Parish of Abbey

1. Corcomroe & Burren Baronies originally comprised in Corcomroe Territory; Corcomroe Abbey; called Abbey of Burren in Wars of Torlagh O’Brien and Annals of Inishfallen; Its founder; Archdall’s account of the Abbey; Donagh O’Brien, King of Thomond, who was killed in Battle of Siudane, interred therein; Was granted by K. Hen. VIII to Morogh, Earl of Thomond; Afterwards granted to Richard Harding; Inquisitions of reign of Elizabeth relative to, quoted; Present tradition in the country relative to; Conor na Siudane O’Brien buried therein; Account of his death from Annals of Innisfallen; Do. from Wars of Torlogh; His monument called Crohoor na Siudane in the Choir; Modern tomb near do. inscribed in modern characters “The burial place of O’Loughlin, King of Burren;” Ballyheaghan Townland wherein was situated a Castle belonging to a branch of the O’Loughlins.

2. Corra an Rubha (Corranrue) i.e., the Causeway of Rue; Site of Castle in do. which belonged to the family of O’Heyne, formerly Chiefs of Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, and which fell in 1775 at the very moment the earthquake happened at Lisbon; Rubha (Rue) the district in which the Castle stood - extract relative to from Annals of VI. Masters; John Heynes als. O’Heyne of the new Quay House, the present representative of the branch of the family that lived in this Castle, as also in that of Ballybranaghan at Kinvarra; His descent from the last proprietor of Corranrue; Mr. Heynes of Ardrahen well known in the country as “Heynes the Process Server” the senior branch of the family i.e., the representative of Guairé Aidhne, King of Connaught & Hereditary Chief of all the Hy-Fiachrach of Kilmacduagh Diocese; His descent from the last O’Heyne who was driven out of Ardrahen by Col. Ireton; O’Heyne senior to O’Shaughnessy who was only his Urriagh or sub-chief until the reign of James I.; Was often Chief of all the Territory of Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne (coextensive with the Diocese of Kilmacduagh); Built a monastery at Kilmacduagh; Notices of him from Annals of VI. Masters; De Bastro the name of the present proprietor of Coill O’bFiachrach who is of French origin; Nua chongbhail; Turlach.

3. Carcair na gCleireach (Carcer clericorum) now generally called Carcair Hill, a celebrated mountain pass into Thomond. Situation of.

4. Finnivara mentioned in list of O’Loughlin’s residences preserved in MS. Lib. Trin. Col. Dub., as also in rental of O’Brien published by Mr. Hardiman, where it is called in Irish Fidh na Bheara, the Wood of Beara; Styled “Manerium de Flyn - Ivarra” in Inquisition of Jac; - Parkmore, where according to tradition Donogh More O’Daly, Abbot of Boyle lived ; Leacht of Donoghmore O’Daly, a curious monument so called and also the site of his house and of a College over which he presided shewn at do; Donogh More said traditionally to have been a brother of the Sorceror Macamh Insi Creamha (Macamh of Inis Creamha in Lough Corrib - One of the Tuatha De Dananns) and to have accidentally killed him by a “cast of a sharpened scollop”; Family of O’Daly shewn in the locality on Ortelius Improved (Map); Liatha, a district so called, where a branch of the descendants of Covey na nGall O’Kane settled at an early period. Its extent still well known.

5. Shane Reagh O’Kane of Corofin, the lineal descendant of the last O’Cahan who held the district; His pedigree; Loch Luire, a small lough on the top of a hill to south of the Abbey of Corcomroe; Lissavaun Hill on which the Terry Alts challenged to fight the King’s troops in 1831 (Situation of); Peter Comyn the notorious gentleman who was hanged about 11 years ago for burning his own house lived in this Parish; Curious MS. found after him in possession of Capt. Tyrrell of Kinvara.

Other references to Abbey Parish in the Ordnance Survey Letters:

• Shane Reagh O’Kane’s account of the story of the celebrated cow, Glas Ghiobhneach.

• Torlogh O’ Brien & his forces encamped within the precincts of Corcomroe Abbey in 1317; Site of a furious engagement which took place between two parties of Dalcassians outside of Corcomroe Abbey still pointed out.

• Finnivara called Finaigh Bheara in Annals of Four Masters; O’Daly who resided there; The Duasandle family descended from him; Notices of the family from Annals of IV. Masters.

Notes