Moyglass Church stands proudly as the village’s most prominent landmark. This Sacred House served the people of Moyglass from 1837 to November 1988, and was built at a cost of £1500 by Rev. Pat O’ Flanagan, who was the Pastor of Killenaule from 1828-1840. There was a great dispute over the site of this church as the old church was approximately half between St. Johnstown and Moyglass. The parish priest at the time, Fr. Pat O’Flanagan thought this site was more central. The St. Johnstown people objected to this new site and arrived one night in Moyglass complete with hundreds of carts and removed all the building materials back to the old site, which is Costigan’s house now. They were prevented from further activities as the Moyglass congregation immediately provided themselves with a strong bodyguard to ward off attack. They re-loaded the materials and carted them back again. Later, the great wind of 1839 stripped the church of its roof, and so the St. Johnstown people attributed the damage to the vengeance of our Lord for moving the church from its old site. This old site, was situated, as mentioned above, where Costigan’s live now.
A report from the visitation from the Archbishop Butler on July 11th 1754, shows us that the chapel consisted of stone walls of about seven and a half feet high. The report states, that there were eight couples and two ends. It was reported as being well thatched with an altar made off deal boards. There were two glass windows in the church. Materials in the church included a suit of vestments, a plate chalice, a good missal, and some ornaments. The old was later a school mentioned in the education chapter of this book.
On 23rd March, 1989 the foundation stone was laid for the building of the new church in Moyglass. The approximate cost involved is £180,000. In comparison to the old church, this new building will be twenty five, twenty six feet high, and the same width s the previous one. The windows measure eight feet by two feet and eighteen feet by four feet. The seating arrangements will accommodate two hundred and twenty – to two hundred and thirty people. The architect of the church is John Kennedy of Kilsheelan; John Maher of Ballinure obtained the contract for the building of the church; The electrical was carried out by Frank O’Connell & Sons Ltd., Fethard; the roof of the church was installed by Tim Tierney, Cashel Road,Killenaule, Moyglass church is dedicated to St. Joseph the Worker – no doubt, a church the people of Moyglass will be proud of for many years to come.