churches historical around portlaoise

The site of an old monastery founded allegedly by St. Comdhan or Comghan towards the end of the 5th century. The last historical reference to the monastery is in 1082. An oratory here was destroyed in 1041 and the monastery was burned in 1077. The present church was built in the 12th century, and has one of the finest Romanesque doorways in the country. The doorway has four orders, with capitals bearing heads with intertwined hair, an arch with foliage and animal motifs, the whole being topped b...

The first monastery was founded by St. Fiach, who was a bishop of all Leinster during St. Patrick's lifetime. One of the most famous abbots was Aedh who dedicated a life of St. Patrick, and who made the monastery a centre for studies dealing with St. Patrick.

The scant remains include two tall but undecorated granite crosses and a medieval church with pointed side-door....

Timogue church is a wonderful and rare church from about 1736. It has churchwarden glazing, a central raised pulpit against the East wall with communion-table in front skirted by elliptical railings. There is an impressive early monument on the northern internal wall to a "murthered" Fitzgerald of Morette, and the aisle is flagged with memorials also to members of the Fitzgerald family.

Nearby are two ring-forts, a ruined mill, the site of a tower house, and the home of kevin Higgins...

This a Protestant Church of St. John the Evangelist, built in 1786 and designed by James Gandon - one of Ireland's foremost architects. He also designed the Custom House in Dublin.
The church lies on the site of an older church was burnt down. It contains an elaborately carved font of 14th or early 15th century date. It is located near Emo Court....

In the cemetery is a late medieval church. the round-headed south window may have come from an earlier church on the same site. The trunk of a cross with a coat of arms and an inscription, put up in 1622 in memory of Florence Fitzpatrick and his wife, has been re-erected near the National School nearby....