Twomileborris - Burgeas dha Mhile

The Parish of Twomileborris encompasses 55 Townlands, an area of about 5 by 9 miles (8 by 14 km) and had a population of under 3,000 in the 1980's.

The Catholic Parish of Moycarkey/Borris straddles the Dublin-Cork Road, and lies to the south and east of Thurles, the main city of Tipperary ¹.

There are three parish churches:

• St Peter in Chains, Moycarkey, the principal church, where the parish records are kept
• St Kevin, Littleton, which is the largest village in the parish - about 1,000 people
• St James, Twomileborris, (4 miles east of Thurles). There is a long tradition in the parish that the people of the area will be safe from lightning through his protection

The Delaney townlands of Borris, New Hill, Coolcroo and Monaraheen are close to Twomileborris, which has the Irish name of Burgeas dha Mhile ², after King Mile ³. The village is small, 3 shops, a garage and 2 hotels, a cemetery, in addition to the Church.

The original church was in the townland of Leigh, at Liathmore. There are two churches still visible on an old monastic site, founded by St Mochoemog ⁴. The larger of the two churches was begun in the 12th century, and contains a number of tombs. This area was a place of considerable religious and ecclesiastical importance in Ireland at the time, where bishops and abbots came to pray and take counsel, and their final rest.

The Liathmore churches are classified as a National Monument of the Republic of Ireland. There are about 600 such monuments in the republic, one of the most famous being the Rock of Cashel Churches and Abbeys, located in the South-east of Tipperary.

Prepared by D.J. Delaney

¹ Here's a large scale map of the south-east of Ireland showing Twomileborris at ref H14.

² Another less serious meaning is given for Twomileborris by the Monty Python team in their book 'The Meaning of Liff '.

Twomileborris (n.)

A popular East European outdoor game in which the first person to reach the front of the meat queue wins, and the losers have to forfeit their bath plugs.

³ This O'Brien clan page has a reference to King Mile. Here's the relevant part:

The Irish race is popularly known as the Milesian race, descended from Mile of Spain. Kings of Ireland in 1000 B.C. were descended from King Mile ...

There's many references online to Milesius, King of Spain.

⁴ Thanks to Famous People Of Irish Origin - Saints - L through Z we know that:

"St Mochoemog or Mochaemhog, Abbot of Liathmore, now known as Leigh, parish of Two Mile Borris, County Tipperary. Born in the vicinity of Limerick, educated by his Aunt Saint Itha, and Saint Comgall at Bangor. He founded the great monastery of Liathmore, which he successfully defended against many attacks. The teacher of Saint Dagan and Saint Cuanchear, great miracles are recorded of him, such as raising the dead. He died in the year 656, feast day March 13th."