Clare County Library | Clare
History |
Ordnance Survey Letters by John O'Donovan and Eugene Curry, 1839 |
Parish of Kilmurry-MacMahon (a) |
This Parish is bounded on the north by the Parish of Kilmichael; on the east by the Parishes of Kilfaddan and Killafin; on the south by the Shannon and on the west by the Parishes of Killimer and Kilrush. This Parish is called in the ancient language Cill Muire, i.e., Ecclesia
Mariae, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom the old Church
was dedicated.
No part of this old Church is now in existence, it having been pulled down
twenty years ago to build the new Protestant Church which occupies
its site. I examined
the Churchyard but found no inscription there more than a century old. In this Parish is situated the Townland of Clonderalaw which was the chief residence of Mac Mahon of Corca Baiscinn East, and from which the Barony received its name. Only a few fragments of this Castle are now to be seen. It was situated on a hill to the right of the road as you go from Kilmurry Church to Kildysart and about one mile from the former. It is mentioned in the list of the Castles of Thomond above referred to as the residence of Teige Mac Mahon, and the Irish Deed above given was drawn up in it on the 19th of July 1611, between Turlogh Roe Mac Mahon, Chief of East Corco-Baiscinn, and John Giltinan of Kiltylang. The other features of antiquity in this Parish are wells, little burial places and earthen forts, of which I have written the correct names in the Field Name Book. |