The Little Ark Church on Wheels: Moneen, Co Clare

In the 1850s, Father Meehan outwitted the local landowner on Loop Head who refused to allow Catholic Mass to be said on his property. The priest ordered a tiny wooden church to be built with large wheels. At low tide, the church was rolled onto the shore on the land between the high and low tide lines. Based on the law, no one owned that bit of land.

The rolling church became known as the Little Ark, and it has been preserved (minus the wheels) and is on display in the church in Moneen near Kilbaha on the Loop Head Peninsula.

• Clare Library: The Little Ark of Kilbaha

Written by Liam Hughes

Liam splits his time between the US and County Tipperary, Ireland. In addition to providing private tours of Ireland, he spends much of his time hunting for broken dishes which he crafts into beautiful shard jewelry. Liam’s Tips | Website