Kilconnell
Encyclopedia
Kilconnell is a small rural village in County Galway
, Ireland
.
Its population in 2006 was 680. Its land is mainly used for dairy farming and the raising of cattle.
It was once part of the kingdom of the Soghain
of Connacht
before being conquored by the Uí Maine.
The last known prosecution of a Priest under the Popery Acts was the trial of Fr John O'Connor, Parish Priest of Aughrim and Kilconnell in 1822 at the Galway Summer Assizes, he was acquitted.
This village was the birthplace of Fianna Fáil
(FF) politician Johnny Callanan
(1910–1982). His nephew Joe Callanan
(FF) lost his Dáil
seat in the Galway East constituency in the General Election of 2007.
friary, founded in 1414, by William O'Kelly, Lord of Ui Maine, known locally as the Abbey. Although in ruins it is well maintained by the OPW. The abbey is the burial place for the O'Kelly sept, whose family crest can be seen on some of the headstones. Note: The contributor of the July 2008 Photograph, a member of the O'Kelly sept, searched the grounds for tombstones that allegedly display the Enfield or family crest, but did not see any on the Kelly markers located. They may have been removed, or washed over in time.
The Papal Nuncio Archbishop Giovanni Rinuccini stayed in the Abbey on 20 June 1648 on his way back from the Confederation at Kilkenny.
The Abbey is believed to have been uninhabited since about 1785 due to a fall in vocations.
There is a passage that runs under the Abbey to the grounds of Ballinderry house. It was excavated in the 1940s but was not navigated due to the risk of collapse.
Kilconnell is in the parish of Aughrim and Kilconnell. Aughrim is famous for the decisive battle of the Williamite wars in 1691. The French General St. Ruth
had rallied the Irish towards victory when his head was blown off by cannonfire and the Irish fled the field, only to be cut down in their thousands by the English forces. Hundreds of the O'Kellys lost their lives at this battle.
The local lake, Lough Acalla, has a crannog
in the centre and is a well-maintained and popular rainbow trout fishery.
, has been restored and is now a guesthouse.
The local GAA team is called St. Gabriels; their only major success came in 1979 when they won a Galway football title. The nearby parish of Cappataggle combines with Kilconnell to form a hurling team, which is the club of Galway senior hurling star Damien Joyce, a native of Kilconnell.
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Its population in 2006 was 680. Its land is mainly used for dairy farming and the raising of cattle.
It was once part of the kingdom of the Soghain
Soghain
The Soghain were a people of ancient Ireland. Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh identified them as part of a larger group called the Cruithin, and stated of them:...
of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
before being conquored by the Uí Maine.
The last known prosecution of a Priest under the Popery Acts was the trial of Fr John O'Connor, Parish Priest of Aughrim and Kilconnell in 1822 at the Galway Summer Assizes, he was acquitted.
This village was the birthplace of Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
(FF) politician Johnny Callanan
Johnny Callanan
Johnny Callanan was an Irish Fianna Fáil party politician from County Galway.Callanan was born in the village of Kilconnell, near Ballinasloe, County Galway, to a farming family...
(1910–1982). His nephew Joe Callanan
Joe Callanan
Joe Callanan is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was born in Kilconnell, County Galway. He is a former Teachta Dála for the Galway East constituency. Callanan was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2002 general election but lost his seat at the 2007 general election.He is a nephew of a...
(FF) lost his Dáil
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
seat in the Galway East constituency in the General Election of 2007.
Kilconnell Abbey
Kilconnell is the location of a FranciscanFranciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friary, founded in 1414, by William O'Kelly, Lord of Ui Maine, known locally as the Abbey. Although in ruins it is well maintained by the OPW. The abbey is the burial place for the O'Kelly sept, whose family crest can be seen on some of the headstones. Note: The contributor of the July 2008 Photograph, a member of the O'Kelly sept, searched the grounds for tombstones that allegedly display the Enfield or family crest, but did not see any on the Kelly markers located. They may have been removed, or washed over in time.
The Papal Nuncio Archbishop Giovanni Rinuccini stayed in the Abbey on 20 June 1648 on his way back from the Confederation at Kilkenny.
The Abbey is believed to have been uninhabited since about 1785 due to a fall in vocations.
There is a passage that runs under the Abbey to the grounds of Ballinderry house. It was excavated in the 1940s but was not navigated due to the risk of collapse.
Uí Maine
The area around Kilconnell was the stronghold of the O'Kellys, lords of Uí Maine and the Donnellan clans.Kilconnell is in the parish of Aughrim and Kilconnell. Aughrim is famous for the decisive battle of the Williamite wars in 1691. The French General St. Ruth
Marquis de St Ruth
Charles Chalmont Marquis of St Ruth was a French general. Early in his military career, he fought against Protestants in France...
had rallied the Irish towards victory when his head was blown off by cannonfire and the Irish fled the field, only to be cut down in their thousands by the English forces. Hundreds of the O'Kellys lost their lives at this battle.
The local lake, Lough Acalla, has a crannog
Crannog
A crannog is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes, rivers and estuarine waters of Scotland and Ireland. Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia from the European Neolithic Period, to as late as the 17th/early 18th century although in Scotland,...
in the centre and is a well-maintained and popular rainbow trout fishery.
Ballinderry House
Ballinderry House, the former seat of the Comyn family, who are relations of Daniel O'ConnellDaniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...
, has been restored and is now a guesthouse.
The local GAA team is called St. Gabriels; their only major success came in 1979 when they won a Galway football title. The nearby parish of Cappataggle combines with Kilconnell to form a hurling team, which is the club of Galway senior hurling star Damien Joyce, a native of Kilconnell.
See also
- List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Galway)
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
External links
- O'Kelly History of Hy Many
- Kilconnell at Ireland Reaching Out