School: Tulach Sheasta, Clochair na Trócaire

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1. Ancient Places of Worship in Newport

   

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   With regard to the parish churches that served these districts up to the Penal days only, one - Ballymackeogh - is still standing, though now roofless and in ruins. This was the Church of the Parish of Kilvellane. John O'Donovan explains the name as the Church of St. Mullanus or Millane, the saint to which the parish was dedicated. He also mentions that in his day (circuter 1840) the memory of the saint was not celebrated nor was he even remembered as Patron Saint of the parish. Because of this silence of tradition on such an important matter in parochial history, one is inclined to doubt the association of St. Millanus with the parish at all. O'Donovan's derivation is probably guess-work, as the nature of his task left him without any documents to guide him. The Irish form of the name is Cill Meallain or Cill Maollain which appears simply to be Moylan's Church, or the Church buily by some local chief named Moylan. The later Canon Howard, of Newport, who was interested in these matters believed that the name had no connection with Saint Mellanus, but meant O'Moylan's Church.
   Some descendents of the O'Moylans still reside near Ballymackeogh. The Church of Kilvellane gave its name to the district which it served, namely the parish of Kilvolane. Later the townlands surrounding

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Rev. Patrick J. Lee

   Gender

   Male