Kilfenora A decayed
market-town and parish, and the seat of a diocese, in the barony of Corcomroe,
county of Clare, and province of Munster, 41/2 (N. N. E.) from
Ennistymon, on the road to Curofin ; containing 2752 inhabitants, of which
number, 558 are in the town. This place, called anciently Fenabore and
Cellumabrach, though evidently of great antiquity, has not been much noticed
by the earlier historians ; the first mention that occurs of it is in
the annals of Ulster, in which it is stated that Murrough OBrien,
in 1055, burnt the abbey, and slew many of the inhabitants. In the 12th
Century, the religious establishment which had been founded here, though
originally by whom or at what date is unknown, became the head of a small
diocese. The town appears to have been formerly of some importance, and
a market was held there, but since the increase of Ennistymon it has been
gradually declining ; the market is no longer held, and it has dwindled
into an inconsiderable village ; fairs are, however, still held on the
4th of June and 9th of October, for cattle and sheep.
The Episcopal See is of very uncertain origin, neither
is it precisely known who was the first bishop ; though many are of opinion
that St. Fachnan, to whom the cathedral is dedicated, must have been the
founder. Of his successors, who were called bishops of Corcomroe, there
are but very imperfect accounts, and of the history of the see very little
is preserved. In the ancient distribution of the bishopricks, made by
Cardinal Paparo in 1152, this see was made suffragan to the Archbishop
of Cashel. It remained a separate diocese till after the Restoration,
when it was annexed to the archbishoprick of Tuam, and continued for 81
years to be held with that diocese, till, on the annexation of Ardagh
to Tuam, it was separated from it and given in commendam to the bishoprick
of Clonfert, with which it was held till 1752, when it was united to the
see of Killaloe, with which it still remains. It is one of the twelve
dioceses which constitute the archiepiscopal province of Cashel, and is
the smallest in Ireland ; it lies wholly within the county of Clare, and
comprehends only the baronies of Burrin and Corcomroe, which formed part
of the ancient territory of Thomond. It extends 23 miles in length and
11 in breath, comprising an estimated superficies of 37,000 acres. The
lands belonging to the see comprise 9237 acres, of which 2350 are profitable
land ; the gross annual revenue of the bishoprick is returned with that
of Killaloe. The chapter consists of a dean, presenter, treasurer, and
archdeacon ; there are neither minor canons, prebendaries, nor vicars
choral : a consistorial court is held occasionally by the vicar-general.
It comprises 19 parishes, which are included in six unions ; there are
three parish churches, and one other place in which divine service is
performed, and three glebe-houses. The cathedral church, dedicated to
St. Fachnan, and which is also used as the parish church, is a very ancient
and venerable structure with a massive square tower, commanding a very
extensive and interesting view ; the aisle is at present undergoing repair,
and is being fitted up as the parish church, for which purpose the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners have granted £421. In the R. C. divisions this diocese is
united to that of Kilmacduagh, and comprises eight unions, in which are
15 chapels, served by eight parish priests and two coadjutors.
The parish comprises 9236 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe
act, a considerable portion of which is good grazing land, and the remainder
under profitable cultivation ; the system of agriculture is improving,
and there is a large portion of valuable bog. To the east of the village
is a large turlough, which in summer affords very rich pasture for fattening
cattle, but in the winter is under deep water after heavy rains. A new
road has lately been made between the town and Ennistymon, with great
benefit to the intervening district. Ballykeale, a seat of the Lysaght
family, now occupied by Mrs. Fitzgerald, and Holywell, the residence of
T. F. Comyn, Esq., are within the parish. The living is a rectory and
vicarage, in the diocese of Kilfenora, united from time immemorial to
the rectories of Clouney and Kiltoraght, together constituting the corps
of the deanery of Kilfenora, in the patronage of the Crown : the tithes
amount to £250, and of the whole union to £416. 13. 4. In the church are
two monuments, of which one is supposed to be that of the founder, bearing
a full-length effigy rudely sculptured, and to the north of the transept
is another. The Deanery, towards the erection of which the late Board
of First Fruits contributed a gift of £300, and a loan of £450, was erected
about the year 1813 ; and has been greatly improved by the present occupant,
the Very Rev. W. H. Stackpoole, D. D., who has added an extensive range
of out-offices to the house ; in the shrubberies is a perfect ancient
rath thickly planted. The glebe and deanery lands comprise 231 plantation
acres, of which 70 are good pasture and the remainder mountain land ;
and the gross annual value of the deanery, tithe, and glebe inclusive,
is £482. 18. In the R. C. divisions the parish is held with that of Kiltoraght
; the chapel is a neat modern edifice in the village, and a chapel is
now in course of erection in the parish of Kiltoraght. About 200 children
are taught in two public schools, of which one is supported by the Dean,
who, in conjunction with Sir W. McMahon, is about to erect a school-house.
At Kilcarragh, very near this place, on the estate of Sir W. McMahon,
was anciently an hospital or monastery, endowed with a quarter of land,
and which, after the dissolution, was granted to John King. Near the cathedral
is a stone cross of very light and beautiful design ; and in the churchyard
is a plain cross of great antiquity : there were formerly seven crosses
around this place, but these are the only two remaining.
County Clare A History and Topography
by Samuel Lewis
Courtesy of Clare Local Studies Project
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