Church of St. John, Cratloe
Facts and practical information
The Church of St. John, is the Roman Catholic parish church of Cratloe, in County Clare, Ireland. It was originally built in 1791 by Fr. James Ward, the parish priest at that time. Two transepts having been added to the original chancel and nave in 1806, by Fr. Jeremiah Cronin. The doorway to the right transept is a medieval doorway, believed to have come from one of the earlier churches of Kilfintenan or Craughaun in the parish. It is one of only three remaining 'barn' churches in Ireland built during penal times, a time when Roman Catholics were not allowed practice their religion. In 1828 Daniel O'Connell, an MP for County Clare who would later go on to be known as The Liberator, made a speech outside the church about the Catholic Emancipation Act, arguing that Catholic Members of Parliament should be allowed take their seat once elected, which was forbidden at that time. The quaint country church is popular for weddings, and a number of celebrity weddings have been held here, including that of Sharon Corr, of the musical group The Corrs. ()
Church of St. John – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)
Nearby attractions include: King John's Castle, Thomond Park, Bunratty Castle, Limerick Museum.