Kilfinnane or Kilfinane () ( or , ) is a small market town in

County Limerick "Remember Limerick" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Munster , subdivision ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. The town's name comes from the Irish (church) and (Finnian), making its meaning "Church of Saint Finnian". Kilfinnane is located approximately 40 km southeast of

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

, and approximately 70 km north-northwest of

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

. It had a population of 789 at the 2016 census. At an elevation of over , Kilfinnane is the highest town in County Limerick. It is surrounded on three sides by the

Ballyhoura Mountains The Ballyhoura Mountains ( ga, An Sliabh Riabhach) are located in south-east County Limerick and north-east County Cork in central Munster, running east and west for about 6 miles on the borders of both counties. Features The southern part of th ...

, and on the fourth side is the "

Golden Vale The Golden Vale () is an area of rolling pastureland in the civil province of Munster, southwestern Ireland. Covering parts of three counties, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork, it is the best land in Ireland for dairy farming. Historically it ...

" region that runs through Counties

, and

Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...

. In 2014, Kilfinnane hosted the inaugural "HearSay International Audio Festival", an event focusing on creative audio. The second HearSay Festival was held in November 2015 had over 80 workshops, installations and performances.

Education

Kilfinnane facilitates both Primary and Secondary Education. Kilfinnane Primary School Scoil Fhíonáin is located very close to the Secondary School and has a new building opened in September 2012. Prior to this, the Primary School was located in an old former Catholic residence, which was notorious due to reports of infestation, cold conditions and outdoor toilets. In November 2012, disputes amongst building subcontractors and the main building contractor of the new School resulted in builders cutting the power and water, and removing the fittings of the newly opened school building. Parents created a blockade to prevent the builders from leaving the school grounds. The standoff became a national news story. An

RTÉ Radio 1 RTÉ Radio 1 ( ga, RTÉ Raidió 1) is an Irish national radio station owned and operated by RTÉ and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926. The total budget for th ...

radio documentary "Take No More" by Grey Heron Media on the standoff won Gold at the 2013 PPI Radio Awards, the 2013 Association for International Broadcasting, and the 2013 New York Radio Festival. Scoil Pól Kilfinnane was founded in 1915 and made its current home in 1987. The school, a

Catholic school Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...

, offers a range of educational and extra-curricular activities. Some of its activities include sports, cairdeas,

transition year Transition Year (TY) ( ga, Idirbhliain) is an optional one-year school programme that can be taken in the year after the Junior Certificate in Ireland. However, depending on school population and funding it may not be available, and in other sch ...

activities, green flag and chess.

Notable people

* Patrick Wallace (aka

Staker Wallace Patrick "Staker" Wallace (1733 - 1798) was a United Irishman, perhaps born at Teermore, in Bulgaden-Ballinvana parish of County Limerick, Ireland, near the town of Kilfinane. He achieved some fame as an Irish patriot when he was brutally execute ...

) (18th century United Irishman) *

Gabriel Rosenstock Gabriel Rosenstock (born 29 September 1949) is an Irish writer who works chiefly in the Irish language. A member of Aosdána, he is poet, playwright, haikuist, tankaist, essayist, and author/translator of over 180 books, mostly in Irish. Born in ...

, Irish writer and poet. * Peter McDonald, Member of Parliament for North Sligo, 1885 - 1891. * Sean 'Óg' Hanley who won All Ireland Medals with Limerick, in 1897, and London, in 1901 was a native of Kilfinnane. The 1897 team was spearheaded by Kilfinnane players, who were Co Champions the previous year *

Richie McCarthy Richard McCarthy (born 11 October 1987) is an Irish hurler who plays for Limerick Senior Championship club Blackrock. He played for the Limerick senior hurling team for 10 years, during which time he usually lined out as a full-back. A defend ...

, Limerick Hurler and 2013 All-Star * James Heffernan, member of 24th

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house). It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...

, the upper house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

. * James Murphy, 19th century judge of the High Court.

Notes

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Limerick Towns and villages in County Limerick

Education

Notable people

See also

Notes