Kinnitty
Encyclopedia
Kinnitty is a village
in County Offaly
, Ireland
. It is located 13 km east of Birr
on the R440
and R421
regional road
s.
The village derives its name from the myth that the head of an ancient princess is buried beneath the village, Ceann being Irish for head and Eitigh being the name of the princess. The village is situated at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains
in the ancient kingdom of Éile
, and is served by two pubs (Slieve Bloom Bar & Clendennen's), two churches, a post office and some shops.
Uniquely there is a pyramid shaped tomb in the grounds of the town's Church of Ireland
church. The pyramid was built by the Bernard family who resided in Kinnitty Castle
, which they built on the site of St. Finnians monastery, the high cross
of which is still situated on the site. From 1955 to 1985, Kinnitty Castle hosted a Forestry Training College.
Rex Ingram
, the Hollywood director, and his brother, Colonel Francis Clere Hitchcock
MC
spent most of their early life here where their father was the parish rector. (The "Old Rectory
" is on the Roscrea Road opposite the Church of Ireland church).
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in County Offaly
County Offaly
County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
, 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,...
. It is located 13 km east of Birr
Birr
Birr is a town in County Offaly, Ireland. Once called Parsonstown, after the Parsons family who were local landowners and hereditary Earls of Rosse. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe....
on the R440
R440 road
The R440 road is a regional road in Ireland linking Birr, County Offaly and Mountrath, County Laois. It passes through the village of Kinnity, Co. Offaly and from there climbs to near the high point of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, crosses into County Laois on the summit plateau and descents to...
and R421
R421 road
The R421 road is a regional road in Ireland which runs southwest-northeast from the N62 in Roscrea to the N52 just south of Tullamore.The route is long.-See also:*Roads in Ireland*National primary road*National secondary road-References:...
regional road
Regional road
A regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...
s.
The village derives its name from the myth that the head of an ancient princess is buried beneath the village, Ceann being Irish for head and Eitigh being the name of the princess. The village is situated at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains
Slieve Bloom Mountains
Situated close to the geographical centre of Ireland The Slieve Bloom Mountains rise from the central plain of Ireland to a height of 527 metres. While not very high, they are extensive by local standards...
in the ancient kingdom of Éile
Éile
Éile, Éle or Éli, commonly anglicised Ely, was an ancient and medieval kingdom of northern Munster in Ireland.-Overview:They claimed descent from Céin , a possibly mythical or spurious younger son of Ailill Aulom and brother of Éogan Mór, and thus kinship with the Eóganachta...
, and is served by two pubs (Slieve Bloom Bar & Clendennen's), two churches, a post office and some shops.
Uniquely there is a pyramid shaped tomb in the grounds of the town's Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
church. The pyramid was built by the Bernard family who resided in Kinnitty Castle
Kinnitty Castle
Kinnitty Castle is a castle in Kinnitty , County Offaly, Ireland. It is located north of the Slieve Bloom Mountains on the R421 regional road between the villages of Kinnitty and Cadamstown....
, which they built on the site of St. Finnians monastery, the high cross
High cross
A high cross or standing cross is a free-standing Christian cross made of stone and often richly decorated. There was a unique Early Medieval tradition in Ireland and Britain of raising large sculpted stone crosses, usually outdoors...
of which is still situated on the site. From 1955 to 1985, Kinnitty Castle hosted a Forestry Training College.
Rex Ingram
Rex Ingram (director)
Rex Ingram was an Irish film director, producer, writer and actor. Legendary director Erich von Stroheim once called him "the world's greatest director."-Early life:...
, the Hollywood director, and his brother, Colonel Francis Clere Hitchcock
Francis Clere Hitchcock
Colonel Francis Clere Hitchcock MC wrote Stand To—A Diary of the Trenches 1915-1918 about the activities of the second Leinster Regiment of the British Army in World War I....
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
spent most of their early life here where their father was the parish rector. (The "Old Rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
" is on the Roscrea Road opposite the Church of Ireland church).
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
External links