Kilnasoolagh () is a civil parish in

County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...

, Ireland, and a townland within that parish. Church records mention the parish in 1256.

Location

In 1845 the parish lay on the west border of the barony of Lower Bunratty. It is west of

Newmarket-on-Fergus Newmarket-on-Fergus, historically known as Corracatlin (), is a town in County Clare, Ireland. It is from Ennis, from Shannon Airport, and from Limerick. History The English rendering of the name 'Newmarket-on-Fergus' probably owes its ori ...

and is in area. It covers just over , including in Dromoland lake. The land is on the east of the upper Fergus estuary and is generally fertile. The parish contains the

townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...

s of Ballygirreen, Ballynacragga, Ballysallagh East, Ballysallagh West, Ballyconneely, Carrigoran, Corkanaknockaun, Dromoland, Ing East, Ing West, Kilkieran, Knockmurragha, Knocksaggart, Latoon North, Latoon South, Lisduff, Kilnasoolagh, Rathfolan and Trennahow.

History

Kilnasoolagh means the Church of the Religious People. There are records of a priest named Peter being in charge of the parish in 1256. The ''History of the Wars of Thomond'' often refers to Kilnasoolagh. In 1311 Mahone O'Brien and Loghlen Reagh O'Dea met there, and in 1312 Murtagh O'Brien plundered the church. The original church was pulled down by the Protestants, and a new one erected on the site. The new Anglican church was built in 1686 by Sir Donough O'Brien of

Dromoland Castle Dromoland Castle () is a castle, located near Newmarket-on-Fergus in County Clare, Ireland. It is operated as a five-star luxury hotel with a golf course, with its restaurant, the "Earl of Thomond", being awarded a Michelin star in 1995, ...

, replacing the earlier building or buildings. This was in turn replaced by a limestone church with seating capacity of 100 built in 1815 by James Pain. The entrance gate arch to the church may have come from an early building. The church holds a white marble sculpture of Sir Donogh O'Brien, the first baronet, carved by

Louis-François Roubiliac Louis-François Roubiliac (or Roubilliac, or Roubillac) (31 August 1702 – 11 January 1762) was a French sculpture, sculptor who worked in England. One of the four most prominent sculptors in London working in the rococo style, he was described ...

(c. 1705–1762). The population in 1831 was 1,319. In 1841 it was 1,158, with 162 houses. As of 1834 there were 105 Protestants and 1,311 Catholics. In 1845 the dominant building in the parish was Dromoland Castle, owned by Sir Lucius O'Brien. There were two old castles, just beyond the boundary of the parish, and some ancient Druidical ovals or circles. The road from

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

Ennis Ennis ( , meaning 'island' or 'river meadow') is the county town of County Clare, in the mid-west of Ireland. The town lies on the River Fergus, north of where the river widens and enters the Shannon Estuary. Ennis is the largest town in Cou ...

crossed the parish.

Today

Dromoland Castle is now a luxury hotel. Kilnasoolagh parish is today part of the

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

parish of

which also contains the civil parishes of Bunratty, Clonloghan, Drumline, Kilconry, Kilmaleery and

Tomfinlough Tomfinlough () is a civil parish in County Clare, Ireland. A Christian establishment was first made here around 540 AD. The parish lands were often raided by Irish, Viking, Norman and English forces in the years that followed. The church was all ...

References

Notes Citations Sources * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kilnasoolagh Civil parishes of County Clare Townlands of County Clare