KILLEEDY, a parish, in the Glenquin Division of
the barony of UPPER-CONNELLO, county of LIMERICK,
and province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (S.) from Newcastle,
on the road from that place to Newmarket; containing
5420 inhabitants. The castle of Glenquin, which gives
name to this division of the barony, was built by an
Irish chieftain of the O'Hallinans, in 1462, but was
soon afterwards seized by the O'Briens, who retained
possession for some years, when it was seized by the
O'Hanlons, who were expelled by the Geraldines, by
whom it was forfeited in the Desmond rebellion, and
was ultimately captured and dismantled by Capt. Raleigh.
This castle was granted to Sir W. Courtney in
1591, together with the castle of Killeedy, which was
erected by the Knights Templars and afterwards belonged
to the Earls of Desmond. At Strand, near
Glenquin, the Knights Templars also erected Temple
Stran, in 1291. The castle of Cleanlis, or Castle English,
a strong fortress, of which the owner enjoyed
peculiar privileges, was also in this parish. It comprises
26,005 statute acres, of which 9059 are applotted
under the tithe act, and the remainder is mountain and
bog: the mountains contain coal, iron-stone, and limestone.
At Hernsbrook is the very neat residence of M.
Aherin, Esq. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in
the diocese of Limerick, forming the corps of the prebend
of Killeedy in the Cathedral of Limerick and is in
the patronage of the Bishop. The tithes amount to
£482. 12. 3¾. The church and glebe house were destroyed
by the Rockites in 1822, and have not been
rebuilt: the glebe comprises 27 acres. In the R. C.
divisions it is the head of a union or district, called
Ashford, comprising also a small part of Monegay; the
chapel is a large plain building at Ashford. About 60
children are educated in two public schools, which are
partially supported by the Earl of Devon, and about
210 in two private schools.