Parish of Feakle

1. Situation and Name; Irish rhyme in which the name of St. Mochonna, the Patron, together with the names of the patrons of three other Phs. is preserved; St. Mochonna’s Day not now remembered in the Parish; His name not mentioned in Irish Calender of the O’Clerys; His old Church which stood in Feacle in 1780 – when Merryman wrote his poem – destroyed to build the Protestant Church which now occupies its site; Tobar Mochuille, holy well in Flagmount, called after the Patron of Tulla; Cnoc a Chaislean Hill in Lecarrow Lower on which tradition says there was an old castle to be seen, in memory of old men not long dead; Tobar Ghráine (Graina’s Well) in Ballycroum – the most curious well in Ireland as resembling in every particular, the well called the “King of the Waters” in the Book of Armagh; Is resorted to for the cure of sore eyes tho’ not named after any Saint; Supposed to have been a Pagan well worshipped by the Hydrolators of ancient Ireland; Irish Pagans divided into two classes, viz., fireworshippers and waterworshippers.

2. Altoir Olltach (the Ultonian Altar) a curious grave now so called; Origin of the name and description – Fahy old Church and Graveyard; Loch Greine; Situation and Name.

3. Celebrated by Brian Merryman (or Mac Manaman) in his facetious poem called Cuirt a Meodhan-Oidhe, i.e., the Midnight Court; Autograph original of the poem in possession of his relative Anthony Howard (O’Hionhair) who lives near Milltown Malby; Notice of Merryman; Extracts from do.

4. Translation of extracts from the Midnight Court; Moygreane (Mogh Greine) a fort over Loch Greine where the fairy chieftains held their council; Craglea, a remarkable rock in Killaloe Parish where the Banshee, Aobheal, is believed to reside; Bawnboy Hill, now Fair Hill, in centre of Feakle Parish.

5. Further extracts from the Midnight Court.

Other references to the Parish of Killaloe in the Ordnance Survey Letters:

• Craig-Liath Mountain well known by name in every part of Ireland as the habitation of the great Spirit Beval, the familiar Sprite or Banshee of Munster in general and of the Dalcassians in particular; Large rock shewn as her palace in a wild glen in the mountain.

Notes