Church (in Ruins) — Tibohine

The parish church of Tibohine, listed as Techbithirn in the ecclesiastical taxation of Elphin in 1306 (Cal. doc. Ire., vol. 5, 224) on an early monastery traditionally founded by St Patrick but probably founded by St Baithen Mac Cuanach in the late 6th century which had erenaghs into the 13th century but was probably defunct by then (Gwynne and Hadcock 1988, 45). The saint is Baoithín of Taghboyne, Co. Westmeath (WM025-078001-). He was connected with the Ceinéal Éanna branch of the Ceinéal Connaill sept of the powerful Northern Uí Neill but is not known to have had a connection with Tibohine (Ó Riain 2011, 89-90). It is possible that the saint is confused with St Beoaidh of Ardcarn (RO006-103002-), connected with the Corca Laoighde of south Munster but equally unconnected with Tibohine (ibid. 103). It is possible that the early church was at Curreentorpan (RO014-065001-) c. 5km to the S. Situated on a level landscape. The chancel (int. dims 4.55m E-W; 3.35m N-S), consisting of the E wall (H 3m) with a robbed window and the S wall (H 2.7m) survives in a subrectangular graveyard (RO014-021002-) (dims 80m E-W; 35m-50m N-S) defined by masonry walls with 18th, 19th and 20th century headstones and plain grave-markers, some of remarkable quality (Timoney 2013). St Baoithín's Roman Catholic church is immediately to the N. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revised upload: 15 June, 2015