Ordnance Survey Letters by John O'Donovan and Eugene Curry, 1839

Parish of Inchicronan (a)

This large Parish is bounded on the north by the Co. of Galway, on the east by the Parish of Tullagh, on the south by the Parishes of Clooney and Kilraghtis and on the west by the Barony of Inchaquin.

The name of this Parish is, in the original language, Inis Chrónáin, i.e., the Island of St. Cronan, who was the Patron Saint of the Parish and whose festival was celebrated there according to my informant in Harvest, but it is not easy to determine which of the Cronans of the Calendar he was. His ancient Church stood on the Island of Inchacronan, near the Village of Crusheen, until it was destroyed to build a large monastery in the latter end of the 12th century, of which Archdall has collected the following indefinite account:-

Inchycronane. In a lough in the Barony of Bunratty near Crusheen. Donald O’Brien, King of Limerick, founded an Abbey in this island for Regular Canons about the year 1190.

This Abbey, and a moiety of the tythes of the Parish of Inchycronane, were granted to Donogh, Earl of Thomond, January 19th 1620, and again in fee to Henry, Earl of Thomond, September 1st 1661. - (Rolls).

In the Townland of Carrowmore are the ruins of a small Church called Kiltoolagh (Tamhlach) but it is too modern to merit particular description.

There are two ruins of Castles in this Parish, one in the Townland of O’Brien’s Castle (the ancient name of this Castle is Bealach na Fir Bhearnán, Ballaghnafeervarnan, which is still remembered) to which it has given name, and the other near the Island of Inchacronan, and called Caislean an Oilean, of which only one stuaic remains. I do not find either of these mentioned in the list of Mac Namara’s Castles given in the College list of the Castles of Thomond.

The other remains of antiquity are forts and some Holy Wells, the correct names of which I have set down in the Field Name Books.

                                                                                                 Your obedient servant,
                                                                                                              John O’Donovan.