined in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, an attempt was made to keep churches open by uniting parishes. Eventually non-existent congregations forced closure of many churches. Valuables were removed, churches deconsecrated and abandoned. Blake's haunting images tell another fascinating story of troubled times. Color illustrations throughout.