The parish is in the diocese of Killaloe: the rectory forms part of the union and corps of the prebend of Rath, and the vicarage, part of the union of Kilneboy. The SEE of KILLALOE was originally founded about 639, by Pope John IV., who consecrated St. Flannan, successor to St. Lua or Molua, first bishop. Theodrick, King of Munster and father of St. Flannan, endowed the see with many estates, and was interred in the abbey. Moriertach, King of Ireland, and Donald O’Brien, King of Limerick, were also great benefactors; and the former was interred here with great pomp in 1120. The church early became a favourite place of resort for pilgrims, and among numerous others was Connor Mac Dermod O’Brien, King of Thomond and Desmond, who died here on a pilgrimage in 1142. The cathedral was erected by Donald, King of Limerick, in 1160. About the close of this century the ancient bishoprick of Roscrea was permanently united to this see, together with a portion of that of Iniscathay; and in 1752 the see of Kilfenora, which had been founded by St. Fachnan, was also united to it; and the two dioceses have, since that period, been always held together. It is one of the twelve dioceses that constitute the ecclesiastical province of Cashel, and comprehends parts of the Queen’s county (Laois), Limerick, Galway, and King’s county (Offaly), with a large portion of the county of Tipperary, and the greater part of Clare. The chapter consists of a dean, precentor, chancellor, treasurer, and archdeacon; there are also seven prebenderies, who have no voice in the chapter, viz., those of Tomgranna, Lackeen, Clondgad, Dysert, Tulla, Inniscattery, and Rath.
Killaloe parish; Cathedral church of Killaloe; Original church of St. Molua standing on a small island in the Shannon; Duirteach adjoining Cathedral; Site of the palace of Brian Boroimhe; Description of Brian’s royal feasts; Extracts from the Annalists relating to Kincora and the town of Killaloe; Cragliath
Ui Toirdhealbhaigh is described as lying about Killaloe; and that it was co-extensive with the parishes of Killaloe, O’Briensbridge, and Kiltenanlea is very probable. It was bounded on the north by Uí Congaile, on the east and south by the Shannon, and on the west by Gleann Omra. In the Annals of the Four Masters, it is called Magh Ua Toirdhealbhaigh, that is to say the plain of Turlogh, from whom Brian Boroimhe was eighth in descent. It appears to have been the original patrimony of the O’Briens before they became powerful, and spread themselves over most parts of Thomond, and over various extensive districts in Tipperary, Limerick, and Cork.
A church existed at Killaloe from the date of the foundation of Christianity. It was renewed from time to time, and in 1160 the present cathedral was erected by Donald O’Brien, king of Limerick. It is a plain building, with a low central tower, and a fine east window. In a corner of the nave is a doorway of greater antiquity. By some authorities it is said to have belonged to the church erected by Brian Boroimhe. Others believe it to be the tomb of Murrogh his son. Killaloe It is built into the wall and closed up at the back. Its ornamentation, closely resembling that of Cormac’s chapel at Cashel, is of a highly elaborate character. In the recess which it forms is found a flag with an ancient Irish cross inscribed, supposed to cover the remains of Turlogh, grandson of Brian. There is much reason to regret that more care has not been employed in dealing with the interior of the cathedral of Killaloe. The walls are covered with stucco, which without doubt, conceals many characteristic features of the early workmanship; the chancel arch is closed up by an unsightly organ loft or gallery; one of the transepts is wholly closed up and converted into a vestry, and the level of the floor is several feet higher than it was in the olden time. No ancient tomb or monument of any interest, save the one above referred to, is to be found in the church.
About a furlong from the cathedral, on a small island in the Shannon, is seen a little ruined church, evidently of very great antiquity. Petrie conjectured that it was the original church of St. Molua. Immediately on the north side of the cathedral stands a stone-roofed church or duirtheach, not unlike St. Columbkill’s house at Kells, or St. Kevin’s kitchen at Glendalough. It measures on the outside 36 feet 4 inches in length, and 25 in breadth. In the west end is a door, rounded at top, and ornamented in the style called Irish Romanesque architecture. The roof is very sharp and entirely of stone. Attached to the east end of the duirteach must have stood another building, because on the east gable is seen the marks left by the roof of a structure of somewhat smaller size. Some think it was the choir, and others that it was an edifice of much greater antiquity than that which now remains.
On the summit of the hill, above the bridge of Killaloe, and almost on the site now occupied by the Catholic church and by the neighbouring houses, stood the royal palace of Kincora. It is needless to say that no vestige of it remains to our time. It must have extended from the church to the edge of the hill over the Shannon, because its name signifies the “Head of the Weir.” It was first erected by Brian Boroimhe, and for a century it continued to be the chief place of residence of his descendants. The poet MacLiag describes how he happened to be at Ceann Coradh on one occasion when Brian’s tribute of cows from Leinster and Ulster was being driven home; that he went out from the Court to look at them, and that he returned again and said to Brian “Here comes Erin’s tribute of cows to thee,” whereupon MacLiag gave the name of Boroimhe to the town and plain—a name signifying a multitude of cows either paid as tribute by, or carried off as prey from an enemy. It is not unlikely that Brian himself received the name of Boroimhe, or of the “Tribute of cows” for the first time on this occasion. MacLiag then proceeds to give an account of the numbers of cattle and of other articles of consumption sent in as tribute to Kincora. If that recital had not been confirmed by the positive statement of other authorities of unimpeachable authenticity it would be scarcely credible. For instance, the Danes of Dublin supplied one hundred and fifty butts of wine; Burren and Corcomore, 2,000 cattle, 1,000 sheep, and 1,000 cloaks; Corcabaskin East and West, 2,000 head of cattle. He then describes the order in which royal and noble guests of Brian sat around him at table in the great hall of the palace.
A description of the similar ceremonial, as it had previously existed in the royal palace of Tara while that place continued to be the residence of the kings of Ireland, is given from earlier sources, and it fully confirms MacLiag’s picture.[40] Brian himself, we are told, sat at the head, with the king of Connaught on his right hand, and the king of West Ulster on his left; the king of Tir-Eoghan opposite to him. At the door, on the side nearest to Brian, was placed the king of Leinster; and on the further side Donogh, the monarch’s son. Seated beside Malachy, king of Meath, Murrogh, the eldest son of Brian, sat with his back to his father, with Aengus, the son of Carrach, a valiant prince of Meath, on his right hand and the king of Tir-Conaill on his left. This position of Murrogh would seem to imply that Brian occupied a chair elevated above the other seats in the hall. Teige, son of the monarch, sat with Teige O’Kelly, king of Uí Maine, at the end or side opposite to the door, at Brian’s right hand; and Maelruanaigh, chief of the Uí Fiachra, in South Connaught, sat on Teige’s right hand. In the Annals of the Four Masters and other records, several references are made to the palace of Ceann-Coradh, and to the town and church of Killaloe.
About a mile northwards from Killaloe, and rising over the road as you go towards Tomgraney is the rocky mountain of Cragliath, far famed, in Irish story, and well known as the habitation of Aoibheal, the banshee of Munster and of the Dalcassians. Her palace is shown in a wild glen of the mountain, from which rises a peak forty feet high, and most romantic in appearance. A well, called after the fairy, springs from the side of the hill. She has been celebrated in verse by several Irish poets. In Cragliath also is found the site of Grianán Lachtna, which according to the Annals of the MacBruodins, was built as a place of residence by Lachtna, the brother of Brian Boroimhe in 953. It is well called Grianán (the sunny) from its southern site and from the noble prospect it commands. In the northern part of the townland of Cragliath is a field called Park-na-neach (of the horses) where, it is said, Brian Boroimhe kept his horses. Only one castle existed in the parish, namely, that of Killaloe, long since demolished, and owned in 1580 by Donogh MacNamara.
Kiltenanlea Parish In the Irish language this parish is called Cill-t’Seanain Liath, that is of St. Senán, the hoary. He is supposed to be a different person from St. Senán of Iniscathy, and the tradition of the country makes him a brother of St. Mochuille. His festival is still kept in the parish on the 8th of March, the very day on which, according to the Martyrology of Donegal the festival of St. Senán of Iniscathy is celebrated. Kiltenanlea church is in a tolerable state of preservation, but being of a comparatively modern construction, and resembling so many other buildings of the same character, it does not demand particular description. It has a large graveyard attached. About two hundred yards away there is a holy well dedicated to St. Senán Liath, and greatly frequented by pious people from the country around. A pattern was formerly held there on the 8th of March, but it was removed to the village of Clonlara. In the townland of Gurrane is found the ruins of an ancient church named Tampul Mochuille. At Cappavilla, is a holy well, also dedicated to St. Mochuille. This saint is supposed to be the same who gave the veil to St. Bridget. A castle situated on the townland of Rineroe, and called Donass castle, belonged in 1580 to Shane-ne-geytagh MacNamara. The castle of Coolisteige was the property, in the same year, of Donald Roe MacNamara; and that of Neadanury (now Newtown), of Teige Oge MacNamara.
Ui Ainmire included Kilfintinan, Killeely, St. Munchin’s and St. Patrick’s parishes; Cratloe wood; Mountains of Slieve Oighidh-an-righ Remaining in the Annals, this district included the modern parishes of Killfintinan, and parts of Killeely, St. Munchin’s, and St. Patrick’s. So little information relating to its boundaries has come down to our time that it is not possible to fix upon the line which divided it from Uí Cearnaig and Uí Floinn. From the fact that the boundaries of the dioceses of Ireland were generally made to coincide with those of the tribe districts of the country, it may be inferred that Ainmire was conterminous with that part of the diocese of Limerick which is situate in the county of Clare. Equal uncertainty exists as to the tribes by whom it was occupied previous to the yeare 1318. When the MacNamaras took possession of it, it contained the great wood of Cratloe; we are told that in the ninth century the men of Ulster having invaded Thomond, took away from Cratloe a sufficient quantity of oak to roof the palace of the kings of the north, at Aileach, near Derry. In revenge for this offence and for the burning of Kincora also, Murtogh O’Brien, monarch of Ireland in the yeare 1101, marched northwards to Donegal and demolished Aileach, ordering his men to bring a stone of the building in every sack which had been emptied of provisions on the march. With these stones he built a parapet on top of his palace situated on the site of the present cathedral of St. Mary at Limerick, the materials of which were afterwards incorporated into that edifice. It was in the district of Ainmire that the mountain called, from the following incident, Sliabh-Oighidh-an-Righ was situate. In the yeare 378, say the Four Masters and Dr. Keating in his History of Ireland, Crimhthann, son of Fidhach, after he had been thirteen years ruling as king over Ireland, died by poison, administered to him by his sister Mung Fionn at Sliabh-Oighidh-an-righ (that is the Mountain of the death of the King), on the north side of Limerick. The place is so called at this day, and is situated in the townland of Ballycannan North, in the parish of St. Munchin.
O’Briensbridge Parish There is a graveyard at Fahybeg, and another at Ross. Two castles stood in the parish, that of O’Brien’s Bridge, now entirely gone, but inhabited in 1580 by Murtagh Mor O’Brien, Baron of Inchiquin; and Aherinagh, still remaining in a tolerable state of preservation, and belonging in the same yeare to Donogh, the son of Conor MacNamara. The Annals of the Four Masters, state, that the bridge here was built in 1506, by Turlogh, son of Teige, son of Turlogh; by Donald, his brother, and by the bishops of Killaloe and Kilfenora.