St JAmes’s Church Mallow
St James’s Church Celebrates The Bicentenary in 2024
This is the place of worship for the congregation in Mallow. It is a Gothic style building though with a very distinctive ‘H’ shape, with a tower and steeple at one end and a large chancel at the other. It is built mainly in limestone, a local stone.
It was originally built in the 1820’s to accommodate 800 people but, with the removal of the side galleries it will now hold about 350. There is a wonderful sense of space and light which is most peaceful and welcoming.
St James’ Church entrance porch is home to an ancient stone. It dates from the late 1300’s and is the grave stone of a James Barry who claimed to be Lord of Kilmaclenine but who was deposed by the Bishop of Cloyne. Still protesting his rights he was buried in Mallow.
This park opposite St James’ Church is the original ‘Magh Ealla’, ‘The Plain of the Swans’ from which the name ‘Mallow’ is derived. The church was originally built down a driveway well hidden behind the main street buildings but the opening up of the new road has given the church a very prominent position. It was built in the grounds of the much older St. Anne’s Church which still stands as a ruin nearby.
How to Find Us
St James Church
St James Avenue
Mallow
Co. Cork
P51 HX53
About Mallow
We like to think of Mallow as the capital of North Cork. It is well placed for reaching every part of the county on the main road from Cork to Limerick and on a link route between the Cork to Dublin Road and Killarney
There are three bridges over the Blackwater River at Mallow. North of the town are the Ballyhoura Hills and immediately to the south are the Nagle mountains. Being only twenty minutes by road or rail from Cork, Mallow is quickly becoming a commuter town for the city.
Mallow is a busy trading town at the crossroads of Munster. Cork Racecourse is on the outskirts of the town and is a major venue.
Mallow has had an interesting history recalled now by the castle, built by the Normans to guard a ford on the river Blackwater and around which the town grew up; St. Anne’s Church, another Norman foundation and the scene of many important and notorious events! and the Spa House, built, in the 1700’s, where hot springs flow out of a limestone cliff and which attracted people from far and near to take the waters.
There are many historical sites in the town and all along the Blackwater Valley. They are almost totally undeveloped and unspoilt. There are good reasons why the Munster Blackwater is nicknamed ‘The Rhine of Ireland’. The main attractions in the town are the Spa House, the ancient St. Anne’s Church and the Castle.
There is an official web site for Mallow at: www.mallow.ie which contains masses of information and many links to other sites.