KILMANAHEEN, a parish, in the barony of CORCOMROE, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, on the road from Ennis to Miltown-Malbay; containing, with the post-town of Ennistymon. BALLYROAN parish is situated in the north-west border of the barony of Cullenagh in County Laois. This denomination is probably intended for Balliroan. The parish is traversed south-south-westward by the old coach-road, leading from Dublin to Cork. Ballrony was an impropriate rectory, with residence in 1616. Its town is represented by a group of seven detached houses near its celebrated moat. The town-land denominations are, Balliroane, Rahinbroge, Hallinlogh, Cloncullan, Crubin; Ballmone ( ?), Cashell. One of the earliest religious foundations in Leix appears to have been the church, which derived its name from St. Faolan, and which afterwards distinguished the now almost forgotten site, where it had been erected, as Kilwhelan. This townland lies upon an elevated ridge, on the west of the Cullenagh mountains.(these are three in number and called respectively Slieve Dubh or Black mountain, the middle Mountain and the White Mountain). The mound of an old disused burial-ground-in the eighteenth century of considerable height, but now almost level with the surrounding field-may be observed on the spot; while tradition avers, that an ancient church formerly stood there, and gave the locality even greater prominence. The patron saint of this place seems to have flourished at a very early date, and we are informed that he descended from the race of Aengus, son of Nadfraech, King of Munster; Faolan the Stammerer, of Rath Erann in Albain, and of Cill Fhaelain,(the old form of Kilwhelan) in Laoighis, in Leinster. On the 20th day of June, his feast occurs in our Calendars. Some doubt seems to remain, however,that he may have been identical with the celebrated St. Foilan, Felan, or Fillan, Abbot in Scotland, and who is venerated on the 9th day of January.
The Earl of Essex's army passed near Kilwhelan, after the celebrated engagement at "The Pass of Plumes," and on its march to Ballyroan. The townland of Tullore, in the parish of Ballyroan, and barony of Cullenagh. It seems very probable, that this had been the place alluded to, in that Litany attributed to Engus Ceile De, where he invokes the Seven Bishops of Tulach Labhair, who must have been buried in the cemetery there previous to the ninth-century, and whose memories were even then in benediction. The townland of Kilvahan is situated, partly in the parish of Ballyroan, and partly in the parish of Kilcolmanbane, in the barony of Cullenagh. The graveyard of Kilvahan occupies an elevated situation, and it is surrounded by a nearly circular fosse, which was formerly entered by an old road leading from the adjoining village of Moneenafullagh, "the little marshy spot of blood," on the direction from Ballyknockan Castle. It is some little distance removed from the former mail-coach road, between Dublin and Cork. At the village already named, the chief brunt of contest at the Pass of Plumes was sustained, and hence the name it afterwards bore. Kilvahan probably derived its name from a St. Meathon, thus making it the Kill or Church of St. Meathon. However, this name cannot be found in our Irish Calendars. This living was a rectory and vicarage in the diocese of Leighlin, and in the patronage of the crown. The chief seats here are: Blandsfort, Rockbrook, and Derryfore. [also: Cistercian Abbeyleix, Durrow at Kilkenny-Ossory, Kells, Mayne, Donegal, West Donegal, Cistercian Meath. The Book of Durrow, Kells, Armagh; Picts' (Deer) Island, Theodosius and the Augustinian Order.]
DEER ISLAND, or INNISMORE, an island, in the parish of KILCHRlST, barony of CLONDERLAW, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 3 ˝ miles (N. E. ) from Kildysart; the population is returned with the parish, also called Inchmore, or the "Great Island." There are some vestiges of an abbey still remaining, founded (according to Archdall) at a very early period, by St. Senan of Inniscattery; who appointed St. Liberius, one of his disciples, to preside over it. [also: Bunratty, Dysert, the Érainn, Ennystimon, de Clare Purparty 1247, migration-via Liverpool, Six Mile Bridge. ]
The term 'Titulado', from the 1659 Census, which appears through these returns, refers to the principal person or persons of standing in any locality; such a person could have been of either sex, a nobleman, baronet, gentleman, esquire, military officer, or adventurer. A Titulado may have been a land-owner, but did not necessarily own land. Parishes with Towlands inside districts: Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady, Londonderry, Magherafelt. Londonderry city makes an excellent headquarters for touring the Counties of Londonderry and Donegal. Within six miles is the Grianan of Aileach ("the stone house of the Sun " ), probably one of the five places marked by Ptolemy on his map of Ireland (A.D. 55) .This was a residence of the Northern Kings of Ireland down to A.D. 1101 , when it was demolished by Murtagh O'Brien, King of Munster. It consists today of a circular stone cashel 77 feet in diameter, with walls in some places 15 feet thick, terraced inside and pierced by galleries. A pleasant run is to the Ness Waterfall and Glen, between Derry and Dungiven, and thence to the Glens of Banagher.