Timahoe Abbey, castle in County Laois

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What is recorded here

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An Abbey was established here by the O'Mores. The lands were granted to Sir Thomas Loftus after the suppression and to Richard Cosby in 1609. The Abbey was fortified by the Cosbys in the late sixteenth century (JRSAI,Vol. LIV, 34; O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, 243) and they may have built a castle there during the reign of Queen Elizabeth (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 243). The fifteenth century church, to SE of tower, was transformed in the sixteenth century into a tower house (LA018-031006-) (Harbison 1970, 141), probably by one of the Cosbys. The only surviving feature of this church is a large arch (Wth 3.95m), possibly the chancel arch, which was blocked up and incorporated into the E wall of the castle. It is composed of punch-dressed chamfered limestone with evidence of diagonal tooling (Petrie 1845, 234-43; Crawford 1924, 31-42). Reference to a sheela-na-gig (LA018-031007-) at the doorway (Guest 1936, 114), not now visible. Remains consist of E wall (L c. 12.45m) and short returns of N and S walls. The E wall incorporates the blocked-up chancel arch. Large beam holes visible on the inner face of the E wall at first-floor level and also a doorway leading to a chamber in SE angle. Evidence of slit opes in remains of N and s walls, now much destroyed and otherwise featureless.

From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record LA018-031006

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Photo credits

liam murphy, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Maker not stated on source page, au.pinterest.com
LoriStrang, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Maker not stated on source page, www.pinterest.com
liam murphy, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Andreas F. Borchert, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Maker not stated on source page, es.findagrave.com
Maker not stated on source page, www.tripadvisor.com
Maker not stated on source page, monumentalireland.ie
Laois Today; individual photographer not named on source page (article by Jamie Dowling), www.laoistoday.ie

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