Caherabbey Upper

Caherabbey Upper is a townland in the civil parish of Caher, barony of Iffa and Offa West, Co. Tipperary. Its name in Irish is Mainistir na Cathrach Uachtarach.

Parcel 584923

Back to Caherabbey Upper

Caherabbey Upper

50 m

42 parcels are drawn. Click one to see it.© Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0

Area: 414 m²
Buildings: 3 buildings touch it. Their footprint covers 206 m².
Zoning: R1 Residential Existing (Cahir Local Area Plan 2021-2027) The objective
Townland: Caherabbey Upper

Planning applications on this parcel

No planning application touches this parcel in the national file, which goes back to 2010.

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches this parcel.

Recorded monuments around it

This parcel is in the zone of notification of 15 recorded monuments.

TS075-048 Historic town
Description
On the E bank of the River Suir. In the 3rd century AD there is a reference in the Book of Lecan to the destruction of Cahir fort (Burke 1909, 272) and there are other references to the fort in Brehon law texts (ibid.). In c. 1169 Cahir was granted to William de Braos and in 1215 the ownership of Cahir was granted to Philip Worcester and eventually passed, by his grand-daughters marriage, to the Birminghams, who possessed it until 1332 (ibid.). In 1375 the manor of Cahir was bestowed on James Butler, Earl of Ormond, in whose family it remained almost continuously up to the 19th century (ibid.). Cahir Castle was attacked in 1599 and captured by Elizabethan forces under the Lord Lieutenant Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 132-3). In 1647 Murrough "the Burner" O'Brien, Parliamentarian Lord President of Munster (Inchiquin), captured the castle which in 1650 was surrendered to Cromwell (ibid.). Upstanding monuments in the town include the castle (TS075-048001-); the abbey (TS075-048002-); the church (TS075-048003-); a holy well (TS075-048004-); a bridge ((TS075-048005-); a stone head (TS075-048006-); a stone plaque ((TS075-048008-); mills (TS075-048009-); weirs (TS075-048010-) and a graveyard (TS075-048011-). The precise location and extent of the medieval and early modern town of Caher is unknown. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011
TS075-048001 Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle
Description
On an island of rock outcrop in the River Suir, S of Castle Street. This castle was built in the 13th century either by Philip Worcester (died c. 1218) or his nephew and heir William who was granted Philip's lands in 1225 (Burke 1909, 272-3). It passed by marriage to the Berminghams, who lost it to the Crown in 1332 (ibid. 273). In 1375 it was granted to James Butler, the third Earl of Ormond and the Butlers continued to live in Cahir castle until the 18th century despite fluctuations in the family fortune (Manning and O'Shaughnessy 1999, 6-16). In 1599 the Earl of Essex, with the aid of newly developed artillery including cannon, culverin and two 'petayers' or mortars, captured the hitherto impregnable castle as part of a campaign to quash an Irish rebellion (Cairns 1985, 110). The castle was again captured in 1647 by Lord Inchiquin on behalf of the Cromwelliams and had to be retaken by Cromwell in 1650 (Manning and O'Shaughnessy 1999, 10). In the 18th century the family left the castle vacant and moved to a new house (now Cahir House Hotel) facing the main square of the town (Bence-Jones 1988, 53). Between 1840 and 1846 repair works were carried out on the castle by the then owner Richard Butler of Glengall and his architect William Tinsley (Manning and O'Shaughnessy 1999, 15-16). No further work was carried out until the castle was taken into State care as a National Monument in 1964. Although Cahir castle was built in the 13th century, its appearance today is largely due to 15th and 16th-century rebuilding and 19th and 20th-century restoration. Within the curtain wall, which itself incorporated six mural towers/turrets, there is a great hall, a square keep and three courts. The keep was actually the gatehouse of the original 13th-century castle and bawn, the latter now forming the inner court. The keep was originally two storeys high. The arched gateway through the centre of the ground floor has a vaulted chamfer on either side and a large chamber above at first-floor level. In the 15th/16th century the gate of the keep was blocked up and a gate built immediately E of the keep. At this stage an extra floor was inserted at first-floor level the gatehouse was also heightened by the addition of battlements with a gabled attic within. Also during this period a projecting square turret was built onto the SW angle. The 15th/16th-century doorway, placed at the W end of the N wall, is protected by a machicolation at parapet level, there is evidence for an external yett and on entering the lobby it was defended by a cross-loop facing the doorway. The flat-headed single and two-light windows with hood-mouldings date to the 16th-century modifications. On the E wall of the keep there is an unusual incised carving depicting the interlocked outline of two heads and a central figure (Holland 1988, 15-17). The great hall was also entirely rebuilt in the 19th century, only the present W wall is early. The S wall may have originally extended further back incorporating the large fireplace to the W of the N face of the keep, though it is also probably that the fireplace was built to serve a kitchen beyond the hall (Manning and O'Shaughnessy 1999, 34). A large three-storey square tower at the NW angle of the bawn dates from the 15th century (Manning and O'Shaughnessy 1999, 32). The original entrance, which is in the S wall and entered from the hall, was protected by a murder-hole (ibid.). The ground floor is vaulted with two early gun-loops in the N wall and the first floor has a fireplace and a garderobe chamber (ibid.). The circular tower to the N of the entrance gate and the ground floor of the NE tower in the inner court, appear to have been prisons. To the W of the NE tower there are steps leading down to a well tower, an important feature in times of seige. The rock-cut steps seem to be early in date, though the upper portion of the tower is probably 17th century. The house known as 'Cahir Cottage' (TS075-048016-) and the conical roofs of the towers at the S end of the outer court were built in the 1840s. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 28 April 2014
TS075-048002 Religious house - Augustinian canons
Description
At the N end of Cahir, on the E side of Abbey Street, N of the railway line and accessed via a lane opening out onto the main street. The priory of St. Mary was founded for the Augustinian Canons Regular by Geoffrey de Camville in the 13th century, c. 1220 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 162). In 1540 the prior Edmund Lonergan surrendered the monastery to Henry VIII (ibid.). At this time the church was found to have been a parish church and so was not taken by the Crown (White 1943, 331; Hodkinson 1995, 148), however, the remaining abbey buildings were granted to Sir Thomas Butler, who was created the Baron of Cahir in 1542. The priory remains consist of a church with crossing tower and a range of buildings to the S, including a large vaulted chamber, a tower and the possible remains of the refectory. There is also a length of wall to the S running E-W which may be part of a later enclosure or bawn. The church consists of a chancel (ext. dims. 19.45m x 9.7m) and crossing tower (ext. dims. 6.32m x 9.05m, excluding the stairwell in the NW corner). There is no surviving nave, this may have been destroyed when the crossing tower was being remodelled in the late 16th/17th century for domestic use. Some of the sandstone windows in the chancel were altered in the 15th century with limestone inserts and an elaborately decorated E and N window were also added at this date, with an interlace pattern on the exterior of the E window. The five-storey crossing tower appears to have been a four-storey structure originally. The high semi-pointed arches of the tower originally connecting the chancel and nave have been blocked up on the E side while the W wall of the tower seems to have been entirely rebuilt. The internal fittings, staircase and later fireplaces are very fine and there are interlace patterns on the jambs of the doorway in the N wall of the ground floor. A blocked doorway in the S wall of the chancel gave access to the claustral buildings. Immediately S of the chancel are a series of vaulted chambers, aligned E-W, although little survives of the most northerly. S of these, aligned N-S is a long barrel-vaulted chamber (int. dims. 10.9m x 2.82m), which is thought to have been the chapter room. This is very poorly lit, with only a single-light window in the W wall which is now blocked. Access to this room was from the vaulted ground floor of the S residential tower. This narrow, rectangular tower (int. dims. 6.42m x 2.15m), is at least four storeys high. E of this tower are the remains of the S wall of a building which may have been the refectory. This wall, which contains a series of sandstone windows, has been much altered, with windows shortened and gun ports inserted in the embrasures. In 1994 most of the E range and part of the S range were excavated (Pollock 1995, 80). The chapter house was identified by its unusual shape and by several burials below its floor (ibid.). It was not vaulted originally and it extended an unknown distance beyond the E range but was later shortened to present a continuous E wall (ibid.). An early stair was identified immediately N of the chapter house, giving access from the cloister to the first floor (ibid.). A second stair was built in the late 15th/16th century alongside a barrel vault in the (former) chapter house (ibid.). Most of the E range was barrel vaulted at this stage, simultaneous with a major reconstruction of the church (new tower, N wall, E window) (ibid.). An early drain was exposed at the S end of the range, probably part of a first-floor latrine (ibid.). When the first floor was converted to private apartments in the later 16th century a garderobe tower replaced the latrine (ibid.). In the S range the base of an intramural stair was identified below a fallen arch (ibid.). The stair would have led to a pulpit in the wall of the frater; the arch would have been a relieving structure over the narrowed wall (ibid.). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 6/1983).
TS075-048003 Church
Description
On the N side of Old Church Street, on a precipitous N-facing slope, with a good view of the town to the N and W. It is aligned E-W and occupies the E end of the graveyard. The medieval parish church of Cahir is described in the Civil Survey of 1654-6 as having 'a house roome on the North of the sd Church' (Simington 1931, vol.1, 359) which was probably a residential building added onto the church proper. The church was in use for Protestant worship until 1820 (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 133). It is a much-modified multiperiod structure. It has a long rectangular plan and is constructed primarily of limestone, though the earlier features are of sandstone. The church appears to be of 13th-century date with later rebuilding in the 15th/16th century. Early features include two sandstone ogee-headed windows in the E gable and the probable remains of the S jamb of a central window. This window was replaced in the 15th/16th century by a mullion and transom four-light limestone window which has three interlace patterns carved on the external side. The earliest doorway appears to be in the S wall. This sandstone, pointed doorway is now blocked up and only visible externally to a height of 0.86m above ground level. The church was later altered and divided to accommodate both Protestant and Catholic worship. Notable features include a bellcote on top of the W gable, a corbel on the S wall with a carved human head and a piscina below. There are a number of loose architectural fragments, both in the church itself and reused as grave-markers in the graveyard. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011
TS075-048004 Ritual site - holy well
Description
On the W bank of the River Suir, c. 60m SW of Cahir abbey, at the base of a steep rock outcrop precipice under young beech trees. This well is in the form of an irregular-shaped pool (dims. 2m x 4m; D 0.2m) in rock outcrop with no enclosing element. Clear water is visible bubbling out from under a rock on the S side. Two streams emanate from the well, flowing sluggishly to the N and S, where they meet a larger stream (former mill race) and eventually join the river. It is indicated as 'Lady's Well' on the 1st (1840) and 2nd (1901-05) ed. OS 6-inch map which may be a religious reference to 'Our Lady'. There is no evidence of religious veneration. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 29 April 2014
TS075-048005 Mill - unclassified
Description
N of Cahir town and c. 50m N of Cahir Abbey (TS075-048002-). Two 19th-century mills are indicated on the 1st (1840) ed. OS 6-inch map as 'Flour Mills' and on the 2nd (1901-06) ed. map as 'Abbey Mills - Corn'. These may be on the site of the grist mill mentioned in the Civil Survey (1654-6) as being on former abbey land though by 1640 it was in the ownership of 'John Shiarloge of Watterford Esqr and his wife Anstace Shiarloge Irish Papists' (Simington 1931, vol.1, 359). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 29 April 2014
TS075-048006 Bridge
Description
Immediately N of Cahir Castle, forming the part of Bridge Street which crosses the River Suir. The bridge at Cahir is depicted in Pacata Hibernia published in 1633 (O'Grady 1896, vol. 1, 53) and actually consisted of three sections of bridge which connects the E bank of the Suir, the town side, with the castle on an island in the river, another section which connects this island with another island to the N, and a third section which connects this latter island with the W river bank. The 'Bridge of Cahyr' is mentioned in the Civil Survey (1654-6) (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 260). The present bridge, constructed of limestone rubble, still spans these three sections of the river. It is an 18th-century bridge but may incorporate earlier fabric. The mid-section is the largest and consists of six round arches with dressed voussoirs, parapets with rounded-limestone copings and V-shaped cutwaters upstream to the N. The E section consists of three segmental arches with dressed voussoirs and cut-limestone copings. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011
TS075-048007 Architectural fragment
Description
Inserted in the W end of the S wall of a private dwelling, number 7, Castle St., Cahir, at second-floor level (the house is three-storeys over basement). A large sculpted male head, probably of 15th-century date, with almond-shaped eyes with eyebrows, long aquiline nose, thin-lipped mouth, large jug ears sticking out on either side and ribbing to indicate hair. The head has been painted white. It is similar in style to the carved stone heads which form the terminals for the upper internal mouldings of some of the windows of the Augustinian priory (TS075-048002-) which is c. 400m to the N. It may have come from the Augustinian priory and was incorporated in this later building. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011
TS075-048008 Memorial stone
Description
Inserted in the S-facing wall of number 13 Castle St., Cahir, at second-floor level between two windows, above a business premises at ground-floor level, a butcher shop. It is a small rectangular limestone plaque with a thin border around the edge. Carved in relief there is a capital I on the dexter side and a capital E on the sinister side. Within the centre there is a pyramidal arrangement, with a capital M on top, a capital W and I on the middle row and finally on the bottom row the date 1717. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 29 April 2014
TS075-048010 Weir - fish
Description
A weir is mentioned in the Civil Survey as being located 'upon the River of Shewer belonginge to the sd Lord of Cahyr neere the sd Mansion house' which is Cahir castle (Simington 1931, vol.1, 350-51). This may be at the site of the V-shaped weir which is indicated on the 1st (1840) ed. OS 6-inch map in the river N of the castle and immediately N of the mid-section of the bridge (TS075-048006-). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011

And 5 more.

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands on this parcel.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Ground and risks

Radon: At the centre of this parcel, about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home
Landslides: The 1:50,000 map gives no landslide susceptibility class here. Parts of the land are made ground.
Terrain model: No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of this parcel.
Flooding: The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

Download this parcel as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program. GeoJSON, in WGS 84, suits a map, and KML opens in Google Earth.

Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee.

Area: 248 ha; 613 acres
Land parcels: 352; registered freehold, median 538 m²
Zoning: R1; Residential Existing
Planning: 38; applications since 2010

Land parcels

Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann

Caherabbey UpperBallydrehid Barnora Raheen Lissava Carrigeen Caherabbey Lower Townparks

1,000 m

414 parcels are drawn. Click one to see it.© Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0

352 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Caherabbey Upper, from 5 m² to 346,132 m² (34.61 ha, 85.53 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 62 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, or as GeoJSON or KML.

Zoning

Development plans, national zoning

R1Residential Existing (New/proposed residential)
Cahir Local Area Plan 2021-2027, Tipperary · 227 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
P5Agricultural (Mixed/general primary sector uses, including 'rural')
Cahir Local Area Plan 2021-2027, Tipperary · 66 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
M2Town Centre (City/Town/village Centre, central area)
Cahir Local Area Plan 2021-2027, Tipperary · 16 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
C6Enterprise and Employment (Mixed/general commercial/industrial/enterprise uses)
Cahir Local Area Plan 2021-2027, Tipperary · 11 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
R1New Residential (New/proposed residential)
Cahir Local Area Plan 2021-2027, Tipperary · 4 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
G5Open Space (Mixed/general 'green'/recreation/conservation, other)
Cahir Local Area Plan 2021-2027, Tipperary · 3 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
S3Social and Public (Community facilities)
Cahir Local Area Plan 2021-2027, Tipperary · 0 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

Planning applications

Sites that touch the townland, newest first

12 Feb 2026N/a
existing as constructed extension as well as Planning Permission to complete the same extension and convert the existing ground floor garage into residential use forming part of the main dwelling & all associated site development works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2660114
6 Aug 2025Conditional
construction of an enclosed yard for the parking of trucks and trailers including boundary fencing, new entrance and all associated site development works
Permission · Tipperary County Council, 2560770
19 May 2025Conditional
extension of existing dwelling and all associated site development works
Permission · Tipperary County Council, 2560443
23 Apr 2025N/a
(i) dwelling and effluent treatment system using the existing entrance to the property along with all associated site works and (ii) PERMISSION FOR RETENTION to keep the existing temporary dwelling, associated store and the existing septic tank system on the site for the duration of the construction of the proposed new dwelling
Permission, 1 home · Tipperary County Council, 2560348
3 Apr 2025Conditional
a) retain as constructed change of use from garage to habitable space and b) retain extension to the rear of my dwelling as a living space at all associated sitework and ancillary works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2560278
3 Dec 2024N/a
demolition of existing single storey rear extension and construction of a two storey rear extension and all associated site works
Permission · Tipperary County Council, 24274
29 Oct 2024N/a
demolition of existing single storey rear extension and the construction of a two storey rear extension and all associated site works
Permission · Tipperary County Council, 24241
10 Jul 2024Conditional
a two storey extension constructed to the rear of the dwelling and associated site works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 24154
12 Feb 2024Conditional
the base of existing extension to the existing fabrication workshop. Planning Permission is also being sought for (i) the completion of this extension, (ii) the construction of a new workshop (iii) the construction of the new paint shop and all other site development works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2460095
14 Jan 2024Conditional
an existing extension to the existing dwelling and all associated site works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2460020
30 Oct 2023Conditional
(i) alterations to our existing dwelling and (ii) to construct extensions to our existing dwelling and all associated site works
Permission · Tipperary County Council, 2360872
31 May 2023Conditional
(i) extensions & alterations to dwelling previously granted under planning refs P3.13326 & P3.14392 ; (ii) various outbuildings to rear and side of dwelling and (iii) the detached structure previously used as an artists studio
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2360369
24 Apr 2023Conditional
existing garden sheds, garage and all other unauthorised ancillary site development works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2360266
24 Apr 2023Conditional
(i) to increase the height of the existing roof and install 2 no. dormer roof windows & (ii) to enlarge the existing windows and front door to the existing dwelling and all associated site works
Permission · Tipperary County Council, 2360267
28 Feb 2023N/a
(i) the increase in height of the existing roof and install 2 no. dormer roof windows & (ii) the enlargement of the existing windows and front door to the existing dwelling and all associated site works.
Permission · Tipperary County Council, 2360133
7 Feb 2023Conditional
the extension, modification & renovation of existing dwelling and all associated site works
Permission · Tipperary County Council, 2360083
8 Dec 2022Conditional
unauthorised construction of a) a lobby to front of dwelling, b) construction of 2 no. side extensions to the existing dwelling house, c) elevational alterations to dwelling together with all associated site works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2260676
30 Nov 2022Conditional
the as constructed storage yard, boundary fencing and entrance including all associated site development works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2260660
11 Nov 2022N/a
the as constructed (A) a lobby to front of dwelling, (B) construction of 2no. side extensions to the existing dwelling house, (C) elevational alterations to dwelling together with all associated site works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2260611
29 Jul 2022Conditional
changes to front elevation as laid out and constructed
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 22494
5 Apr 2022Conditional
a) an extension to the rear of the existing warehouse, b) advertising signage to the front of the warehouse, c) internal layout changes and associated site works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2260158
8 Dec 2021Conditional
to retain the following 1. Increase in floor area of rear extension, 2. Changes to roof elevations of rear extension to accommodate first floor development, 3. Changes to internal layout, 4. Alterations to existing elevations, 5. Revised location of effluent treatment tank and percolation area. All from that as previously granted Planning Permission under Planning Reference number 04/849. And for permission to demolish south facing single storey sunroom, for additional alterations to roof and wall elevations, to extend the first floor of rear extension, to construct a domestic garage all with associated site works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 211772
3 Dec 2020Conditional
an existing extension to an existing dwelling and all associated site works
Retention · Tipperary County Council, 201446
30 Jul 2020Conditional
dwelling, garage, effluent treatment system and entrance and all associated site works
Permission, 1 home · Tipperary County Council, 20848
16 Jul 2020N/a
dwelling, garage, effluent treatment system and entrance and all associated site works
Permission · Tipperary County Council, 20781

The 25 most recent of 38 applications.

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Nature and heritage

Designated sites and recorded monuments

Designated sites

Special Area of Conservation: Lower River Suir SAC 002137

Recorded monuments

TS075-044001 Ritual site - holy well
Description
On a gentle SE-facing slope. Area is currently a landscaped public amenity. Entrance with gate from the road and a trackway leds to the well. Well is called 'Tobar Iosa' (Jesus' Well). According to Power (1908, 23) inc. 1843 the swamp surrounding the well was drained, however, he goes on to say that 'rounds' were 'made here from time immemorial'. According to the sign at the entrance to the well, erected in 1993, the well's Pattern Day was on Christmas Eve and this was observed up to the end of the 19th century. Also at the gate at the entrance to the well there is a crudely carved stone cross. Power (1908, 23) records that this was carved by Roger Sheehy who was aged 80 c. 1908. The well is key-hole shaped in plan. The main well is roughly oval in shape (diam. c. 1.6m NE-SW; 1.85m NW-SE) enclosed by a wall (T 0.49-0.59m; int. H 1.25m; ext. H 0.25m) with an outflow into a roughly rectangular pool. This outflow is constructed using two gutter-stones, upper stone placed upside-down on the lower. The rectangular pool (dims. 1.45-1.78m NW-SE; 2.05m NE-SW), is also enclosed by a stone wall (T 0.39m; int. H 1.05m; ext. H 0.5m), which widens towards the SE. Water exits from the rectangular pool via an overflow in SE wall, an flows as a small stream to join a larger stream c. 20m to SE. The oval well has steps down to the water in SW quad. The water at time of inspection was clear and 0.17m D. There are two modern shrines NW of the well, containing statues and prayers, though the smaller, more elaborate, shrine also contains an incised cross-slab (TS075-044002-) which is flanked on both sides by roughly shaped sandstone stones. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011
TS075-044002 Cross-slab (present location)
Description
In a shrine immediately N of Tobar Iosa (TS075-044001-). According to Power (1908, 23) the stone with 'a small inscribed cross in a circle, was found many years ago together with the smaller rude cross, in a bog close to the Bansha road, a full half mile from the well. This information I had from the actual finder, Roger Sheehy, aged eighty years at the date of my interview'. Location of small 'rude cross' is unknown. The cross-slab consists of central crude stone (H 0.76m; Wth 0.35m; T c. 0.21m), conglomerate with quartz pebbles, with incised latin cross with expanded terminals enclosed by circle (diam. 0.26m) and incised cross (dims. 0.1m x 0.12m) above. A metal cross has been inserted into the top of this stone. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011
TS075-048002 Religious house - Augustinian canons
Description
At the N end of Cahir, on the E side of Abbey Street, N of the railway line and accessed via a lane opening out onto the main street. The priory of St. Mary was founded for the Augustinian Canons Regular by Geoffrey de Camville in the 13th century, c. 1220 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 162). In 1540 the prior Edmund Lonergan surrendered the monastery to Henry VIII (ibid.). At this time the church was found to have been a parish church and so was not taken by the Crown (White 1943, 331; Hodkinson 1995, 148), however, the remaining abbey buildings were granted to Sir Thomas Butler, who was created the Baron of Cahir in 1542. The priory remains consist of a church with crossing tower and a range of buildings to the S, including a large vaulted chamber, a tower and the possible remains of the refectory. There is also a length of wall to the S running E-W which may be part of a later enclosure or bawn. The church consists of a chancel (ext. dims. 19.45m x 9.7m) and crossing tower (ext. dims. 6.32m x 9.05m, excluding the stairwell in the NW corner). There is no surviving nave, this may have been destroyed when the crossing tower was being remodelled in the late 16th/17th century for domestic use. Some of the sandstone windows in the chancel were altered in the 15th century with limestone inserts and an elaborately decorated E and N window were also added at this date, with an interlace pattern on the exterior of the E window. The five-storey crossing tower appears to have been a four-storey structure originally. The high semi-pointed arches of the tower originally connecting the chancel and nave have been blocked up on the E side while the W wall of the tower seems to have been entirely rebuilt. The internal fittings, staircase and later fireplaces are very fine and there are interlace patterns on the jambs of the doorway in the N wall of the ground floor. A blocked doorway in the S wall of the chancel gave access to the claustral buildings. Immediately S of the chancel are a series of vaulted chambers, aligned E-W, although little survives of the most northerly. S of these, aligned N-S is a long barrel-vaulted chamber (int. dims. 10.9m x 2.82m), which is thought to have been the chapter room. This is very poorly lit, with only a single-light window in the W wall which is now blocked. Access to this room was from the vaulted ground floor of the S residential tower. This narrow, rectangular tower (int. dims. 6.42m x 2.15m), is at least four storeys high. E of this tower are the remains of the S wall of a building which may have been the refectory. This wall, which contains a series of sandstone windows, has been much altered, with windows shortened and gun ports inserted in the embrasures. In 1994 most of the E range and part of the S range were excavated (Pollock 1995, 80). The chapter house was identified by its unusual shape and by several burials below its floor (ibid.). It was not vaulted originally and it extended an unknown distance beyond the E range but was later shortened to present a continuous E wall (ibid.). An early stair was identified immediately N of the chapter house, giving access from the cloister to the first floor (ibid.). A second stair was built in the late 15th/16th century alongside a barrel vault in the (former) chapter house (ibid.). Most of the E range was barrel vaulted at this stage, simultaneous with a major reconstruction of the church (new tower, N wall, E window) (ibid.). An early drain was exposed at the S end of the range, probably part of a first-floor latrine (ibid.). When the first floor was converted to private apartments in the later 16th century a garderobe tower replaced the latrine (ibid.). In the S range the base of an intramural stair was identified below a fallen arch (ibid.). The stair would have led to a pulpit in the wall of the frater; the arch would have been a relieving structure over the narrowed wall (ibid.). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 6/1983).
TS075-048004 Ritual site - holy well
Description
On the W bank of the River Suir, c. 60m SW of Cahir abbey, at the base of a steep rock outcrop precipice under young beech trees. This well is in the form of an irregular-shaped pool (dims. 2m x 4m; D 0.2m) in rock outcrop with no enclosing element. Clear water is visible bubbling out from under a rock on the S side. Two streams emanate from the well, flowing sluggishly to the N and S, where they meet a larger stream (former mill race) and eventually join the river. It is indicated as 'Lady's Well' on the 1st (1840) and 2nd (1901-05) ed. OS 6-inch map which may be a religious reference to 'Our Lady'. There is no evidence of religious veneration. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 29 April 2014
TS075-048012 Bullaun stone
Description
Immediately inside the graveyard entrance to the Augustinian Abbey (TS075-048002-), to the E, resting on a purpose built stone plinth, there is a split multiple bullaun stone. This stone, which is a sandstone conglomerate with white quartz (H 0.41m; dims. 0.86m x 0.52m), contains four circular depressions (ranging from Wth 0.1m x D 0.1m to Wth 0.26m x D 0.21m). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 25 June 2014
TS075-048015 Graveyard
Description
Sub-rectangular graveyard (dims. c. 50m N-S; c. 33m E-W) immediately W of the abbey building, bounded by a stone wall. Indicated on the 1st (1840) ed. OS 6-inch map and on the OS 25-inch map as 'Grave Yd.'. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 29 April 2014
TS075-061 Enclosure
Description
On a SE-facing slope in gently undulating terrain, in pasture. A ringfort (TS075-061----) is located c. 250m to the SW. Monument identified as an oval cropmark on an aerial photograph (Air Corps V.311/2974-5). The enclosure is not visible at ground level. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011
TS075-081 Headstone
Description
Embedded upright in the grounds of Bengurragh House, 0.6m S of the S wall of the wall garden and 30m W of house. This late 17th-century headstone (H 0.46m above ground; Wth 0.39m; T 0.13m), the upper sinister angle is broken off. The english inscription, in an naive style, reads, 'Here Li... Bodi Of M[?]... the wife of I. F. deceaced the 2[nd] of No[vem]ber 1675'. Sadleir (1910-12, vol. 8, 628) states that, 'The house at Bengurragh, formerly called Upper Cahir Abbey, was built by a Quaker named Fennell. According to local tradition this stone was erected by one of his ancestors, and removed by him from Cottage Hill Cemetery, which Lord Glengall, in order to extend his park, cleared, early in the last century [1800s], breaking the headstones and throwing the remains into the Suir'. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 24 June 2013

Architectural heritage

Cahir Presbyterian Church, meeting house, 1830–1835 · Regional interest
Description
Detached four-bay neo-Classical church, built 1833, single-storey except for west end which had women's meeting room to higher level, with entrance porch to north elevation and single-storey addition to west elevation. Hipped slate roof to main block and porch, pitched to addition, with cast-iron rainwater goods. Random rubble sandstone walls with dressed sandstone quoins. Round-arched recesses to long elevations and to east end with brick voussoirs, having round-headed timber sliding sash eight-over-twelve pane windows with brick surrounds and stone sills, blind to east elevation. Square-headed replacement timber windows to upper west end elevation. Square-headed windows openings to porch with brick surrounds, timber sliding sash six-over-six pane to east wall and blank to east. Render plinth and chanelled render surround to entrance opening, with timber panelled double-leaf door, paned overlight and stone threshold. Vehicular entrance gateway to random rubble sandstone eastern boundary wall, flanked by pedestrian entrances, having cut sandstone piers with caps and chamfered plinths and decorative spear-headed cast-iron double- and single-leaf gates.
Suir Bridge, viaduct, 1850–1855 · National interest
Description
Triple-span railway viaduct over River Suir, built 1852, on railway line between Limerick and Rosslare Harbour. Comprises wrought-iron box girders supporting transverse girders across bottom flanges, supported on paired octagonal-plan cut limestone masonry piers in river, in turn borne on battered coursed rock-faced limestone bases with U-cutwaters to each end, piers having plinths with moulded copings and tops supported on moulded corbelled courses and stepped coursed cut limestone salients to south side. Landward abutments with similar detailing to river piers, but consist of single masonry mass with recessed half-round ends and canted piered ends to projecting front faces, centres of faces slope back upwards. Landward ends of superstructure girders hidden behind castellated half-hexagonal cut limestone turret-like façades having pointed-arch openings to centre facets. Cut limestone walls extend from turrets, with octagonal cut limestone terminials with corbelled tops and finials.
House, 1760–1800 · Regional interest
Description
End-of-terrace two-bay three-storey house, built c. 1780. Pitched artificial slate roof with inserted rooflights, rendered chimneystack and cast-iron rainwater goods. Rendered walls. Square-headed timber sliding sash windows with dressed stone sills, three-over-three pane to ground and second floors and six-over-six pane to first floor. Square-headed entrance opening with timber battened door, forming unit with one ground floor window. Entrance at south gable leading to rear yard and having corrugated-iron gate.

Ground and risks

Radon, landslides, flooding

Radon: At the centre of the townland of Caherabbey Upper, about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home
Landslides: The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as high, moderately high, moderately low, low, partly inferred. Parts of the land are made ground.
Terrain model: No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Caherabbey Upper.
Flooding: The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Homes sold

Property Price Register

No address of the register names Caherabbey Upper with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Tipperary.

The townland

Name: Caherabbey Upper · Mainistir na Cathrach Uachtarach
Area: 2,479,770 m² (247.98 ha, 612.76 acres)
Civil parish: Caher, and its townlands
Barony: Iffa and Offa West
Electoral division: Kilcommon, the unit of the census
Census 2022: 2,308 people lived in 877 households in the Kilcommon electoral division. 64% of households owned their home. 18% of homes were built since 2001. 13% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 0% were holiday homes.
Neighbouring townlands: Ballydrehid, Barnora, Caherabbey Lower, Carrigeen, Lissava, Townparks
Placenames: Caherabbey Upper on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address. Old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.