Moydow
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Moydow, (Irish: Maigh Dumha, meaning the plain of the burial mound).
Moydow is a village on the outskirts of Longford. It contains an old disused post office,disused school house, 2 pubs "The Vintage" and "Kearneys". Also it has one Roman Catholic Church and one disused Church of Ireland Church. ( Refer below)
[edit] History of Moydow
Moydow was once part of a territory known as Tethba. The barony was formed from the territories of Clanawlye (Ardagh & Moydow), and parts of the territories of Moybrawne (Taghshinny parish), Clanconnor (part Kilcommock, part Cashel parishes), and Muintergalgan.
Its ancient name was Cill-Modhint after St. Modhints church, which was destroyed by fire in 1155. (St. Modhint died in 591) Also in this area are the ruins of the oldest nunnery in Ireland.
Legend records that this was the site of the abbey of Kilmliodain, of which St. Modan or Moduid "the Simple," who was bishop of Carnfurbuidhe, was abbot in 591. The parish comprises 45771 statute acres, of which about 1203 are bog. A peculiar kind of stone, called pudding stone, is found on the isolated mountain of Slieve Gouldry, on the southern confines of the parish; and there is a quarry of freestone, which is worked for flags.
[edit] St Cremhthann or Cremtand of Moydow
Extracted from the book "Lives of the Irish saints" By John O'Hanlon,Published 1923.Original from Oxford University. Refer Link [1]
[edit] Moydow Castle
At the foot of the Slieve Gauldry Hills is a ruined castle there seems to be a variation in historical accounts. While researching extensively for this project the following documentation seemed to be an accurate account of the Moydow Castle.
1260 John de Verdon builds castle at Moydow (Co Longford). Refer link [2]
1295 Sefraid O fergail destroys castle at Moydow (Co Longford). This castle, which was located immediatly behind Bawn House, was levelled at the same time as Barry and Camagh castles. (ref. James G Farrell History of Longford 1891 p 316.
(Dates and names also extracted from "A new history of Ireland" By Theodore William Moody, Francis X. Martin, Francis John Byrne, Art Cosgrove. ISBN 0198217447). Refer Link:[3]
Record show it was again occupied during the 14th and 16th centuries the castle (also called Castlerea Castle) is situated one mile from Moydow Village. On the right side of the structure the arched doorway is visible. The castle is solidly constructed with two feet thick rock walls. Though the castle sits on solid ground, the area surrounding it is wet bogland. Once inside, looking up at the ceiling, or floor above the inside doorway, there is a hole about a foot square. This hole is common to many castles, including this type of tower castle. The opening is for viewing from above those entering the castle below. Friend or foe makes a big difference. This opening is called a "murder hole" and is used to stop those who are not welcome before they can proceed any further into the castle. By comparing this to other similar tower castles, we can assume that the lower floor was mainly a gathering place. The second floor was likely the dining area, the third floor would be the kitchen and the upper floors would be for sleeping. Tower castles were used for lookouts and to send warnings. If a castle was under attack, a fire would be built on top of the castle. It could be seen for about fifty miles to the next tower castle. Warnings of attacks were sent along in this way. In ancient times, tower castles were spaced about fifty miles apart and the ruins can be seen periodically as you travel throughout Ireland.For further reading refer to "Medieval Castles of Ireland" By David Sweetman ISBN 0851157882. Extract: The great age of Irish castle-building began with the arrival of the Anglo-Normans, traditionally dated to 1169, and continued right up to the seventeenth century. This is a study of the archaeology of Irish castles, from the middle ages to the seventeenth century, covering four hundred castles and earthworks.
To the left of the entrance is the opening to a very narrow and tightly spiraling rock staircase. The stairs spiral upward in a clockwise fashion for a purpose. If you are a right handed intruder ascending the stairs, you must turn your body to expose more of it to use your sword, making you more vulnerable and a bigger target to those above.
A couple of years ago, according to the current landowner who has had the castle in his family for the last 100 years (the previous owner had it for 300 years), a cow wandered inside the castle entrance and attempted to go up the spiral staircase. Cows will go up but not back down stairs. A large hole had to be punched into the inside wall of the second level staircase to lower the cow to the castle floor. (This is a local story which has some if not all truth as there is a hole punched where indicated above)
There is a chalybeate spring here but is not much used for medicinal purposes.
[edit] Bawn House
Another notable residence was Bawn House, near Moydow, now derelict. It was the home of the Monfort family for most of the eighteenth century and then passed to Caleb Barnes Harman, a land agent on the estate of the Harman family. He was fatally shot during a robbery at the house in January 1796. Refer link: [4]
[edit] Abbeyderg Monastery
The Augustinians had a monastery at Abbeyderg, near Moydow, founded c. 1200 by Gormgall O'Quinn, whose family opposed the O'Farrells, mainly in the Moydow area. Refer link: [5]
[edit] Townlands in Moydow
Aghinaspick,Aughine,Ballinvoher,Barroe,Bawn,Bawn Mountain,Bunalough,Castlerea,Castlerea Mountain,Cloghan,Cloonevit,Cloonker,Cloonmucker,Commock,Curraghmore,Garranboy,Keelogalabaun,Lisgurry,Meeltanagh,Mollyroe,Monascallaghan,Mountjessop,Moydow Glebe,Nappagh.Toneen
Map of Townslands: Refer link [6]
Longford County Library reference to the townslands of Moydow: Refer Link [7]
Most common surnames in Moydow in 1854
Surname No. of households
Farrell 31
Dowd 10
Donelan 9
McGarry 8
Ward 6
Kelly 5
Kennedy 5
Moran 5
York 5
Bole 4
1639 Census showed that McGiff was a principal name in Moydow. McGiff Cross is still an area of Moydow in Longford.
[edit] Moydow COI Church
The Church of Ireland church is a small plain building without a tower, erected about 80 years since, and was repaired in 1831, by aid of a loan of £50.Thomas Jessop born 1741,inherited Mount Jessop from his brother in 1784. He presented a bell; value £10.12.0, to Moydow Church, which may be the one still in use. He died 24th April 1825, and was buried at Moydow[citation needed]
[edit] Moydow R.C Church & Old School
The Catholic divisions the parish form part of the union of Ardagh, and has a chapel at Moydow. In the parochial school(no longer in use), partly supported by the incumbent and partly by the Ardagh Association, about 70 children were educated.
[edit] Moydow Graveyard Inventory
From Page and Stone. Ancestral Records of Moydow Co. Longford. Luke Baxter 1999. Available at Local Studies Section. Longford Library HQ. [8]
Ardagh & Moydow Parish Marriages [1792-1895] Refer Link:[9]
Ardagh & Moydow Parish Baptisms [1793-1895] Refer Link:[10]
Ardagh & Moydow Deaths [1822-1895] Refer Link:[11]
[edit] Report of the Committee for the Relief of the Distressed Districts in Moydow, circa 1823
From Mark Bloxham, Jnr. Esq. Moydow. County of Longford. 26th June 1822.Original from the New York Public Library
The local contributions for the poor of moydow, amount at present to £136 Irish. A poor market place held once each week for the distribution of oatmeal ( the only article provision used), at which those considered able to pay…… For continuation refer to Link: [12]
[edit] Regional and 3d topo map of Moydow, Ireland
Refer Link: [13]
[edit] Maps and Weather for Moydow, Ireland
Refer Link: [14]
Picture of The Vintage, Moydow: [15]
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[edit] Useful reference material
A New Gazetter or Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands and Narrow Seas
By James A. Sharp. Published 1852. Original from Oxford University. Refer Ling [16]
Medieval Castles of Ireland
By David Sweetman. Published 2000. ISBN 0851157882. Refer to link: [17]
Biographical account of John de Verdon. Extracted from Colonisation and Conquest in Medieval Ireland: The English in Louth, 1170-1330.
By Brendan Smith. Published 1999. ISBN 0521573203.Refer to Link: [18]
The Drowning of the Saints
Page 76. A poem By Paul Perry Refer to Link: [19]
