Clare Places: Barony of Inchiquin: Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland, 1845

Barony of Inchiquin

A barony of the county of Clare, Munster. It is bounded, on the north and north-east, by co. Galway; on the east, by Bunratty; on the south, by Islands; on the south-west, by Ibrickane; on the west, by Corcomroe; and, on the north-west, by Burren. Its length southwards is 12½ miles; its greatest breadth is 10 miles; and its area is 88,387 acres, 3 perches, of which 2,854 acres, 3 perches are water. The eastern part, immediately upon the Fergus, consists chiefly of flat, calcareous, rocky, light land; the west is generally moorish, with some vales of great fertility; and the part immediately adjacent to Corcomroe is highly improveable, as limestone can be very easily obtained. About Tully O’Dea there is some excellent tillage ground. Nearly in the centre of the barony lies the beautiful lake of Tedano; about a mile west of this lies Lough Inchiquin, a picturesque sheet of about 300 acres; and respectively north-north-eastward and south-south-eastward of Tedano, extend two chains of subordinate lakes. These sheets of water possess great aggregate beauty, and have all subterranean communications. Closely adjoining Lough Inchiquin stand the ruins of Inchiquin Castle, once the residence of the O’Briens, Earls of Inchiquin, and now Marquises of Thomond. The O’Briens are descendants of the famous Brian Boromh, monarch of Ireland. In 1543 Murrough O’Brien, brother of Conor O’Brien, king of Thomond and usurper of the son of Conor O’Brien’s rights, submitted to Henry VIII., was created Earl of Thomond, with remainder to his deposed nephew, and Baron of Inchiquin, with remainder to his own heirs male. In 1654, William O’Brien, sixth Baron of Inchiquin, was advanced to the dignity of Earl of Inchiquin; in 1800, Murrough, fifth Earl of Inchiquin, was created Marquis of Thomond; and, in 1826, the second Marquis was made Baron Tadcaster in the peerage of Great Britain. The barony of Inchiquin was granted, in 1585, by Queen Elizabeth to Lord Inchiquin and it then assumed its present name, but was previously called Tullagh O’Dea. Mr. Hely Dutton remarks, that "Tradition, which is often a liar, says the barony takes its title from a small island in the lake of Inchiquin, that it anciently belonged to a family of the Quins or Cuinns, and was called Innis-O’Quin, or Quin’s Island, and that O’Quin was starved to death on it." This barony contains the parishes of Dysert, Inagh, Kilkeedy, Killneboy, Kilnmaona, Rath, and Ruan. The only town is Currofin. Pop., in 1831, 18,566; in 1841, 21,231. Houses 3,393. Families employed chiefly in agriculture, 3,089; in manufactures and trade, 334; in other pursuits, 154. Males at and above 5 years of age who could read and write 2,964; who could read but not write, 1,195; who could neither read nor write 5,145. Females at and above 5 years of age who could read and write, 1,183; who could read but not write, 1,186; who could neither read nor write 6,721. Inchiquin is distributed among the Poor-law unions of Ennis, Ennistymon, and Gort. The total number of tenements valued is 2,250; and of these, 848 are valued under £5, - 619, under £10, - 303, under £15, - 117, under £20, - 83, under £25, - 72, under £30, -71, under £40, - 37, under £50, and 100, at and above £50.

The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland, 1845
Courtesy of Clare Local Studies Project