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

Parish of Kilmaleery (a)

This Parish is bounded on the north by the Parish of Kilnasoola; on the east by Clonloaghan; on the south by Kilconry and on the west by the River Fergus.

This Parish is called by the native Irish in their own language Cill Mailiaraidh which they understand to mean the Church of St. Maleery and there is a holy well dedicated to this Saint (and now much frequented on Saturdays) situated about a quarter of a mile to the south of the old Church. It is called Tobar Mailiaraidh and should be shown on the Ordnance Map. The Saint’s festival is not now celebrated nor his day at all remembered, nor is his name in the Calendar.

The old Church called Kilmaleery is now nearly destroyed. It was thirty eight feet in length and fifteen feet in breadth. Both its gables are destroyed down to the foundation stones. The north wall is in tolerable preservation and is two feet six inches in thickness and nine feet in height. It is constructed of hammered stones and cemented with lime and sand mortar, which was copiously used. Of the south wall a portion measuring nine feet in height and twenty seven feet in length remains, but it contains no feature.

This Church is certainly not many centuries old.

Urlingmore in this Parish, which is shewn as a Castle on the Down Survey Engraved Map, is mentioned in the College List as Nurlyn, a Castle belonging to Moriertagh Maglanchy.

In the Townland of Clenagh in this Parish, on the margin of the Fergus, there is an old Castle of the same name in good preservation, said to have belonged to the family of Mac Mahon, but I have no written account of its builder or possessor at any period. In one of Hoare’s ludicrous poems mention is made of a Mr. Standish formerly of this place:-

Standis na Claenaighe mar Bhéasaidhe ag an Sluagh. (From a song in my possession. - E. Curry).

This finishes the Parishes of the County of Clare, which has cost me so much labour, toil and pain. I shall now finish the Books of Carlow as soon as I can.

                                                                                                 Your obedient servant,
                                                                                                              John O’Donovan.