[1][2][3] It lies in the old barony of Gowran, county of Kilkenny, and province of Leinster, roughly ten kilometres east of Kilkenny town.

Tiscoffin is reputedly the site of a battle in 1362, where James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond slew around six hundred of the clan of the Mac Murroughs - (Art Mór Mac Murchadha Caomhánach).

During archaeological excavations in 1948 and 1949 led by Dr. Gerhard Bersu, a number of important Roman artifacts were unearthed.

These included: a decorated bracelet, a possible buckle stud, a strip of decorated bronze and three rings, a copper coin of Constantine the Great (c.337 to 340AD), iron needles, a blue glass bracelet, two shreds of later Roman pottery and a small, polished cone.

[5] On top of Freestone hill stands an ancient hawthorn tree long held in reverence by the local population.