Killeigh (Irish: Cill Aichidh, meaning "church of the field")[2] is a village in County Offaly, Ireland. It is located around 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of the county town of Tullamore, on the N80 national secondary road; the Slieve Bloom Mountains lie to the south. The village of Killeigh, which lies within the civil parish of Geashill,[3] had a population of 183 in 2022.[1]
Killeigh
Irish: Cill Aichidh | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Killeigh Village | |
  Killeigh Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 53°12′50″N 7°27′00″W / 53.214°N 7.450°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | Offaly |
| Elevation | 99 m (325 ft) |
| Population | 183 |
| Irish Grid Reference | N368181 |
Religion
editAn abbey, historically associated with St Sinchell, was reputedly founded at Killeigh (from Irish Cill Aichidh, meaning 'church of the field') in the 6th century.[4] A priory was established by Augustinian nuns in the 12th century, and a Franciscan friary founded in Killeigh in the late 13th century.[4][5] The friary was dissolved in the 16th century.[4]
The current Church of Ireland church in Killeigh, which incorporates part of the remains of the older friary,[4][6] was built in the 17th century.[7] It was "substantially repaired" in the 1830s.[7] It lies within the Diocese of Meath and Kildare.[8]
The local Catholic church, which is dedicated to Saint Patrick,[9] is in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.[10] The current church was built in 1971,[9] replacing an older 19th-century building that was demolished in the 1970s.[11]
A holy well and rag tree, associated with St Sinchell,[4] is located in Killeigh townland and contains architectural fragments from the nearby monastic site.[12][13]
In the 2022 census, approximately 86% indicated that they were Catholic, 1% were of other religions and 13% had no religion or no stated religion.[1]
Sport
edit
Killeigh was the birthplace of the racing greyhound 'Mick the Miller', and a statue has been placed on the village green to commemorate this dog.[14]
The local Gaelic Athletic Association club, Clodiagh Gaels, was founded in 2015 following an amalgamation between the clubs representing Killeigh and Killurin.[15] Both clubs had already united at juvenile and underage levels as Na Fianna. The combined club is named for the Clodiagh River.[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Census Interactive Map - Towns: Killeigh - Population Snapshot". visual.cso.ie. Central Statistics Office. 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "Cill Aichidh/Killeigh". logainm.ie. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ "Sub-units of: Géisill/Geashill". logainm.ie. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Killeigh". visitoffaly.ie. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "NMS mapping data - OF025-017003-". Retrieved 11 November 2024 – via heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com.
- ^ "NMS mapping data - OF025-017001-". Retrieved 11 November 2024 – via heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com.
- ^ a b "Killeigh Church (Geashill), Killeigh, Killeigh, Offaly". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "Geashill Union of Parishes". meathandkildare.org. Church of Ireland. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Our Churches". killeigh.com. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "Parish of Killeigh". kandle.ie. Kildare & Leighlin Diocese. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ "Killeigh Church (Geashill), Killeigh, Killeigh, Offaly". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "Killeigh, Holy Well and Rag Tree, Co. Offaly". thestandingstone.ie. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "NMS mapping data - OF025-017006-". Retrieved 11 November 2024 – via heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com.
OF025-017006- : Ritual site - holy well : Killeigh [..] associated with nearby monastic site [..] with many architectural fragments from the nearby Abbey (OF025-017----) lying around the well
- ^ "Mick the Miller - Monument". mickthemiller.com. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "Offaly GAA club launches development plan". Offaly Live. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ "Clodaigh Gaels". killeigh.com. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
The River Clodiagh is the river from Which the new club derives its name
External links
edit- History of Killeigh Parish (archived 2007)
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