Saint Gobhan has long been linked with the parish of Seagoe – recorded for instance as Teach dho-Ghobha – in County Armagh, Ireland.

Gobban find mac Lugdach (c. 560 – 639) was primarily known for his abbacy of the monastery of Oldleighlin, County Carlow, where in 633 an important synod was held to debate the timing of Easter.

A holy man named St. Gobhan (St Goban-Gobban-Goba) is associated with the foundation c. 600, of a church of Celtic Christianity origins in the parish of Seagoe, Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland.

When St. Gobhan first arrived in this locale almost one and a half thousand years ago he was in the lands of the Uí Echach Cobo whose territory would later become the baronies of Upper & Lower Iveagh, in modern-day County Down.

[10][11][12] The continuous spread of urban development and the re-designation of boundaries has masked or obliterated the ancient topography allowing many small and independent hamlets to be swallowed up.

Seagoe continued its independent existence until in 1888 the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 facilitated its inclusion into Portadown Urban District.

So although present-day Seagoe by definition is in county Armagh, its location and ancient history display an affinity and tenuous bond of ecclesiastical ties with the lands within the historical diocese of Down and Dromore.

The old church ruins set amid tall Yew trees and ornate headstones are a poignant reminder of many past incarnations.

The kingdom of the Ciarraige tribe whose founder was Ciar, son of the legendary Fergus mac Róich of the Ulster Cycle in Irish mythology.

In the "Martyrology of Oengus the culdee", (9th-century register of saints and their feast days), it is stated…"Of Gobban, i.e. of cell Lamraide in Hui Cathrenn in the west of Ossory, i.e. a thousand monks it had, as experts say.

The estate of the Abbey and churches of Rattoo[21][22] arose within the ancient ecclesiastical see of Ardfert[23] in the cantred of Altry bordering Ui Ferba, within the over kingdom of Ciarraige Luachra and was founded by – "the gentle bishop Lugdach".

It is generally regarded that St. Gobhan was buried, or his holy relics preserved at the celebrated monastery of St. Fintan of Clonenagh(Cluain Ednech), county Laois.

[40] On returning home to Ireland he became a hermit and holy man in the Johnswell hills where the memory of his name and abode are preserved in "tigh scuithin.

"[41] While the site of "Tigh Scuthin" has thankfully been preserved in the eponymous location of Tiscoffin it has unfortunately almost obliterated the memory of St. Scuithin as an actual historical entity.

[43] The county Kilkenny town of Castlewarren:(Caisleán an Bhairínigh) in the civil parish of Tiscoffin preserves his memory with the Church of Scuithin.

However, as a founder, he should be acclaimed, for the churches were not lavish, spectacular Romanesque or Gothic cathedrals but simple mud and wattle mixtures that embraced usually the holy well – Christianized to act as the font.