Kynog United: A brief background to the chosen title for our new Soccer club

In early Christian times, and particularly from the fifth to the ninth century, the island of Ireland was prolific with monasteries and tiny churches. The Gaelic word 'cill' comes from the latin word 'celle' meaning cell/church and is to be found in hundreds of placenames. When we see a townland or village such as Kilmore ( big church) or Kilnamanagh ( church of the monks) we can immediatley date the settlement as being early Christian.

Many of these settlements were founded at the edge of bogs, for various reasons: access to fuel; the remoteness of the location and good pastureland were all important elements when choosing a site to build a church. There are numerous early ruined sites in county Kildare, including that of the graveyard of Timahoe. I is, of course, inaccurate to refer to this settlement as just a graveyard, but because little of the church remains, it is understandable.

In Comerford's history of Kildare tells us that the 'site of the church is marked by a grave yard, in which some of the walls of the church remain, but are quite featureless.' He further states 'this church as we learn from the list of the histroian Dr. Mac Geoghegan, was dedicated to St. Kynog' In Latin, Mac Geoghegan, describes it thus:- "Ecclesia Sti. Kynogi de Tymochuo". ( the church of St. Kynog of Timahoe)

It is odd that Timahoe ( teach-Mochuo) which was a parish, a town land, and a village dedicated its church to another saint rather than to St. Mochua. It may never be clear why this is so. But quite often, followers of saints, became saints in their own right and so acquired a certain status. Historians have been unable to establish if St. Mochua ever resided in the area. But it would seem most likely that one of his followers ( Kynog) did.

Finally, the reason for spelling the name KYNOG over the more modern Gaelic CIANOG, is to retain the Latin element, as quoted by Mac Goeghegan above. Also, the letter K does not exist in the Irish Lnguage and Christianity and early Latin was contemporaneous, particularly within the monastic life of the island.

Aileen Saunders

28th June 2007.