Mountcollins () is a village in the extreme south west of

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 ...

, barely 100 metres from the border with

County Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...

and just a mile from County Cork. The

River Feale Beach seine fishing for salmon in River Feale near by town Ballybunion, year 1975. The River Feale (''An Fhéil'' or ''Abhainn na Féile'' in Irish) rises near Rockchapel in the Mullaghareirk Mountains of County Cork in the southwest of Irelan ...

runs parallel to the village and is fed by the Caher River that divides the village. Mountcollins is in the parish of Mountcollins-Tournafulla. The local post office closed a few years ago. The last grocery shop closed in 2008. The village skyline is dominated by a large Roman Catholic church with an 80 foot steeple which can be plainly seen from both bordering

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...

and

When entering the village from either end there are very narrow bridges which only one car can cross over at a time.

History

Tournafulla-Mountcollins parish was formed in 1838 from part of the parish of

Killeedy Killeedy () is a civil parish located south of Newcastle West in Co. Limerick in Ireland. This parish consists of two villages, Ashford and Raheenagh. The elevation of the parish varies from 1,184 ft. OS at Mauricetown and 1,082 ft. ...

. Until 1586, Mountcollins had been part of the parish of Monagea. The present day population of the parish is about 1,500 people. Mountcollins was formerly called Knockroedermot. The area used to be called the "Munster Coalfield". A large tract of land was reclaimed here in the middle of the nineteenth century. There are hills to the north and south-east and the land is mainly boggy. In the past, there was little more than a road in Mountcollins and people used to say, "I'm going to the road" in reference to it. During the famine in Mountcollins, a number of new roads were laid as part of the relief works that began nationwide in an effort to alleviate the immense poverty that existed at the time. Mountcollins got its present name from Fr Luke Collins. Fr Collins served as priest to both Abbeyfeale and Mountcollins from the 1730s until his death in 1775. Fr Collins first said mass in a building on a hill called 'the Mount', which is the site of the present day church. Hence the name Mountcollins. The Ó Coileáin ruled Southwest Limerick from the fourth to the thirteenth century. The area was called the Tuath of

Corca Oíche The Corca Oíche, meaning "the race of Oíche" (also Corco Óchae, Corcu Oche, Corco Che, Corcuighe, Corcoiche) was an ancient tribe, possibly of Pictish origin, existing since pre-Christian times in Ireland. It is possible that they descend from ...

, after the clan. The Gaelic lords of the Corca Oíche took the name Ó Macasa that became anglicised as Mackessy. To the east of Corca Oíche lay the lands of the Ó Coileáin called Claonghlais. The name Ó Coileáin was anglicised as Collins.

Employment

Agriculture is the main source of income for most locals with the majority of the remainder commuting to neighbouring

Abbeyfeale Abbeyfeale (; ) is a historic market town in County Limerick, Ireland, near the border with County Kerry. The town is on the N21 road (Ireland), N21 road from Limerick to Tralee, some south-west of Newcastle West and south-east of Listowel and ...

and

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 ...

for more commercial and industrial employment.

External links

Limerick Diocese Parish Website

Mountcollins Gaa Website

References

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

History

Employment

See also

External links

References