Kildemock Church aka ‘The Jumping Church’ is one of those unusual places that seem like they could only exist in a country as strange and as old as Ireland. The ancient Church of Deomog once stood on this site, however after the Norman Invasion of the 12^th century the parish came under the control of the Knights Templar and this church was built in honour of St Catherine in the early 14^th century. It remained under the control of the Knights until the religious suppression of the 1540s. Its hard to say when it fell into a state of disrepair, though one of the grave slabs in the church is dated at 1688 and this may lead us to believe it was used very little for services post 1540.

‘The Jumping Wall’ is a sight to be held, the wall stands almost three feet from its foundation, as you stand looking at the wall it really makes very little sense how it could still be standing upright, especially considering how tilted it is. Contemporary accounts speak of a terrible storm in 1715 that lifted and moved the wall to where it now stands, local tradition says the wall ‘jumped’ to exclude the burial of an excommunicated person within the church walls! Kildemock Church is a beautiful, serene and somewhat humourous ruin, keep an eye out for the nice skull and bones engraving on the slab located in the church. A bullaun stone stands at the north entrance to the church and a medieval cross grave slab is placed to the southwest corner of the structure.

GPS: 53.83578, -6.52059