Old Seagoe Church

 

The Church of Seagoe (in Irish ‘Teach Do Ghobba – House of St Gobba or St Gobba’s Church) is one of three parishes in the diocese of Dromore that are in County Armagh. The saint was known as St Goban (in Latin) and he was commemorated on the 6th December.

In 1440 the parish of Seagoe was united with the parish of Annaloiste (where the Oxford island Nature Reserve is now). There was a further amalgamation in 1490 with the parishes of Shankill and Aghalee under the rectorship of Donald Magin. In 1788 the parish was separated from Shankill.

The church was repaired in 1622 but it was replaced between 1666 and 1669. Kilvergan was considered as a site for a new church but it was eventually built in the adjacent townland of Upper Seagoe.

In the cemetery which is used by all there is a great variety of headstone shapes, in metal and stone, obelisks, wall murals, kerbstones and sculptures.