Kilmallock

Kilmallock (Cill Mocheallóg in Irish) is a historic and sporting town in south County Limerick, Ireland, near the border with County Cork. There is a Dominican Priory in the town and King's Castle (or King John's Castle). The remains of medieval walls which encircled the settlement are still visible. The Dublin–Cork railway line passes by the town, but the station is now closed. The nearest train station is in Charleville, County Cork, just a few miles south west of Kilmallock.

History

It was a town of considerable importance in the late medieval period, ranking as one of the main urban areas in Ireland at the time. Cill Cill Mocheallóg founded the church. Cill is Irish for "church" - therefore the church of Mocheallóg.

Kilmallock Priory

In 1571, the town was burned by the rebel Earl of Desmond during the Desmond Rebellions. Seventy years later, during the Irish Confederate Wars, the Dominican Priory of Kilmallock was attacked and destroyed by a Parliamentary Army under Lord Inchiquin in 1648. Its noble ruins are the best known historic landmark of Kilmallock. The local cemetery is the burial place of the famous eighteenth century poet Andrias Mac Craith better known as An Mangaire Súgach, whose most famous poem is "Slán le Máigh", a song in praise of the entire Maigue valley when he was temporarily exiled from it. The house where he died still stands at the bottom of Wolfe Tone street near the River Loobagh. The house known as Tigh An Fhile has information panels about the poet at the doorway. The town also has a small museum depicting the historic past of this once great Geraldine fortress town. It is located on the way to the Dominican Priory.

During the battle of Killmallock the town saw bitter fighting in July 1922 during the Irish Civil War, when it was held by anti-Treaty forces under Liam Deasy and eventually taken by Free State troops under Eoin O'Duffy, which was an event which among others contributed to the dissolution of the short-lived Munster Republic.

As part of a short lived but vicious sectarian campaign in July 1935, arsonists burnt the Church of Ireland building to the ground, causing damage costing thousands of pounds. <ref?Article by Tim Fanning, page 20, Sunday Independent, 22 February 2009</ref>

Sports

Kilmallock is a sporting town and particularly nurtures the ancient Irish game of Hurling and many playing members of the local club have represented County Limerick in the Munster and All-Ireland Championships. It is also a centre for horse breeding and many stallion farms are located in the district.

Economy

Kilmallock is also twinned for socio-economic purposes with Croom in County Limerick.

Literature

• Arlene Hogan: Kilmallock Dominican Priory: An Architectural Perspective, 1291-1991.Kilmallock Historical Society 1991.
• Mainchín Seoighe: The story of Kilmallock. Kilmallock Historical Society 1987.
• The Kilmallock Journal, published by the Kilmallock Historical Society
• Chun Gloire De, a guide to the very fine neo-Gothic Catholic Church

See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland