Tomfinlough ( ga, Tuaim Fhionnlocha) is a civil parish in
County Clare
County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,81 ...
, Ireland. A Christian establishment was first made here around 540 AD. The parish lands were often raided by Irish, Viking, Norman and English forces in the years that followed. The church was allowed to fall into ruins during the period when the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
was penalized in Ireland.
Location
The ruined parish church stands at the northern end of the lake named
Finn Lough or Fenloe.
The name "Tomfinlough" means Tomb or Tumulus of the Fair Lake.
It is in the barony of
in County Clare, about northwest of the village of
Six-Mile-Bridge.
The parish contains the village of
Ardsallis.
The parish contains the following
townland
A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic orig ...
s: Ayleacotty, Ballycar, Boheraroan, Caherkine, Caherscooby, Carrowmeer, Carrownakilly, Finlough, Granaghan, Granaghan Beg, Granaghan More, Kilnacrandy, Langough, Mausnarylaan, Mooghaun North, Mooghaun South, Muckanagh (Butler), Muckanagh (Studdert), Muckanagh (Vandeleur), Newmarket, Rathlaheen North, Rathlaheen South and Snugborough.
History
Tuamfinlough is the oldest known settlement in the region of
Newmarket-on-Fergus
Newmarket-on-Fergus, historically known as Corracatlin (), is a town in County Clare, Ireland. It is 13 kilometres from Ennis, 8 kilometres from Shannon Airport, and 24 kilometres from Limerick.
History
The English rendering of the name 'Newm ...
.
Tomfinlough is said to have been founded by Saint
Luchtighern mac-ui-Trato, a contemporary of Saint
Mac Creiche
Mac Creiche (or Maccreehy, MacCrecius) of Liscannor is described by various old texts as an early Irish saint, a hermit who slew monsters and persuaded kings to submit to him through miracles. He was probably not a historical figure. The stories ...
who lived around 540, and probably belonged to the Trataidhe tribe.
When the forces of Connaught were plundering the district of
Corcomroe, the people sent a deputation to
Emly
Emly or Emlybeg () is a village in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Clanwilliam. It is also an Ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly.
It is situated on the R515 ...
. They asked Saint Ailbhe to persuade Saint MacCreiche, their relative, to return and plead for them with the king of Connaught. Mac Chreiche agreed, and came with his disciple
Manchín. On the way they stopped at Tomfinlough where Luightighern agreed to accompany them.
The lands of Trataidhe were both fertile and vulnerable, and were often raided. The Danes destroyed the original church in 944.
In 1854 a hoard of buried treasure hidden in a small stone chamber was unearthed in the Mooghaun North townland during the construction of the
Limerick and Ennis Railway. It included many valuable gold items, including three gorgets that were given to the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, and many rings, bracelets and other items. The total weight was over . Most of the treasure was sold to private bidders.
It may have been booty collected by the Danes and buried after they were defeated by
Brian Boroimhe (died 1014).
According to the ''Annals of the Four Masters'', the abbot Scannlan died in 944, and the lecturer Tuathal O’Muirgheasa died in 1049. In 1054
Torlogh O’Brien and the Connacians raided
Thomond
Thomond (Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nena ...
and sacked Tuaimfionlocha.
The church was closed during the Penal Law period. In 1744 the High Sheriff for Clare, John Westropp, reported to the authorities that, "I have according to your instructions made strict search in
Ennis and in several other places where we had the least suspicion of priests and had the army from
Clarecastle to assist me - but could find none. We have locked and nailed up all the Mass houses."
After the laws were relaxed, Tomfinlough became part of the
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
parish of
Newmarket-on-Fergus
Newmarket-on-Fergus, historically known as Corracatlin (), is a town in County Clare, Ireland. It is 13 kilometres from Ennis, 8 kilometres from Shannon Airport, and 24 kilometres from Limerick.
History
The English rendering of the name 'Newm ...
which also contains the civil parishes of
Bunratty
Bunratty (, meaning "end of the Raite") is a village in County Clare, Ireland, near Bunratty Castle. It is connected by the N18 road to Limerick and Galway. The Raite river defines the parish's eastern boundary and flows into the Shannon Estu ...
,
Clonloghan,
Drumline
Marching percussion instruments are instruments specially designed to be played while moving. This is achieved by attaching the drum(s) to a special harness (also called a carrier or rack) worn by the drummer, although not all marching bands us ...
,
Kilconry
Kilconry ( ga, Cill Chomhraí) is a civil parish of County Clare, Ireland, located about northwest of Limerick, west of Shannon on the estuary of the River Shannon. The main village in the area is Ballycalla/Ballcally and it contains the Shan ...
,
Kilmaleery and
Kilnasoolagh
Kilnasoolagh ( ga, Cill Átha na Súileach) is a civil parish in County Clare, Ireland, and a townland within that parish. Church records mention the parish in 1256.
Location
In 1845 the parish lay on the west border of the barony of Lower Bun ...
.
In 1856 the parish was also part of a
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the secon ...
deanery named Tradrai'gha, which included the parishes of
Bunratty
Bunratty (, meaning "end of the Raite") is a village in County Clare, Ireland, near Bunratty Castle. It is connected by the N18 road to Limerick and Galway. The Raite river defines the parish's eastern boundary and flows into the Shannon Estu ...
,
Clonloghan,
Drumline
Marching percussion instruments are instruments specially designed to be played while moving. This is achieved by attaching the drum(s) to a special harness (also called a carrier or rack) worn by the drummer, although not all marching bands us ...
,
Feenagh,
Kilconry
Kilconry ( ga, Cill Chomhraí) is a civil parish of County Clare, Ireland, located about northwest of Limerick, west of Shannon on the estuary of the River Shannon. The main village in the area is Ballycalla/Ballcally and it contains the Shan ...
,
Kilmaleery,
Kilnasoolagh
Kilnasoolagh ( ga, Cill Átha na Súileach) is a civil parish in County Clare, Ireland, and a townland within that parish. Church records mention the parish in 1256.
Location
In 1845 the parish lay on the west border of the barony of Lower Bun ...
,
Killowen
Killowen (, now spelt ''Cill Eoin''), alternatively spelt Cill Abhainn is a small village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is near Rostrevor and on the shore of Carlingford Lough. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 159 people. It lie ...
, Tomfinlough and the island of
Inis-da-dhrom.
Church
The old church of Tomfinlough incorporates portions that are extremely old with more modern changes and additions.
Large blocks of limestone in the southwest of the site are traces of a pre-Norman building which could date to the 10th century.
Around 1300 the
de Clare
The House of Clare was a prominent Anglo-Norman noble house that held at various times the earldoms of Pembroke, Hertford and Gloucester in England and Wales, as well as playing a prominent role in the Norman invasion of Ireland.
They were de ...
family restored the church and added at least two sandstone windows to the south and east walls.
The building was restored again around 1480, and a new limestone-cut window was inserted in the east wall.
The church in 1839 measured , with walls high and thick.
There was a pointed doorway in the west gable high and wide.
The lower of the gable seemed much older than the rest of the gable.
The church had another door in the south side, and several windows, some divided into two, of different ages.
One of the windows was decorated in the interior with carved human heads, much weathered.
Another window appeared to date to at least the first part of the 10th century.
In July 1907 the north wall of the ruined "old Abbey of Fenloe" collapsed.
Other remains
There is a holy well near the church, where stations were still performed in 1839.
In 1839 a section of wall high and long stood about to the southeast of the church.
It had large cut stones at its ends, like the angles of a house gable, and a doorway in the center high measured from ground level as it then was.
The doorway was wide at the top and wide at the foot. This seems to have been the west end or gable of an ancient church.
Above the doorway there were three human heads sculpted in stone.
The middle one was very badly weathered but the other heads still preserved their features.
These Romanesque heads may date to the 15th century.
This would mean that the earlier building, identified as Saint Luchtighern's oratory, was renovated around this time, when the church was also renovated. The heads are still visible, but have been re-arranged so the central head is now one that is in good condition.
A traditional story tells of Luchtigern curing a woman inflicted by the plague, who came to him when he was working in the field at Tomfinlough with two deacons.
One of the deacons was greatly impressed, and attributed the cure to God working through the saint. The other was skeptical.
Luchtigern carved three faces on a stone, representing himself and the deacons, and said that heaven would show who was right.
Soon the face of the skeptic was worn away, while the other two faces remained.
There is a stone in the Tomfinlough graveyard wall with two raised solid circles on its face, about six inches in diameter.
On has a rounded face and other a flat face with a small cross roughly engraved on it.
It is called the "plague stone", and is associated with the legend.
References
Notes
Citations
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomfinlough
Civil parishes of County Clare