Templeport

Templeport civil parish is situated in the Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. The chief towns in the parish are Bawnboy and Ballymagauran. The large Roman Catholic parish of Templeport containing 42,172 statute acres was split up in the 18th & 19th centuries into three new parishes, Templeport, Corlough and Glangevlin.

The name of Templeport parish derives from the old townland of Templeport (which is now shortened to Port) which is the anglicisation of the Gaelic 'Teampall An Phoirt' ("The Church of the Port or Bank or Landing-Place"). The church referred to is the old church on St. Mogue's Island in the middle of Port Lake. This church fell into disuse in medieval times and a new church was built on the opposite shore of the lake. It was forfeited to Queen Elizabeth in 1590 and started use as a Protestant church in about 1610. It is very unlikely that the island church ever served as the parish church because there was only one boat available and it would have been extremely inconvenient if not logistically impossible for hundreds of worshipers to go to and from the church in time for mass, especially in rough winter weather. It was built firstly for the convenience of any pilgrim wishing to go to St. Mogue's birthplace and secondly as an interment chapel for the few family members attending burials on the island.

The earliest mention of the name in the Vatican archives is for 2 September 1414- To the archdeacon of Kilmore. Mandate to collate and assign to Magonius Macamragan, priest, of the diocese of Kilmore, if found fit, the perpetual vicarage, value not exceeding 6 marks, of Insula Brechungy alias Tempullapuret in the said diocese, collation and provision of which, on its voidance by the death of Andrew Macgamragan, was made to him by bishop Nicholas. He doubts whether the said collation and provision of the said vicarage which, as the pope has learned, is still void as above, holds good. Dignum [arbitramur].

The earliest mention of the name in the annals of Ireland is in the Annals of the Four Masters for 1496 A.D.- "M1496.17- Magauran, i.e. Donnell Bearnagh, Chief of Teallach-Eachdhach, was treacherously slain before the altar of the church of Teampall-an-phuirt, by Teige, the son of Hugh, son of Owen Magauran; and the marks of the blows aimed at him are still visible in the corners of the altar."

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