CLONKEEN, a parish, in the barony of CLANWILLIAM,
county of LIMERICK, and province of MUNSTER,
5½| miles (E. by S.) from Limerick;
containing 628 inhabitants. This parish is situated
on the road from Limerick to Abington, and contains
2496 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act.
The soil is fertile, and the land is well cultivated,
producing abundant crops. The houses are generally
good, and mostly surrounded with gardens and
orchards, particularly near Barrington Bridge, where
several neat cottages, and an hotel and post-office have
been recently erected, a police station established, and
numerous other improvements made. The parish is in
the diocese of Emly, and the rectory is appropriate to
the Archbishop of Cashel's mensal. The church,
which is of Saxon or early Norman architecture, of
which the western doorway is a very fine specimen,
was much injured by the Whiteboys, in 1762, and has
not been repaired; that at Abington is used by the
parishioners. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms
part of the union or district of Murroe. There is a
school, in which about 100 boys and 40 girls are
taught.