Church in Timogue

Situated on rising ground with Timogue River 88m to W and site of Timogue Castle (LA019-006----) 75m to SW. 17th century Church of Ireland church (LA019-007001-) in centre of graveyard (LA019-007003-) built on the site of or incorporating the fabric of a medieval church. This church site was reputedly founded by St. Maodhóg or Mogue the patron of Ferns, Co. Wexford (O’Hanlon and O’Leary 1907, 338), although O’Byrne recorded in the 19th century that the church was associated with St. Mochua. A late medieval limestone octagonal-shaped font (LA019-007004-) can be seen in the NW corner of the C of I church. In 1204 there is a reference to ‘Techmoedoch’ [Timogue]. In this year the Calendar of Papal Letters confirm ‘to Herluin, bishop of Leighlin, and his successors of their possession, namely of the city of Leighlin, Cluam, Eidnec, Thechmochna, Techmoedoch, in Nuaconghail, etc.’ ‘with their churches possessions and bondmen’ (Cal. papal letters, 18). In 1302 the ecclesiastical taxation of Ireland values the church of ‘Kylsondale’ (Timogue) as worth 5 marks a year (Cal. doc. Ire., 250). In 1551 the Tudor fiants recorded the ‘presentation of Patrick More [Moore], chaplain; to the vicarage of Tymoke [Timogue], diocese of Leighlin’ (Nicholls 1994, 161). The condition of this appointment was that, ‘Provydyd allway that he shall bring upe youthe off the masculyne sort in vertuis berynge to the settynge forth off the Kyng’s magestes procedyngs’. In 1564, Gerald, earl of Kildare was granted the ‘advowson of the rectory and vicarage of Tymoke alias Temoke alias Ferrynokelle [Timogue]’ (Nicholls 1994, 72). In 1585-7 the church of ‘Temoge [Timogue]’ was listed as one of the churches described as ‘ruinated but the lande not waste’ (Moore 1987, 7). Around 1588 an appeal to the Crown was ‘made by Hugh Cole, clerk, rector of Tymog [Timogue], diocese of Leighlyn, from a decree of Thady Dowling, vice-custos of the spiritualities of that vacant see at the instance of Gerrald Fitz Gerrott’ (Nicholls 1994, 626). The 1615 visitation of the Diocese of Leighlin described the building as ‘Cancella et ecclesia repata’ [Chancel and church repaired] (Moore 1987, 10). According to O’Hanlon and O’Leary (1907, 338) at Timogue ‘there is a very ancient cemetery (LA019-007003-), within which most probably stood an exceedingly old church, on the very site of the Protestant one which has replaced it’. Daniel O’Byrne of Timahoe recorded the following about the foundation of the present Church of Ireland church. He wrote that ‘Sir Walter Whelan was a Roman Catholic and resided in Timogue castle. He built a chapel in Timogue on the site of the ancient church founded by St. Mochua, and which building is now the Protestant church. Sir Walter Whelan, after some considerable time, is said to have sold the estate to Daniel Byrne’ (Anon. 1855, 193). This Mochua whose feastday is commemorated on December 24th is described as the ‘son of Lonan, of Tigh Mochua, in Laoighis, in Leinster. He was of the race of Eochaidh Finnfuathairt, from whom Brighit is descended’ (O’Donovan 1864, 347). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 3 June 2015